Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine (also called molecular imaging) includes positron emission computed tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. Nuclear imaging is achieved by injecting small amounts of radioactive material (radiopharmaceuticals) into patients before or during their scan. 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. 

At ASTRO, Siemens Healthineers unveil RT Pro Edition for Biograph Vision for PET/CT radiation therapy planning

RT package of latest PET/CT scanner offers comprehensive therapy planning solution.

October 22, 2018

SNMMI, ASNC encourage BCBS to expand coverage of cardiac PET

The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) and the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) submitted a letter to BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) of Tennessee urging an expansion of cardiac PET coverage.

September 17, 2018
SNMMI

SNMMI backs updated ASNC guidelines on SPECT MPI

New 2018 guidelines for myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) protocols on conventional and novel single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for nuclear cardiology practitioners has received praise from the Society for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

June 21, 2018

ASNC, IAC, SNMMI in sync to mandate optimized radiation doses in nuclear cardiology

Organizations are working in sync to put a focus on mandating optimized radiation doses in nuclear cardiology studies performed across the nation and beyond. 

November 17, 2016

ASNC, SNMMI release position statement, guidelines on myocardial perfusion PET

After reviewing the available literature, the societies said that rest-stress myocardial perfusion PET was a first-line preferred test for patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease who meet the criteria for stress imaging and are unable to complete the diagnostic level exercise stress imaging study.

August 22, 2016

SNMMI: Scanning for cardiac amyloid could help predict heart attacks

While amyloid imaging is typically discussed with regard to diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease, a team of French researchers, presenting at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) 2015 annual meeting, have found that amyloid scans of the heart can predict major cardiac events.

June 11, 2015

Visual rating of dementia PET scans stumps some readers

Amyloid imaging can tell Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) apart because FTD typically does not show the same pattern of amyloid, right? Not so fast, say brain researchers.

March 2, 2015

UltraSPECT and ASNC partner to provide technologist travel awards to attend ASNC2014

UltraSPECT, provider of the most cost-effective solutions for meeting American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) guidelines for low dose nuclear medicine imaging, announces today its support of nuclear medicine technologists via six new grants.
March 6, 2014

Around the web

Automated AI-generated measurements combined with annotated CT images can improve treatment planning and help referring physicians and patients better understand their disease, explained Sarah Jane Rinehart, MD, director of cardiac imaging with Charleston Area Medical Center.

Two advanced algorithms—one for CAC scores and another for segmenting cardiac chamber volumes—outperformed radiologists when assessing low-dose chest CT scans. 

"Gen AI can help tackle repetitive tasks and provide insights into massive datasets, saving valuable time," Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, said Tuesday. 

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