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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MPI mysteriously down 51% across a Kaiser health system

A community-wide evaluation of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) use throughout the Kaiser Permanente Northern California health system revealed an unexplainable 51 percent dip in MPI from 2006-2011, according to research published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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New MRI technique tracks gene to help explain formation of memories

Biological engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a method to adapt MRI to visualize gene activity in an effort to better understand the processes behind the formation of memories.

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FDG PET/CT superior to CT/MRI in depicting occult neck metastasis

18F-FDG PET/CT performs better than CT/MRI in depicting occult cervical metastatic nodes in patients with negative neck palpitation findings (stage cN0), according to a study published in the April issue of Radiology. 

MITA names new PET policy director

The Medical Imaging and Technology Alliance (MITA) has brought in Terri Wilson as the organization’s director of PET industry policy.

Is Alzheimer’s the third-leading cause of death?

A major backer of the Alzheimer’s Association is pushing to change the way we categorize Alzheimer’s disease based on a brain study published in Neurology. The research places Alzheimer’s firmly in third place as a leading cause of death in America, instead of its current position of sixth.

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Breast imaging technologies to grow to $5B by 2017

The global breast imaging market is expected to rise at a compound annual growth rate of 15.37 percent until 2017 reaching a total worth of $5 billion, announced research firm RnRMarketResearch.com today.

FDA approves Neuraceq amyloid PET agent

F-18 florbetaben, also known as Neuraceq, received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval today as a diagnostic amyloid agent to help rule out Alzheimer’s disease.

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Zecotek lands U.S. patent for solid-state photo detector

Singapore-based Zecotek Photonics has announced that a new micro-channel avalanche photodiode solid-state photo detector (MAPD) to be used in advanced PET technology has received a notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent Office.

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Around the web

Cardiovascular Business
Positron partners with Upbeat Cardiology Solutions to improve cardiac PET/CT access

Positron, a New York-based nuclear imaging company, will now provide Upbeat Cardiology Solutions with advanced PET/CT systems and services. 

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.