Molecular Imaging

Molecular imaging (also called nuclear medicine or nuclear imaging) can image the function of cells inside the body at the molecular level. This includes the imaging modalities of positron emission computed tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. How does PET and SPECT imaging work? Small amounts of radioactive material (radiopharmaceuticals) injected into a patient. These can use sugars or chemical traits to bond to specific cells. The radioactive material is taken up by cells that consume the sugars. The radiation emitted from inside the body is detected by photon detectors outside the body. Computers take the data to assemble images of the radiation emissions. Nuclear images may appear fuzzy or ghostly rather than the sharper resolution from MRI and CT.  But, it provides metabolic information at a cellular level, showing if there are defects in the function of the heart, areas of very high metabolic activity associated with cancer cells, or areas of inflammation, data not available from other modalities. These noninvasive imaging exams are used to diagnose cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, bone disorders and other disorders. 

Study: Gadolinium has little impact on accuracy of MRI for pediatric tumors

Gadolinium chelate administration is largely unnecessary for imaging pediatric tumors when performing MRI or combined PET/MR scans, according to a recent study published by the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

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A ‘nuclear scalpel’ may emerge from discovery of four new elements

Scientists from Japan, Russia and the U.S. have discovered four new chemical elements that, taken together, complete the seventh period of the periodic table of elements. And the first area of human endeavor to find a practical use for the expanded knowledge may be nuclear medicine.

Adding whole-body PET/MRI improves evaluation of colorectal cancer

Compared with conventional multi-detector, contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) alone, CECT with integrated whole-body PET/MRI is better at detecting metastatic lesions and characterizing indeterminate lesions in the colon.

Akrotome Imaging Receives $1.7M Grant from NIH to Advance Research for Technology that Sheds a “Light” on Cancer

Akrotome Imaging Inc., a Cleveland-based medical imaging technology company, has received a major award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to complete development and commercialization of its leading-edge imaging platform.

Isotope Technologies Garching GmbH Announces In-licensing of DOTA-Zoledronate for Bone Targeted Radionuclide Theranostics of Osseous Metastases

The ITM Group announced today that its subsidiary ITG GmbH has successfully in-licensed DOTA-Zoledronate, a next generation theranostic agent for Bone Targeted Radionuclide Therapy and Diagnostics in patients suffering from bone metastases. 

NHS pushes for major multi-site genomics project

The United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) is embarking on an ambitious gene-sequencing project with 11 genomics institutions in England. The objective is to find targeted treatments for a spectrum of illnesses.

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Zecotek settles patent suit against Philips, Saint Gobain

Singapore-based Zecotek Photonics, makers of industrial imaging technologies, announced today that the company has settled a lawsuit brought against Philips and Saint Gobain over patent infringement regarding new PET detector technology.

Quantitative FET-PET makes the grade for advanced glioma

High-grade astrocytoma is a particularly aggressive form of glioma. Parameters of PET imaging such as the minimal time-to-peak could help clinicians narrow in on the best line of treatment for each patient, according to a study published Dec. 23 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.