Molecular Imaging

Molecular imaging (also called nuclear medicine or nuclear imaging) can image the function of cells inside the body at the molecular level. This includes the imaging modalities of positron emission computed tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. How does PET and SPECT imaging work? Small amounts of radioactive material (radiopharmaceuticals) injected into a patient. These can use sugars or chemical traits to bond to specific cells. The radioactive material is taken up by cells that consume the sugars. The radiation emitted from inside the body is detected by photon detectors outside the body. Computers take the data to assemble images of the radiation emissions. Nuclear images may appear fuzzy or ghostly rather than the sharper resolution from MRI and CT.  But, it provides metabolic information at a cellular level, showing if there are defects in the function of the heart, areas of very high metabolic activity associated with cancer cells, or areas of inflammation, data not available from other modalities. These noninvasive imaging exams are used to diagnose cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, bone disorders and other disorders. 

Clarifying cancer with 3D modeling

The shape of cancer genomics may be a new calling card for 3D oncologic imaging. Studying the formation of cancer cell genomes could potentially provide more information about a patient's cancer than just focusing on genetic expression. Scientists at McGill University in Montreal are finding that the form of a cancer cell genome can even tell them what subtype of cancer a patient has.

May 15, 2014

Bristol Myers Squibb nabs iPierian in $175M buyout

Biopharmaceutical giant Bristol-Myers Squibb now holds the power on a pipeline of neurodegenerative disease therapies after buying San Francisco-based iPierian for $175 million.

May 2, 2014

Genetic testing developed to end era of brain disorder in Turkey

Advanced gene sequencing has found a single genetic mutation essential for a brain disorder that has been plaguing Turkish families for centuries.

April 30, 2014

Molecular breast cancer imaging may be called on to reduce overdiagnosis

This issue isn't about false positives, it is about subjecting patients to treatment after mammography finds a small lesion, but when in all actuality that spot on the scan poses no real threat to the patient. Some cancers are never progressive and do not require serious treatment when to do so would come with its own risks and potential complications.

April 15, 2014

ABT implements first Dose on Demand Biomarker Generator in Russia

ABT Molecular Imaging has successfully implemented the first BG-75 Biomarker Generator in Russia. The project was completed in cooperation with the Diagnostic and Treatment Center of the International Institute of Biological Systems (DTC IIBS), St. Petersburg, Russia, and its U.S. representative, Owen Kane Molecular Imaging, Inc. (Owen Kane). 

April 15, 2014

EU aims for clinical research transparency

Drug policy in the European Union could change in the not too distant future depending on a vote regarding a law proposed to discourage pharmaceutical companies from playing favorites when it comes to clinical trials.

April 7, 2014

Lab on the field: Combining molecular imaging and microfluidics

A tiny molecular imaging system could be used on the field to measure brain injury or in the lab to capture individual molecules that betray the biology of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and viruses like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 

January 27, 2014

Sodium fluoride PET/CT points to plaques, predicts heart attack

A PET/CT study followed 40 sufferers of heart attacks and just as many matched controls imaged with conventional coronary angiography and sodium fluoride PET/CT to gauge vulnerable plaques and see potential risk of heart attack.

January 22, 2014