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. 

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'Quite impressive': ChatGPT generates a nuclear medicine report

The generated report included indication, findings laid out numerically, TNM stage, impression and follow-up recommendations.

March 27, 2023
Cardiologists employed by a hospital appear to be more likely to pursue cardiac catheterization or angioplasty than independent cardiologists. female physician male

Nuclear medicine records the lowest gender pay gap among physician specialties

Doximity's new 2023 Physician Compensation Report offers detailed insight into the impact of continued efforts to narrow the gender pay gap in medicine. 

March 27, 2023
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Advanced imaging does not always improve outcomes, data suggest

Although advanced imaging exams have proven benefits in defining disease severity, new data indicate that more sophisticated studies might not impact outcomes as much as previously thought. 

March 13, 2023

New practice guidelines for PET imaging of neuroendocrine tumors

Issued by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) and the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM), the new guidelines are intended to inform any practitioners involved in ordering, performing, reading and reporting SSTR PET imaging.

February 22, 2023

Amyloid plaque patterns on PET imaging predict Alzheimer's progression in asymptomatic patients

Experts involved in the new research suggest that identifying these spatiotemporal variations could play an important role in clinical research and precision medicine. 

February 8, 2023

E-cigarettes cause worse inflammation than tobacco cigarettes, new PET data shows

The use of e-cigarettes has increased significantly in recent years, mostly due to the fact that many consumers believe them to be a safer option than traditional cigarettes.

January 25, 2023
new radiotracer studies inflammation

New radiotracer could change how radiologists understand inflammation

Labeled as LW223, the fluorinated PET radiotracer is the first of its kind to be impervious to rs6971 polymorphism—a genetic mutation that inhibits the diagnostic view of inflammation imaging.

January 24, 2023

A 'clear lack of adherence' in imaging guidelines is impacting lung cancer survival rates

A study published in the January issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine reveals that nearly half of Medicare patients with NSCLC in the United States do not complete recommended FDG PET/CT scans prior to treatment.

January 19, 2023

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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