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. 

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Market for companion diagnostics set to grow

Diagnostic tests that inform selection and efficacy of therapy go by a few different names, including theranostics and companion diagnostics, but whatever you call them, the market for these tests is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4.9 percent and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tests are expected to account for 55 percent of market value this year, according to a report published this month by GlobalData.

SPECT predictive of lymphoma RIT success

Advanced low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma typically leads to relapse and death in patients who undergo conventional chemo and radiation therapies, but the emergence of radioimmunotherapy (RIT) has provided an encouraging alternative. Now researchers are finding quantitative SPECT data about dose uptake can be used to predict survival after therapy, according to a study published May 19 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Lipidomics at AACC: Blood test for Alzheimer’s disease

A simple blood test is being presented as a viable means of predicting a patient’s odds of developing neurodegenerative disease within two to three years. Preliminary research came out in March and will be elaborated in a late-breaking session July 28 at the 2014 annual meeting of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC).

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Making the Mark: Incoming SNMMI President Offers a Blueprint for the Year

A knowledgeable voice among nuclear medicine leaders, the president-elect of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) returns to the pages of Molecular Imaging Insight with some commentary on recent changes in the industry, new items on the molecular imaging agenda and worthy initiatives in the wings.

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Tau imaging: A review of the triumphs and challenges

Tau has been identified as one of the keys to unlocking neurodegenerative disease, including Alzheimer’s. However, efforts to develop an ideal tau PET agent continue to be an uphill battle, according to a review published May 15 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Pancreatic PET stress test could eliminate cumbersome testing

A minimally invasive PET scan could tell clinicians about a patient’s exocrine function without all of the usual pains of conventional testing, according to a study published May 19 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

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Biobank launches brain study

In this video, BBC reporter Fergus Walsh is the first to undergo an MRI scan as part of the largest scan study to date and describes how the study is evolving.

IBA Molecular awarded 3-year group purchasing agreement with Premier, Inc.

IBA Molecular North America, Inc. (IBA Molecular) announced the signing of a 3-year group purchasing agreement with Premier, Inc. (Premier), a leading health care improvement company, to offer PET radiopharmaceuticals, including 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), a diagnostic radiotracer used in oncology, neurology and cardiology, to Premier member imaging centers across the country.