New Nucmed Indications

Some of the new indications for imaging systems, unveiled at the Society Of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) meeting in New Orleans earlier this month,include:

-PET scans and a radiotracer that is capable of binding to plaques found in the brain of Alzheimier's patients showed that beta-amyloid imaging can provide early detection of AD and more accurate diagnosis of other dementias by revealing the presence or absence of beta-amyloid plaques.

-Radiopharmaceuticals that bind specifically to prostate-specific membrane antigen can improve early diagnosis and staging of prostate cancer, as well as the monitoring of therapy for metastatic cancer.

-Using PET scans to see changes in coronary blood vessels offers hope that those individuals at risk can receive earlier treatment.

-Body Mass Index (BMI), instead of body weight, provides optimal dosing of a radiopharmaceutical (FDG) commonly used in oncology imaging.

-PET imaging can detect the early, so-called "silent heart" stage of disease in asymptomatic diabetic patients.

-PET and CT scans can be used as noninvasive tools for determining stages of ovarian cancer.

-Molecular imaging tracks the location of stem cells in tumors, and can potentially lead to major advances in the use of stem cell therapies to treat cancer.

-Semiconductor-based PET scanners improve PET imaging capabilities: the smaller, thinner semiconductors are easier to adjust and arrange than conventional scanners. The technology allows for even high spatial resolution and less "noise" or irrelevant images than traditional scanners.

-PET scans revealed that hormone replacement therapy may help prevent atherosclerosis. The scans showed that coronary endothelial function (the inner lining of the coronary vessels) were dilated when women used estrogen, resulting in an increase in blood flow to the heart.

-PET and CT scans significantly improve breast cancer imaging and lead to more targeted treatment options. The prototype scanner is designed to help physicians determine stages of breast cancer in patients already diagnosed with the disease.