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. 

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
189178_web.jpg

Optical imaging system visualizes molecular features of breast cancer tissue in real-time

A team of researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has developed a portable optical imaging system that can visualize molecular features of breast tissue after it's been surgically removed from a patient, according to research published Dec. 19 in Science Advances.

December 20, 2018

PSMA PET/CT has ‘remarkable’ impact on radiotherapy in prostate cancer patients

PSMA PET/CT detected more lesions in patients with prostate cancer and resulted in more changes in management than CT alone when utilized prior to radiotherapy, reported authors of a Dec. 14 study in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

December 18, 2018

Around the web

The newly approved AI models are designed to improve the detection of pulmonary embolisms and strokes in patients who undergo CT scans.

"I see, at least for the next decade, this being a SPECT and PET world, not one or the other," explained Tim Bateman, MD.

The FDA-approved technology developed by HeartFlow can predict a patient's long-term risk of target vessel failure as well as more invasive treatments performed inside a cath lab. 

Trimed Popup
Trimed Popup