Truly integrated imaging has arrived. The lines between radiologyand nuclear medicine have blurred with increased utilization ofcross-modality solutions. Several factors are fueling the uptake ofPET/CT—the primary integrated imaging solution.

The ACR is set to launch a new modular MRI accreditation program designed to meet the specific practice patterns of individual facilities. Sometime this month, the current general MRI accreditation program will transition to the new program—which includes brain, spine, musculoskeletal, body, MR angiography, and cardiac modules—opening the door to

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.

CLR1404 is entering clinical trials as an anti-cancer therapy agent. It appears well-suited to staging a variety of cancer types and metastatic disease. More specific than FDG, it avoids the complications caused by inflammation or scar tissue. Stay tuned.

In the past decade, CT has established itself as a workhorse in providing anatomical landmarks for molecular imaging. Pairing of the technology with traditional nuclear medicine modalities such as SPECT and PET has propelled the growth of molecular imaging beyond the boundaries of academic research into the mainstream of clinical care.

The National Cancer Institute and researchers around the globe are exploring and developing an array of new biomarkers that could edge molecular imaging toward routine clinical practice and help deliver on the promise of personalized medicine.

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