A series of studies published in the September issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine show that molecular imaging plays a critical role in the evaluation and treatment planning for a spectrum of cancers, including thyroid cancer, neuroendocrine tumors, Hodgkin lymphoma and non-small cell lung cancer.
The Canadian government has invested more than $911,000 to support medical and pharmaceutical research at Canada's National Laboratory for Particle and Nuclear Physics--TRIUMF--through the Western Diversification Program.
IBA (Ion Beam Applications) has entered into an agreement with Bayer Schering Pharma, Germany for chemical process development and clinical trial doses supply of Florbetaben, a PET tracer in development for the detection of beta-amyloid deposits in the brain, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.
Whole-body FDG-PET scans revealed that visceral adipose tissue has increased glucose uptake compared with subcutaneous adipose tissue and the differences in stromal metabolic activity can aid in cardiovascular risk stratification, according to a study published in this month’s Journal of American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Imaging.
There is a 5.8 percent yearly increase in the market for molecular imaging devices and the market is expected to reach $6.6 billion by 2014, according to a market research report from Kalorama Information.
Molecular Imaging and Contrast Agent Database (MICAD) has added 17 in vivo molecular imaging and contrast agents to its database, increasing the total to 865 agents.
Immunomedics and GE Healthcare have entered into a license and collaboration agreement for the evaluation of labeling technologies based on Immunomedics' patented F-18 peptide labeling method.
FDG PET may be a valuable noninvasive method for gaining comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome, as well as for the evaluation of therapeutic interventions, according to a review published in this month's American Journal of Roentgenology.
Preradiotherapy FDG PET for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients referred for 3D conformal radiotherapy may lead to significant modification of treatment strategy and radiotherapy planning, according to a prospective multicenter study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology.
Cardinal Health has entered an agreement with ProVision Healthcare to manage and operate its cyclotron facility in Knoxville, Tenn.
Highmark, beginning in September, will require general practitioners, cardiologists and other providers to request an authorization before performing myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI).
Avid Radiopharmaceuticals has appointed Mark A. Mintun, MD to the newly created position of chief medical officer.
Structural, functional and molecular imaging in patients with brain tumors is feasible with diagnostic imaging quality using simultaneous hybrid PET/MRI acquisition, according to a study published in this month’s Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
Kitware has received a one-year grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) totaling $228,458 to improve the clinical effectiveness of liver lesion biopsy using PET/CT imaging.
The strength of belief of improvement can directly modulate dopamine release in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Individuals with Parkinson’s disease were more likely to have a neurochemical response to a placebo medication if they were told they had higher odds of receiving an active drug, according to a report in this month's Archives of General Psychiatry.
Oncology company GenSpera has acquired a patent application for technology relating to medical imaging from the Sydney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
The European Nanoelectronics Initiative Advisory Council (ENIAC) and partners have launched a three-year project aimed at advancing medical 3D imaging platforms by focusing on the diagnosis and therapy of serious diseases of the central nervous system and brain, titled, “CSI: Central Nervous System Imaging.”
The Molecular Imaging Probes and Contrast Agents Database (MICAD), created at the National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health via the PubMed/MedLine databases and other sources, has added 17 new agents, increasing the total to 841 agents in the database.
The level of 18F-FDG uptake measured by maximal standardized uptake value from a combined PET and CT enterography in a single exam may be an objective indication of active inflammation in segments of bowel that are abnormal on CT enterography, according to a study published in this month's Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
By molecular imaging of genetically engineered T-cells with PET reporter genes as they seek out and attack the cancer cells, scientists can examine the processes of the immune system as it fights malignancies, which could then result in better monitoring response to therapy in melanoma patients, according to a study published July 12 in the early online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Medical imaging overutilization--a growing concern in the U.S.--exposes patients to unnecessary radiation, while also adding to rising healthcare costs, according to a study published online Aug. 24 in Radiology. In an interview, William R. Hendee, PhD, lead author, reviewed various methods by which medical imaging could be curtailed.
Dedicated contrast-enhanced (CE) breast CT delivered significantly improved conspicuity of malignant breast lesions, including ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), compared with unenhanced breast CT and mammography, according to a study published in the September issue of Radiology.
CT, ultrasound and MRI have helped shift biopsy techniques away from more invasive approaches toward image-guided percutaneous techniques, according to a study published in the September issue of Radiology. The trend toward less-invasive approaches translates into enhanced safety and efficiency and could lead to more interaction between patients and radiologists.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) EHR incentive payments are not considered reimbursement for money expended on EHR technology, but are intended to offset the cost associated with adoption and ongoing meaningful use, according to CMS during an Aug. 12 webinar.
Funding incentives for EHR use is the main goal of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) meaningful use initiative, and there are incentive programs for both hospitals and eligible professionals, according to Elizabeth Holland, health insurance specialist at the Department of Health and Human Services, who spoke during a CMS-sponsored webinar Aug. 8.
Stage 1 requirements for meaningful use incentives aim to strike a balance between the overall goal of EHR use and widespread adoption, while avoiding added work, said Jonathan Teich, MD, PhD, chief medical informatics officer at Elsevier Health Services, during a HIMSS webinar titled “Meaningful Use: Safety and Quality of Care.”
