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 to oversee genetic and other lab tests

The FDA has announced that more than 11,000 lab-driven diagnostic tests that have never been regulated will now fall under the agency's oversight. This includes cancer screening and genetic testing, an area of research that has exploded in the past couple of decades.

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Opening the gates of an elegant brain receptor

The glutamate receptor is an important player in nerve signaling and exceptionally high-resolution images of protein interactions are revealing how these receptors operate, which could have an impact on future targets for a wide variety of neurodegenerative diseases, announced the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Monday.

Fatty meal prior to FDG PET/CT could improve coronary plaque imaging

A new protocol nuclear cardiologists could use to improve identification of coronary plaques involves decreasing F-18 FDG myocardial uptake to reveal more coronary detail in cardiac PET/CT. A high-fat meal prior to fasting seems to do the trick, according to a study published July 31 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Anti-alpha-synuclein Parkinson therapy develops in clinical trials

A disease-modifying therapy to treat Parkinson’s disease has moved through a phase I clinical trial and is set to enter a phase II study, co-sponsor the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) announced Thursday.

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Wahl chosen as director of Mallinckrodt Institute

Richard L. Wahl, MD, will be taking over as head of radiology at Washington University School of Medicine and director of the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology this fall, the university announced Friday.

Progenics to host industry conference call

Progenics Pharmaceuticals, a producer of oncologic drugs, most notably a prostate-specific membrane antigen targeted therapy currently in clinical trials, has announced that the company will be hosting a conference call to review second quarter 2014 financials and other topics on Friday, Aug. 8.

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A new prognostic biomarker for breast cancer

A new method of molecular imaging captures the dysfunction of an oncoprotein—Akt/PKB, the activation of which is tied to dismal prognoses in cancer patients. High throughput time-resolved-FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) was implemented to seek out Akt/PKB activation in breast cancer patients, which could have a significant impact on not only future research, but potentially individual patient management, according to a study published in the July issue of Cancer Research.

Cardiac PET: Quantitating myocardial blood flow with F-18 flurpiridaz

The quantitative imaging of myocardial blood flow has been gaining momentum in recent years, as is the use of F-18 flurpiridaz, which has been shown to reveal a clear demarcation of disease in patients with CAD, according to a first-in-human quantitative imaging study published July 28 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.