Manhattan Scientifics (MHTX: OTCQB) announced today that it has received the initial $1 million of a $2.5 million commitment to build the first generation of its advanced cancer detection devices. More information can be found in the company’s recent 8-K filing.

Optical and optoacoustic imaging techniques have been emerging in research and have been slowly translating into clinical practice with humans, and research indicates that these techniques could be expanded further into interventional image guidance in the search for tumors, with both advantages and limitations, according to a review published in the April issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

A new genetically engineered lab rat that has the full array of brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease supports the idea that increases in a molecule called beta-amyloid in the brain causes the disease, according to a study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Featuring a revolutionary combination of speed and accuracy, Elekta’s new Versa HD™ system will help clinicians at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust (Withington, Manchester) maximize the precision of therapeutic beams on the tumor target, while also accelerating radiation delivery to new levels.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) unveiled data from four key molecules that represent the next generation of its oncology pipeline at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting held in Washington, D.C. from April 6-10.

Pediatric imaging is a tricky business. Staying still represents a challenge for pint-sized patients, translating into routine sedation of children for imaging exams, which in turn, brings safety concerns as well as throughput challenges. Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC (CHP) addressed the problem by launching its Adventure Series program, which employs theme-based imaging suites outfitted with music and videos and staffed by carefully trained technologists. After launching the first room in September 2005, the program expanded to nine rooms in May 2009.

A gene variant dubbed ABCA7 nearly doubles chances of African Americans developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to African Americans without the variant. This particular gene variant plays a role in lipid and cholesterol homeostasis and lipid-targeting drugs may be sought to improve prevention and potentially treat this patient population, according research published in the April issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Newly developed software offers a method to assess high-resolution chest CT scans and noninvasively characterize pulmonary nodules, according to a pilot study published in the April issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology.