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. 

RSS icon

Department of Energy seeks agreement to produce Mo-99 domestically

The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has chosen four U.S. companies to begin negotiations with in an effort to produce Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) without the use of highly enriched uranium.

February 21, 2019

Novel PET/CT tracer safe, effective for diagnosing acute venous thromboembolism

A novel PET/CT imaging agent—18F-GP1—produced a high-quality image and yielded a high detection rate for diagnosing acute venous thromboembolism (VTE), reported researchers of a study featured in the February issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

February 21, 2019

PET technique may allow for earlier measurement of breast cancer therapy effectiveness

A molecular imaging technique using PET technology may improve how the efficacy or failure of hormone therapy is measured for breast cancer patients, according to research published online in the February issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine. 

February 11, 2019

New PET tracer may improve melanoma detection

A novel radiotracer tested for the first time in humans may help improve the detection of primary and metastatic melanoma, a highly aggressive form of skin cancer, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

January 17, 2019

18F-fluoride PET/CT accurate, reliable for detecting bone metastases

Radiolabeled 18F-fluoride PET/CT proved superior at detecting bone metastases (BM) than a comparative radiotracer, according to a Jan. 14 study published in Clinical Radiology.

January 15, 2019

Breast-specific gamma imaging could help predict pathologic response to chemotherapy

Breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI) outperformed breast MRI in predicting a complete pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with breast cancer, according to research published online Jan. 8 in the American Journal of Roentgenology.

January 11, 2019
family visits with doctor

MRI/PET scans reveal racial disparities in Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers

The findings suggest the evaluation of molecular biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease should be adjusted for race, as African American patients were found to have lower levels of tau—a key biomarker used to identify the disease, according to research published online Jan. 7 in JAMA Neurology.

January 8, 2019
Demonstrating Value

Real-time fluoroscopic, nuclear imaging may aid IR procedures

A team of Dutch researchers has developed a real-time hybrid fluoroscopic and nuclear imaging detector that may aid interventional radiology (IR) procedures such as radioembolization, according to authors of a Jan. 8 study published in Radiology.

January 8, 2019
Displaying 297 - 304 of 662

Around the web

Cardiovascular Business
AI improves CT assessments, boosts care for real-world heart patients

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.

Cardiovascular Business
AI predicts cardiovascular risk during CT scans—no invasive tests or contrast required

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

Radiology Business
Google teams with Bayer to address radiologist burnout via AI

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

Design by Adaptive Theme
Trimed Popup
Trimed Popup