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. 

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Medical isotope shortage looms as 'unplanned' outage halts Mo-99, Lu-177 production

The root cause of the problem has not yet been discovered, halting isotope production for an undisclosed amount of time, according to SNMMI.

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PSMA-PET validates commonly used system measuring risk of prostate cancer recurrence

"The accuracy of PSMA-PET is essential to improve stratification and potentially outcomes both in low-risk and high-risk settings,” a doctor involved in the study explained in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

SNMMI images of unusual imaging pattern observed on FDG PET/CT or FDG PET/MR that may be due to Omicron COVID-19 infection. Unlike the FDG PET/CT pattern seen with infections from previous strains of COVID-19, with principal involvement of the lungs, this new array of findings is primarily centered in the upper aerodigestive tract and cervical lymph nodes. What does omnicron COVID look like in medical imaging?

Unusual pattern on PET/CT may indicate COVID omicron variant

The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging offered up a handful of tips to help providers who encounter such findings.

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FDA approves Telix’s prostate cancer imaging product, improving access to PSMA-PET

The company said it can provide its toolkit for preparing gallium-68 to more than 85% of eligible PET imaging sites within its large network of U.S. nuclear pharmacies.

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PSMA PET/CT better detects prostate cancer spread, long-term outcomes over conventional imaging

While the results offer indirect evidence, UCLA researchers said they support the clinical use of this technique for initial patient assessment.

Texas A&M University to lead isotope R&D trainee program with $2 million grant

Of the 17 institutions collaborating on the project, eight are minority-serving organizations.

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NorthStar will buy accelerator to produce ‘highly limited’ cancer radioisotope

Actinium-225 is a therapeutic radioisotope used to deliver targeted radiation that kills cancer cells.

Long-COVID patients show no brain dysfunction on PET scans, suggesting fatigue as main culprit

Many report cognitive ailments—such as brain fog and memory loss—well after recovering from the virus, but their causes have remained a mystery.

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Around the web

Cardiovascular Business
Global shortage of nuclear imaging isotopes may be over

The nuclear imaging isotope shortage of molybdenum-99 may be over now that the sidelined reactor is restarting. ASNC's president says PET and new SPECT technologies helped cardiac imaging labs better weather the storm.

Cardiovascular Business
‘A huge win’: CMS significantly increases Medicare payments for cardiac CT

CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.

Cardiovascular Business
FDA clears AI tool that flags signs of heart disease in chest CT scans

The newly cleared offering, AutoChamber, was designed with opportunistic screening in mind. It can evaluate many different kinds of CT images, including those originally gathered to screen patients for lung cancer. 

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