Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine (also called molecular imaging) includes positron emission computed tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. Nuclear imaging is achieved by injecting small amounts of radioactive material (radiopharmaceuticals) into patients before or during their scan. 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. 

PET scans spot brain abnormalities in long COVID patients

For 47% of patients with long COVID symptoms, brain PET scans identified mild to moderate or severe hypometabolic patterns. 

FDA approves new radioligand therapy for PSMA positive metastatic prostate cancer

In clinical trials, the therapy reduced patients' risk of death by 38%, along with significantly decreasing disease progression. 

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FDA approves new therapy, complementary imaging agent for treating metastatic prostate cancer

Provider advocates praised the decision, calling it “one of the greatest success stories in nuclear medicine history.”

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Netherlands nuclear reactor has resumed operations after unplanned outage

The supply of medical radioisotopes is expected to normalize in the next two weeks now that the Petten HFR has resumed production.

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Metastatic prostate cancer cases surge following USPSTF-recommended slowdown in screenings

New PET imaging techniques with higher sensitivity may have also contributed to these trends, USC experts wrote in JAMA Open Network

American College of Radiology joins other medical societies in speaking out over Ukraine crisis

“The ACR and its members stand ready to assist and support our radiologic colleagues and other medical providers in Ukraine," the group said March 4. 

Two top stories radiology this past month was the nuclear imaging isotope shortage and an ultrasound imaging study of COVID vaccine adenopathy.

Top Health Imaging stories in February 2022

These are the most popular stories on Health Imaging in February, based on more than 75,400 reader pageviews. 

Radiology leaders speak out in support of Ukraine

In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, leaders in the radiology community are speaking out and publicly denouncing the aggressions.