Imaging biomarkers have been developed for use in early cancer diagnosis, staging and restaging of disease and monitoring the effects of therapeutic interventions. In addition, biomarkers for evaluating coronary function and perfusion are well-established. Imaging biomarkers targeting neurodegenerative diseases also are widely used in the clinic.

Obesity is a known risk factor for ischemic heart disease, and conducting advanced coronary analysis within this patient population is challenging. SPECT/CT has emerged as a molecular imaging workhorse for evaluating obese patients with coronary artery disease.

Just five years ago, the thought of cardiac cross-sectional imaging turned immediately toward the potential of MRI for evaluation of the heart. Equipment manufacturers provided new MRI scanners with fast gradients for this purpose and developed new pulse sequences. Advanced 3D workstations provided new software for analysis of cardiac function, and

 PET/CT and SPECT/CT are helping to detect and diagnose coronary artery disease in women earlier and better. Previously under-diagnosed or misdiagnosed altogether particularly in women, new exams are effectively assessing myocardial perfusion, offering an alternative to nuclear stress tests that often lead to false positive results in women. Fewer attenuation artifacts also mean sharper images.

High-definition is the goal in PET/CT imaging. HD met PET/CT last yearwhen Siemens Medical Solutions introduced a new technology designed tobring significant improvements to PET/CT image quality. High DefinitionPET (HD•PET) brings the promise of sharper and more clearly definedimages across the entire field of view, as well as the potential toprovide greater accuracy in lesion detection, especially small lesions,and thus improve cancer staging and more targeted treatment.

Michael Milbourne, MD, of New Life Cardiovascular in Wyndmoor, Pa., anuclear cardiologist in academic and private practice, is committed tooffering his patients outstanding, informed and proactive clinicalcare. In the last year, SPECT/CT has become an essential diagnostictool in Milbourne’s practice. 

PET/CTa technology whose potential is now being appreciated, but has yet to be fully realizedhas proven successful in the accurate staging and monitoring of oncology patient therapy for a variety of cancers. SPECT/CT, while relatively new, is beginning to make its mark in areas such as oncology, cardiology, neurology imaging. 

Diagnosing heart disease in women—the No. 1 cause of death of womenacross the globe—is sometimes difficult, but molecular PET and SPECTimaging is beginning to contribute to resolving this problem.