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

WMIC: Looking ahead to 2015

The 2014 World Molecular Imaging Congress (WMIC) put a spotlight on the basic science and translation of molecular imaging at the World Trade Center in Seoul, South Korea, from Sept. 17-20. Molecular Imaging caught up with three central figures of the 2015 WMIC to find out more about emerging trends in molecular imaging and ways in which the WMIS operates to aid translation of preclinical research to first-in-human trials.

FDG-PET less accurate in regions with endemic lung cancer

Malignant lesions may not be accurately identified using fludeoxyglucose (FDG) PET scans combined with CT for populations with endemic infectious lung disease, according to a study published in  the Sept. 24 issue of JAMA.

Anti-tau Alzheimer’s therapeutic pushes forward in phase III clinical trials

TauRx Therapeutics announced today that enough subjects have been enrolled in the second of two phase III clinical trials to continue validating a tau aggregation inhibitor called LMTX for the treatment of mild Alzheimer's disease.

Thumbnail

Motion correction PET program bankrolled by UM, Brain Biosciences

The University of Maryland announced this month that 18 projects with a value of $4.7 million have been approved through the Maryland Industrial Partnership (MIPS) program, which is fostered by the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute and A. James Clark School of Engineering. Projects include the development of cancer therapeutics and motion correction software for brain PET systems.

Thumbnail

WMIC 2014: Angiogenesis, nanotheranostics and stem cell imaging

This year’s World Molecular Imaging Congress (WMIC), the Annual Meeting of the World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS), brought the most cutting edge research and technology in preclinical research and molecular imaging technology to the World Trade Center in Seoul, Korea, from Sept. 17-20.

Mediso reaches another milestone with 150th installation of preclinical integrated multimodality imaging system

Mediso Medical Equipment Developing and Service Ltd. is proud to announce the hundred and fiftieth installation of Mediso manufactured, integrated preclinical imaging systems, at the prestigious Edinburgh University.

Lymphoseek gets FDA orphan drug designation for head and neck cancers

Navidea, based in Dublin, Ohio, announced yesterday that the radiopharmaceutical company has received orphan drug designation for the small molecular radiotracer technetium-99m tilmanocept (Lymphoseek) specifically for sentinel lymph node mapping in cancer cases of the head and neck.

Thumbnail

FDG-PET parameters predict survival in non-small cell lung cancer

Quantitative PET metrics including metabolic tumor volume using F-18 FDG can project heath outcomes after chemoradiotherapy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a study presented Wednesday during the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) held Sept. 14-17 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

Displaying 697 - 704 of 3687

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.