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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Endocyte presents new biomarkers and fourth quarter loss

West Lafayette, Ind.-based biopharmaceutical company Endocyte announced Feb. 24 that the company's folate-receptor biomarkers vintafolide and etarfolatide had orphan drug status and were moving closer to approval with a review by the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP).

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NeuraCeq gets European approval for amyloid PET imaging

Piramal Imaging announced today that F-18 florbetaben, also known as NeuraCeq, is cleared for commercial marketing by the European Commission.

WMIC 2014 in Seoul is seeking abstracts

Not for another several months, the 2014 World Molecular Imaging Congress (WMIC) is scheduled to take Seoul, Korea, by storm from Sept. 17-20, but this week the Scientific Program Committee has made a formal request for abstracts to be submitted for presentation.

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Upcoming ECR 2014 in Vienna ramps up radiogenomics

The European Congress of Radiology (ECR) in Vienna, the largest radiological conference throughout Europe, will be opening in less than two weeks from March 6-10 at the Austria Center Vienna, where it has now been held for 20 consecutive years.

ADA Medical moves into preclinical research

The Toronto-based research group ADA Medical announced Feb. 14 that it would be collaborating with Ephoran Multi-Imaging Solutions in Turin, Italy, to provide preclinical imaging services.

Cancer disparity gets a closer look

Major cancer research organizations are banding together to assess how cancer disparity research will move forward. In the first collaboration of its kind, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) announced Feb. 13 that the institute would be working with the American Cancer Society, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to address concerns such as access to health care and factors related to variability of cancer outcomes.

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RNA-enabled nanoparticles could treat liver disease

Massachusetts Institute of Technology engineers have fashioned a smarter nanoparticle that runs RNA interference as a means of disease modification, the institute announced Feb. 10.

Microfluidics could map how nanoparticles interact with atherosclerosis

The use of an endothelialized microfluidic chip could be the key to understanding how nanoparticles in biomedicine behave in the presence of atherosclerosis, according to a study published online Jan. 6 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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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.