In an attempt to tease out the best possible technique for imaging the inflammation associated with atherosclerotic plaques, researchers peered into the cellular tangle and tested both FDG and MR imaging with ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (USPIO) to find out what kind of relationships were happening at the molecular level. Researchers found a complex interplay of macrophage heterogeneity and subtle genetic up and downregulation that hint at the pathology of atherosclerosis, according to a study published May 13 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Simultaneous MR/PET acquisition provides more accurate alignment of hybrid datasets than retrospective fusion of MR images and PET data, according to a study published online May 8 in Radiology.

A tumor segmentation software dubbed single-click ensemble segmentation (SCES) is advancing the definition and delineation of a wide range of cancerous lesions past manual labor and into the realm of high-tech automation. 

Breast cancer tumors often express vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A and a method of detection involving PET and the monoclonal antibody tracer Zr-89 bevacizumab is showing promise for the assessment of early to late stage primary malignancy, according to a study published May 7 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Simultaneous PET/MR broke additional ground toward clinical use by showing technical success and potential clinical merit for FDG PET/MR detection of ischemic heart disease, according to a study published May 7 in Radiology.

A multi-step study has determined that SPECT is a superior method of ventilator-perfusion (V/Q) imaging for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) and also has indicated an optimal imaging protocol for its application, according to the second phase of the study published May 1 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

The current climate of Parkinson’s research is much like it was for Alzheimer’s disease before there was a clear way forward toward pathological detection. Complex clinical features, genetics and molecular drivers of the disease in all its various forms make it exceedingly difficult to standardize research and therefore screening and diagnosis, but a new framework for research is being presented, according to a perspective piece published online April 11 by The Lancet.

Baxter announced results of its Phase III clinical study of immunoglobulin (IG). In the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center trial, IG did not meet its co-primary endpoints of reducing cognitive decline and preserving functional abilities in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease after 18 months of treatment. Given the findings, Baxter said it will re-evaluate its approach for its Alzheimer’s program.