Cocaine addiction can ruin a person physically and financially, and with an estimated 1.4 million cocaine users in the U.S., thousands will become trapped by their habit. While previous research on the drug and its addictive potential were observational and subjective, imaging is reshaping how we see addiction—and how it will be treated.

On the heels of the final decision from CMS regarding coverage for amyloid imaging in late September, Molecular Imaging Insight talked with amyloid PET imaging expert Peter Herscovitch, MD, SNMMI 2013-2014 president elect in an exclusive interview to discuss the potential impact of the new climate of coverage in the near to distant future. The CMS coverage decision now allots one amyloid PET scan per patient in approved clinical trials, but it is not yet clear how these studies will proceed. He offers some key points of conversation for stakeholders in dementia imaging.

There are the workhorses and the newcomers in the world of molecular imaging and biomarkers. What technologies and biomarkers are getting close to entering regular clinical practice? Which ones have a ways to go? Four experts offer thier opinions and rationale.

For more than 50 years, speculation has swirled about the tremendous potential of Ga-68 PET imaging to transform molecular imaging. The rapidly increasing number of publications reporting the results of Ga-68 PET imaging studies are evidence that many are working in this direction. 

Delayed brain injury resulting from aggressive radiation treatment can be differentiated from recurrent brain tumors using F-18 FDOPA PET imaging, according to a study published Oct. 28 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

New research brings 11 new genes into focus as potential links to Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis, all associated with the build-up of protein plaques in the brain. The data was made available as a result of the international Genomics of Alzheimer's Project (IGAP), according to an Oct. 28 report by The Huffington Post.

The global PET market is set to grow an estimated 3.74 percent from 2012-2016, according to a report published this month by the market research firm Infiniti Research Limited.

Lantheus Medical Imaging has announced preliminary phase III clinical trial results for F-18 flurpiridaz as a diagnostic PET agent for myocardial perfusion imaging indicating high sensitivity but potentially lagging specificity for the detection of CAD.