The current climate of Parkinson’s research is much like it was for Alzheimer’s disease before there was a clear way forward toward pathological detection. Complex clinical features, genetics and molecular drivers of the disease in all its various forms make it exceedingly difficult to standardize research and therefore screening and diagnosis, but a new framework for research is being presented, according to a perspective piece published online April 11 by The Lancet.

Baxter announced results of its Phase III clinical study of immunoglobulin (IG). In the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center trial, IG did not meet its co-primary endpoints of reducing cognitive decline and preserving functional abilities in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease after 18 months of treatment. Given the findings, Baxter said it will re-evaluate its approach for its Alzheimer’s program.

Many older patients undergoing an exercise stress test may not need molecular imaging to provide a clear picture of cardiovascular health. Evidence suggests that SPECT MPI may not provide any additional information for those who are nimble enough to reach a certain level of exertion and show no signs of CAD or cardiovascular distress. These and similar findings point to potential radioisotope injection guidelines to reduce radiation dose and cost of healthcare for these patients, according to research presented at the International Conference on Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac CT, held May 5 to 8 in Berlin.

MILabs, B.V. the Netherlands‐based innovator and manufacturer of pre‐clinical SPECT/PET/CT imaging devices used in biomedical research, today announces the release of the new mini product family ‐ an easy‐to‐use series of benchtop SPECT and PET imagers for small animals that combine simplified workflow, compact dimensions and affordable pricing to bring high‐performance SPECT/PET within everyone’s reach.

Molecular breast imaging, also known as breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI), was found to be significantly more sensitive compared to mammography. In fact, BSGI found lesions in 4 percent of women who received a clean bill with mammography, according to a meta-analysis published online by the European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

For patients suspected to have dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), SPECT brain imaging of the dopamine transporter (DAT) system has been considered a possible means of evaluating classic symptoms of the disease—hallucinations, cognitive fluctuations, dementia and parkinsonism—and disease-specific changes in striatal dopaminergic function, but researchers have found no such positive connection, according to a study published May 1 by the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

The PET Response Criteria in Solid Tumors (PERCIST) aim to propel PET from the murky realm of qualitative imaging to a quantitative breakdown of response to cancer treatment.

The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) heads north June 8 to June 12 to Vancouver for its annual meeting, dubbed as the premiere educational and networking event in molecular imaging and nuclear medicine.