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.

FDA approves expanded use of PET imaging agent
The product's updated indications include quantification and long-term monitoring of amyloid plaques on imaging.
'Powerful' new PET agent improves the diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer
The agent “exhibits powerful tumor delineation” in challenging cases of determining cancer subtypes, and could potentially lead to more personalized, effective treatment strategies.
Industry partnership set to advance research on theranostics
The deal will create a Therapy Command Center to support the study and use of theranostics across Massachusetts General Hospital and its affiliated centers in bordering states.
SNMMI unveils its 2025 Image of the Year
The designation was awarded to a research team from China, who analyzed the efficacy of a novel radiotracer developed to target expression of the PD-L1 protein in suspected head and neck cancers.
3 industry partnerships, 1 clinical aim: Enriching the global supply chain of medical isotopes
Nuclear medicine operations may soon enjoy steadier flows of certain in-demand radioisotopes. If so, much credit will go to companies that had the strategic sense to collaborate with each other.

Analog molecule could throw off Parkinson’s diagnosis

Monitoring dopamine activity may not be as ideal as previously thought for patients suspected of having Parkinson’s disease. Researchers at Washington State University have found an “imposter molecule” that could be mistaken for dopamine in tests that look for low-levels of the neurostransmitter as a sign of the neurodegenerative disease, the university announced Wednesday.

GE garners FDA approval for new PET/CT

The FDA has provided 510(k) clearance of GE Healthcare's Discovery IQ PET/CT system, the company announced Monday.

NIH provides $10M push for gender equality in biomedical research

The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) has set an initiative in motion that intents to banish a biomedical research bias toward the use of male animal models and cells in preclinical studies.

WMIC: Looking ahead to 2015

The 2014 World Molecular Imaging Congress (WMIC) put a spotlight on the basic science and translation of molecular imaging at the World Trade Center in Seoul, South Korea, from Sept. 17-20. Molecular Imaging caught up with three central figures of the 2015 WMIC to find out more about emerging trends in molecular imaging and ways in which the WMIS operates to aid translation of preclinical research to first-in-human trials.

Anti-tau Alzheimer’s therapeutic pushes forward in phase III clinical trials

TauRx Therapeutics announced today that enough subjects have been enrolled in the second of two phase III clinical trials to continue validating a tau aggregation inhibitor called LMTX for the treatment of mild Alzheimer's disease.

Motion correction PET program bankrolled by UM, Brain Biosciences

The University of Maryland announced this month that 18 projects with a value of $4.7 million have been approved through the Maryland Industrial Partnership (MIPS) program, which is fostered by the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute and A. James Clark School of Engineering. Projects include the development of cancer therapeutics and motion correction software for brain PET systems.

WMIC 2014: Angiogenesis, nanotheranostics and stem cell imaging

This year’s World Molecular Imaging Congress (WMIC), the Annual Meeting of the World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS), brought the most cutting edge research and technology in preclinical research and molecular imaging technology to the World Trade Center in Seoul, Korea, from Sept. 17-20.

Mediso reaches another milestone with 150th installation of preclinical integrated multimodality imaging system

Mediso Medical Equipment Developing and Service Ltd. is proud to announce the hundred and fiftieth installation of Mediso manufactured, integrated preclinical imaging systems, at the prestigious Edinburgh University.

Molecular Imaging

FDA approves expanded use of PET imaging agent

'Powerful' new PET agent improves the diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer

Industry partnership set to advance research on theranostics

SNMMI unveils its 2025 Image of the Year

3 industry partnerships, 1 clinical aim: Enriching the global supply chain of medical isotopes