Molecular Imaging Insight spoke with three experts to discuss the evidence supporting a coverage expansion, reaction to CMS proposed decision memo and speculate on what the final verdict might be.

Diagnostic imaging modalities utilized in the care of cancer patients must fulfill several requirements: they must diagnose and characterize tumors with a high accuracy, must reliably stage and restage the disease and should allow for monitoring the effects of therapeutic interventions on the course of the disease. Ideally, imaging enables physicians to predict treatment responses before therapies are initiated. They should impact patient management by guiding treating physicians to appropriate, individualized treatment strategies. There is ample evidence that positron emission tomography (PET) and PET/CT imaging meet these requirements.

New integrated imaging for brain tumors offers insight into tumor metabolism

As personalized medicine attempts to revolutionize healthcare, giving patients access to tailored medical care, PET/CT is emerging with the promise of personalized therapies for oncology, including womens cancers to provide the right patient with the right treatment at the right time.

The next generation of molecular imaging technology is here. Pioneers plan to deploy integrated molecular imaging early next year. This newest solution takes a new approach. Siemens Medical Solutions Biograph mCT (molecular CT) unites top-of-the-line molecular imaging components such as ultraHDPET technologyHDPET and time-of-flight, combined with advanced CT capabilities up to 128 slices to offer dramatic clinical and throughput improvements. The system, which shows the sum of CT and PET is greater than its parts, also provides increased flexibility and speed, key metrics in todays tight fiscal climate.

Measuring the oxygen tension, or hypoxia, is critical in determining the effectiveness of radiation therapy, since patients with hypoxic tumors typically have a poor treatment response. Molecular imaging techniques and new imaging biomarkers in development offer a variety of approaches to imaging hypoxic regions in tumorsgoing beyond mere tumor detection to tumor biology characterization for more personalized treatmentintended to improve therapy outcomes and stop the spread of disease.

With the introduction of new molecular imaging modalities, the line between nuclear medicine and radiology blurs a little bit more. While there might have been some tension in the past, with radiologists viewing nuclear medicine as unclear medicine and nuclear medicine physicians operating without the knowledge and experience of cross-sectional imaging, there is now a meeting of the minds of radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians. SPECT/CT utilization is steadily being greeted with more enthusiasm and acceptance within the radiologic community, particularly due to its ability to merge anatomical and functional information, and ultimately, increase diagnostic accuracy and expediency.

Truly integrated imaging has arrived. The lines between radiologyand nuclear medicine have blurred with increased utilization ofcross-modality solutions. Several factors are fueling the uptake ofPET/CT—the primary integrated imaging solution.