Men suffering from prostate cancer have a very high chance of developing bone metastases, making it imperative to track and effectively treat local and distant tumors, especially in castrate-resistant cases. Metabolic imaging with FDG PET could provide a biomarker for predicting patients’ survival, which has been found to be a beneficial indicator in the prognosis of patients with this highly variable disease, according to a study published June 19 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Effective imaging of the formation of new blood vessels feeding invasive tumors is essential to the continued development of antiangiogenetic therapy. A range of imaging methods and antiangiogenic drugs have been developed in this area with inconsistent results, but a technique using 3D MR and avb3-receptor targeted nanoparticles is providing an index of new vessel development over time that could push research forward and potentially improve patient management and outcomes of antiangiogenetic therapy, according to a study published online June 14 in Radiology.

CMS effectively ushered in a fresh start for oncologic PET imaging upon the final coverage decision for PET imaging of solid tumors announced on June 11. Elaboration of new coverage was provided on June 13 and the NOPR (the National Oncologic Pet Registry) was concluded as of June 11. Representatives from the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging and NOPR moderated a webinar June 19 to discuss the decision and to counsel clinicians on how PET imaging is expected to move forward.

A new standard is being set for technologists working within the emerging discipline of PET/MR. A meeting of minds from both sides of the technology is necessary to assure a high level of patient care to include diversified education and protocols within the imaging suite, according to a joint consensus statement by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging’s Technologist Section (SNMMI-TS) and the Section of Magnetic Resonance Technologists (SMRT) published April 30 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology.

The Amyloid Imaging Task Force, a collaborative effort by the Alzheimer’s Association and the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), published an update to previous appropriate use criteria for amyloid imaging as it relates to suspected Alzheimer’s disease pathology June 10 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Previous studies have pointed to treatment-specific imaging biomarkers for predicting response to therapy for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), but brain imaging with FDG PET, particularly of the anterior insula, is going a step further to differentiate response to combined treatments, which could improve management of patients with the mood disorder, according to a study published June 12 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease: 2013 Update. The first-ever National Alzheimer's Plan, initially released in May 2012, was mandated by the bipartisan National Alzheimer's Project Act (P.L. 111-375), which Congress passed unanimously in 2010. The 2013 Update includes a new timeline for achieving its first goal – prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer's disease by 2025 – and a review of progress over the past year.

The launch of PET/MR imaging has renewed interest in the role of MR and PET/MR in pulmonary nodule evaluation. The hybrid modality demonstrated high sensitivity in the detection of FDG-avid nodules and nodules 5 cm or larger, according to a study published online June 4 in Radiology.