The use of PET radiopharmaceuticals increased from 17 percent to 26 percent in diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures, according to a report evaluating adverse effects published May 29 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

In a comparison safety study between scintigraphy and 256-slice angiography for pregnant women suspected of having a pulmonary embolism, scintigraphy was found to be the safest choice for moms and their unborn babies, according to a study published May 29 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

The biopharmaceutical company Eli Lilly based in Indianapolis, announced yesterday that it is collaborating in the development of Qiagen’s modular assay panels that allow simultaneous study of multiple biomarkers under investigation by Lilly. This comes on the heels of news that Lilly has made a sizable investment in an $80 million Epidarex Capital fund for early-stage life science and health technology companies in the United Kingdom.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.