News

Molecular Imaging News Archive

• NIH Awards Nearly $21 Million to Fund Cutting-Edge Research Equipment

  Jul 19, 2007

  Fourteen High-End Instrumentation grants will fund cutting-edge equipment required to advance biomedical research.

• CMS Announces Final Rule Setting Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Payment Rates & Policies for 2007 (MPFS)

  Nov 3, 2006

  On November 1, 2006, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule for Medicare payments in the physician fee schedule for calendar year (CY) 2007.

• Call for Applications: 2007 NIH Director’s Pioneer Award

  Oct 25, 2006

  The NIH Director's Pioneer Award, a key component of the National Institutes of Health Roadmap for Medical Research, supports exceptionally creative scientists who propose highly innovative and potentially transformative approaches to major challenges in biomedical research.

• PET Study Offers New Clues to Brain-Stomach Interaction

  Oct 23, 2006

  Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory have found new clues to how the brain and the stomach interact with emotions to cause overeating and obesity. Results of PET studies show that the same brain areas are involved in drug craving and emotional response to food.

• PET Study Shows Dopamine Is Involved in Response to Pain

  Oct 20, 2006

  Researchers at the University of Michigan are using PET to explore the relationship between the brain's reward system, pain, and drug addiction.

• Study Offers Clues to Brain's Protective Mechanisms Against Alcoholism

  Sep 21, 2006

  A new PET study provides clues that differing brain chemistry may provide part of the answer to why some people with a strong family history of alcoholism develop alcohol dependency while others do not.

• Developing Radiotracers for Imaging Studies in Addiction

  Sep 19, 2006

  Chemist Joanna Fowler, director of the Center for Translational Neuroimaging at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory, spoke on PET and the use of radiotracers in research into how brain circuits are altered by addictive drugs.

• Imaging Technique Helps Predict Breast Cancer Spread Before Surgery

  Aug 21, 2006

  Whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) scans could help physicians determine whether breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in the armpit prior to surgery, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Surgery.

• Patients Receiving Treatment With Radioisotopes May Trigger Security Alarms

  Aug 9, 2006

  Patients receiving treatment with radioisotopes should be warned that they may trigger radiation alarms, say doctors in the August 3 edition of the British Medical Journal.

• PET Study May Point Toward More Effective Smoking Cessation Treatments

  Aug 8, 2006

  Results of a new PET imaging study, supported in part by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, show that the nicotine received in just a few puffs of a cigarette can exert a force powerful enough to drive an individual to continue smoking.

• Synthetic Version of Scorpion Venom Delivers Radioactive Iodine to Malignant Brain Tumors

  Jul 28, 2006

  A new method of delivering a dose of radioactive iodine—using a man-made version of scorpion venom as a carrier—targets deadly brain tumors called gliomas without affecting neighboring tissue or body organs.

• Important Caution for National Oncology PET Registry Facilities

  Jul 13, 2006

  The National Oncologic Pet Registry (NOPR) has received reports of PET facilities offering to pay referring physicians in exchange for completing NOPR case report forms.

• New Study Finds PET Imaging of Value in Tracking Diabetes Progression

  Jun 14, 2006

  A preclinical study demonstrates that beta cell mass can be non-invasively imaged in rats using a PET imaging method already widely used for brain imaging.

• UPDATE: CMS Carriers and FIs begin accepting claims for NOPR patients Effective June 19, 2006

  May 31, 2006

  On May 19, 2006 CMS issued the anticipated Transmittal 956 change request 5124 which instructions providers how and when to submit these claims for coding and billing. Now available for download, is the MedLearn Matters Article by CMS for the NOPR PET patient.

• National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR) to hold a FREE INFORMATIONAL Conference Call: May 15th

  May 11, 2006

  Join the experts for the NOPR conference call for participants or prospective participants in the National Oncologic PET Registry that opened May 8th.

• Thyroid Cancer Increase in US Attributed to Improved Early Detection

  May 9, 2006

  Although the incidence of thyroid cancer has more than doubled in the past 30 years, the rise is being attributed to improved diagnostic techniques of previously undetected disease, rather than a true increase in the occurrence of thyroid cancer, according to a study in the May 10 issue of JAMA.

• FDG-PET Accurate for Evaluating Lung Tumor Destruction from Radiofrequency Ablation

  May 8, 2006

  FDG-PET can be used to assess the amount of tumor destruction after radiofrequency ablation (RFA)—the use of heat to destroy tumors—for the treatment of lung tumors and may provide more valuable information than CT alone, according to a new study.

• Scientists Discover Molecular Security Mechanism for Keeping DNA Damage in Check

  May 5, 2006

  The more mutations in the cell's DNA, the higher the risk of cancer developing. But in the last few years it has become clear that the very processes that generate mutations, if they take place at a relatively low frequency, can actually protect us from cancer…

• CORAR Notice to the Nuclear Medicine Community

  May 5, 2006

  Industry members exploring all options to increase the production and availability of Mo-99 in response to shortage resulting from a technical issue.

• PET/CT Highly Accurate for Detecting Ovarian Cancer Recurrence

  May 2, 2006

  PET/CT is more accurate than either CT or PET alone for detecting recurrent ovarian cancer, according to a new study by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

• Concurrent PET/CT for Radiation Therapy Planning Shows Promise over Separate PET and CT

  May 1, 2006

  Using concurrent PET/CT may improve the accuracy of imaging for radiation therapy treatment planning by decreasing errors caused by organ motion, according to a new study by researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO.

• Landmark Project Expanding PET Coverage for Cancer Indications to Launch

  Apr 27, 2006

  The Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) is pleased to announce The National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR) will start accepting patient entries on Monday, May 8, 2006.

• Nuclear Perfusion Imaging/Angiography Study Reveals Paradox

  Apr 27, 2006

  While African American men are more likely to die from cardiovascular disease, they have fewer cases of coronary obstruction than clinically similar white men, according to a new national study.

• New Funding Initiatives from National Institutes of Health

  Apr 27, 2006

  The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently issued a number of funding opportunity announcements of interest to the nuclear medicine community.

• ARRT Proposes Changes to Governing Documents

  Apr 21, 2006

  The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists is seeking public comment on proposed changes to three of its governing documents: Rules and Regulations, Standards of Ethics, and Continuing Education Requirements for Renewal of Registration.

• Important Notice on Information Received from BoardCertified.com

  Apr 12, 2006

  Many Diplomates have contacted ABMS in recent days about fax messages they have received from an entity called "BoardCertified.com." The message displays, without permission, the ABMS and AMA acronyms and purports to be a "Renewal Notice."

• Mallinckrodt Resumes Production of Its Ultra-TechneKow® DTE Technetium Tc-99m Generator

  Apr 11, 2006

  On Friday, April 7, Mallinckrodt resumed normal production and shipment of its Ultra-TechneKow® DTE Technetium Tc-99m Generator. Mallinckrodt pharmacies' technetium supply returned to normal operation levels on Monday, April 10.

• New SNM/Bracco Research Fellowship in Cardiovascular Molecular Imaging

  Apr 7, 2006

  The Cardiovascular and Radiopharmaceutical Sciences Councils of the SNM are pleased to offer this $35,000 fellowship funded by Bracco Diagnostics, Inc. The fellowship is designed to foster innovative pilot research in the development of new cardiovascular molecular imaging agents. Deadline for applications are May 15, 2006.

• New Grants for Work Based Learning Programs in Health Care

  Apr 6, 2006

  A new, four-year national initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, will award grants to partnerships for advancing and rewarding the skill and career development of incumbent workers providing care and services on the front lines of our health and health care systems.

• SNM Issues First PET/CT Procedure Guideline

  Apr 6, 2006

  The first procedure guideline for using positron emission tomography (PET) combined with computed tomography (CT) has been developed by SNM and is now available on the SNM Web site.

• Bristol-Myers Squibb Medical Imaging Releases Letter to Customers

  Mar 31, 2006

  Cory Zwerling, BMS MI President, discusses Mallinckrodt’s recently announced plans to resume the development and distribution of technetium Tc99m generators.

• Dynamic Bladder Software Tool Developed for SNM Members

  Mar 28, 2006

  An interactive computer program that automates the dynamic urinary bladder model described in MIRD Pamphlet No. 14 Revised has been designed as an educational and research tool for SNM members and other radiopharmaceutical dosimetry investigators.

• Scientists Use PET Scans to Monitor Lung Inflammation Noninvasively

  Mar 27, 2006

  PET imaging provides a noninvasive approach for assessing lung inflammation that should accelerate efforts to develop drugs for inflammatory lung conditions like cystic fibrosis and pneumonia, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine report.

• Plan to Follow Up on Suspicious Scans Acts as "Safety Net"; Keeps Patients from Falling through Medical-Imaging System Cracks

  Mar 24, 2006

  Researchers from the University of Michigan and the VA Ann Arbor report results from an innovative automatic system that kept eight patients with serious signs of trouble from falling through the cracks, including five who turned out to have cancer.

• Mallinckrodt To Restart Ultra-TechneKow Technetium Generator Production, Shipment

  Mar 23, 2006

  Mallinckrodt will restart manufacturing and shipment of its Ultra-TechneKow Technetium Generator, effective April 5, according to a March 23 letter to its customers.

• PET Helps Identify Esophageal Cancer Patients Who Respond Well to Treatment

  Mar 22, 2006

  New research at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center shows that PET is more accurate than conventional imaging in identifying patients likely to have good responses to chemotherapy and radiation treatment—a finding that could one day help some patients avoid surgery.

• National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR) Update

  Mar 9, 2006

  The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) notified the leadership of the National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR) that it may require the NOPR to change its procedures related to Institutional Review Board (IRB) review.

• MIT Research Reveals How Radiation Damages the Body

  Mar 1, 2006

  Researchers at MIT have devised a new method for examining how radiation damages normal tissue in the body. The knowledge may make it possible to reduce side effects for cancer patients or to develop treatments for radiation exposure.

• Higher Incidence of Thyroid Disease Found in Atomic Bomb Survivors with Higher Radiation Exposure

  Feb 28, 2006

  Survivors who had a higher exposure to radiation during the two atomic bomb blasts in Japan 60 years ago now have a greater incidence of certain thyroid diseases, and the risk is greater for those who were younger at the time of exposure…

• Federal Biomarker Initiative Launches With Project to Test Value of FDG-PET in Predicting Tumor Response

  Feb 15, 2006

  FDA, NCI, and CMS announced on February 14 an agreement to collaborate on biomarker development and evaluation. The first project to be implemented under the initiative will be to validate and standardize the use of FDG-PET as a predictor of tumor response in a study of patients being treated for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

• NRC Regulatory Research Director Retires

  Feb 10, 2006

  Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Director Carl Paperiello has announced his retirement. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is seeking qualified candidates to fill Paperiello’s position at the Congressionally mandated office for research in support of regulatory decisions on nuclear reactors, nuclear materials, and radioactive waste.

• NIH Launches Nationwide Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Study: Maya Angelou Asks Adults Ages 55–90 to Join

  Feb 10, 2006

  The Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative is seeking 800 older adults to participate in a study aimed at identifying biological markers of memory decline and Alzheimer’s disease before memory decline and other symptoms appear, allowing the effectiveness of drugs to be evaluated at the earliest possible time.

• Brain Scans May Predict Cognitive Decline in Normal People

  Feb 8, 2006

  Brain scans may detect neurological changes in people who exhibit no outward signs of cognitive decline but who later develop dementia or mental impairment, according to the results of a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.

• William G. Myers, M.D., Ph.D., Collection Opening, Exhibits Scheduled for May

  Feb 6, 2006

  The William G. Myers, MD, PhD, Collection opens this May at the Medical Heritage Center at the Prior Health Sciences Library at the Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus.

• Increased Role for PET Imaging Could Improve Cancer Care

  Feb 2, 2006

  In a review article in the February 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, SNM member Malik Juweid, MD, and co-author Bruce Cheson, MD, outline the advantages and limitations of PET imaging in assessing cancer therapy and suggest that increasing the role of PET imaging has the potential to further improve cancer care management.

• National Institute of Radiological Sciences Confirms PET Imaging is Useful in Antipsychotic Dosage Selection

  Feb 1, 2006

  Using PET imaging to reevaluate the clinical dosages of two antipsychotics, sulpiride and sultopride, has shown that the optimal dosages for the two drugs are far different from the currently prescribed amounts.

• SPECT Imaging Changes Treatment for Lower Back Pain

  Feb 1, 2006

  Bone SPECT imaging can help identify patients with lower back pain who would benefit from spinal injections and spare those who would not by demonstrating abnormal activity of cells in the spine.

• Biomedical Imaging Research Opportunities Workshop Scheduled for February 24 and 25 in Bethesda, MD

  Jan 25, 2006

  Nearly 200 leading radiologic researchers, physicists, and engineers are expected to participate in the fourth Biomedical Imaging Research Opportunities Workshop (BIROW IV) on February 24 and 25 at the Bethesda North Marriott, North Bethesda, MD.

• UCLA Develops New Method to Track Neuron Cell Death Leading to Alzheimer's Disease

  Jan 12, 2006

  Using a chemical marker called MPPF and positron emission tomography (PET), UCLA researchers measured the amount of serotonin receptors 1A found in neurons abundantly present in the hippocampus.

• Attention Technologists Attending the Mid Winter Education Symposium: New Attendance Verification Method

  Jan 9, 2006

  Self-reporting at SNM's Mid-Winter Meeting will no longer be accepted by the ARRT because SNM cannot verify that an attendee was present at each session claimed on CE credit-reporting forms. As a result of this change, SNM is implementing a new CE credit reporting process at the Mid-Winter Meeting.

• Mallinckrodt Updates Customers on Efforts Relating to Recall of Technetium Tc-99m Generators

  Jan 9, 2006

  On January 5, Mallinckrodt updated its customers on efforts taken to address Ultra-TechneKow DTE (technetium Tc-99m generator) supply subsequent to their voluntary recall on November 19, 2005.

• Survey Finds Physicians Recertify to Improve Professional Image and Update Knowledge

  Jan 2, 2006

  A survey of internists whose board certification was up for renewal in December 2002 found that the most common reasons for participating in recertification or maintenance of certification (MOC) were to maintain professional image and update knowledge.

• Neuroimaging Initiative Study Demonstrates Combined Techniques to Detect, Monitor Alzheimer’s Disease

  Dec 29, 2005

  The search for new measures, or "biomarkers," to detect Alzheimer’s disease before signs of memory loss appear has advanced an important step in a study by researchers at Washington University and the University of Pittsburgh...

• Nuclear Medicine Practitioner: The Development of a Middle Level Provider in Nuclear Medicine

  Dec 29, 2005

• The Society of Nuclear Medicine Technologist Section (SNMTS) proposes baccalaureate degree become the standard for entry level nuclear medicine technologists by 2015

  Dec 27, 2005

  This recommendation is based on the knowledge and skills considered as essential for technologists who enter the profession by the end of the next decade. Although the implementation of new entry-level requirements will help new technologists meet the needs of a continuously evolving field, some programs will need assistance in transitioning their programs to meet the new requirements.

• First Two LLSAP Modules approved for SAM Credit by American Board of Radiology

  Dec 21, 2005

• Palatin Technologies, Inc. Announces Voluntary Suspension of Sales, Marketing and Distribution of NeutroSpec®

  Dec 19, 2005

  Palatin Technologies, Inc. announced today that, as a result of safety concerns recently raised in connection with the use of NeutroSpec® diagnostic imaging agent kits for the preparation of Technetium (99m Tc) fanolesomab, identified during routine pharmacovigilance, Palatin and Tyco Healthcare Mallinckrodt have decided to voluntarily suspend the sales, marketing and distribution of NeutroSpec and recall all existing customer inventories of this product.

• New Microchip Technology Assembles FDG, Potentially Many Other PET Probes

  Dec 15, 2005

  A microchip device no bigger than a stamp may soon cheaply and efficiently produce FDG for human imaging. The computer-controlled "lab-on-a-chip" device can rapidly prepare doses of unstable compounds from basic chemical feedstock and F-18, and the technology has the potential produce a wide variety of molecular imaging agents.

• CORAR Update on Voluntary Product Recall of Mallinckrodt’s Ultra-TechneKow® DTE Generator

  Dec 15, 2005

  The Council on Radionuclides and Radiopharmaceuticals released additional information regarding Mallinckrodt's estimated return to Tc-99m generator production around March 31, 2006.

• The Educational Summit II was held in Reston, Virginia on November 12-13

  Dec 14, 2005

  Twenty-four representatives from 8 organizations participated in a discussion about the ongoing development of an advanced practice Nuclear Medicine Practitioner (NMP) and the proposal for entry-level requirements for nuclear medicine technologists in 2015.

• IAEA Awarded Nobel Peace Prize as Advocate for Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy

  Dec 12, 2005

  The Norwegian Nobel Committee honored the IAEA and its leader, Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, as "an unafraid advocate" of atoms for peace, not warheads, at the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony . . .

• Registration and Poster Submission Open for BIROW IV

  Dec 9, 2005

  Online registration and abstract submission is now open for the fourth Biomedical Imaging Research Opportunities Workshop (BIROW IV), scheduled for February 24–25, 2006, at the Bethesda North Marriott, North Bethesda, MD.

• Breast Cancer Imaging Reviewed

  Dec 9, 2005

  An editorial by SNM member David Mankoff, MD, introduces a review of breast cancer imaging modalities including contrast-enhanced breast MRI, clinical breast MRS, SPECT and PET, and optical imaging...

• Production Line Improvements Delay Mallinckrodt’s Generator Availability Until Spring 2006

  Dec 7, 2005

  In a letter to customers dated Dec. 6, Steve Hanley, president of Mallinckrodt Imaging, notes that obtaining the necessary equipment and revalidation of production protocols would delay availability of its Ultra-TechneKow® DTE (Technetium Tc-99m) generator until March 31, 2006.

• NeutroSpec (Technetium [99m Tc] fanolesomab): Reports of Fatal and Life-threatening Cardiopulmonary Event

  Dec 5, 2005

  Mallinckrodt, Palatin Technologies and FDA notified healthcare professionals of postmarketing reports of serious and life-threatening cardiopulmonary events following the administration of NeutroSpec [Technetium (99m Tc) fanolesomab].

• PET Uncovers Patterns in Emotional Brain Activity

  Dec 2, 2005

  Neuroscientists trying to tease out the mechanisms underlying the basis of human sympathy used PET scans to explore what brain systems were activated while people watched videos of actors telling stories that were either sad or neutral in tone...

• BMS Making Progress in Closing Supply Gap for Technetium Tc99m Generators

  Dec 1, 2005

  In a letter dated November 30, Bristol-Myers Squibb informed customers that it "does not anticipate any appreciable difficulties in meeting overall technetium Tc99m generator demand in North America on a going forward basis."

• Updated Information Available on Mallinckrodt's Recall of Technetium Tc-99m Generators

  Nov 28, 2005

  In response to its voluntary recall on Ultra-TechneKow(R) DTE generators, Mallinckrodt provided updated information Nov. 23 in the form of a frequently asked question (FAQ) customer sheet.

• Additional Information Available on Mallinckrodt Recall of Tc-99m Generators

  Nov 23, 2005

• Take Advantage of Book Discounts for SNM Members

  Nov 22, 2005

  SNM members receive special discounts—as much as 30%—on SNM-published books. Featured products include the "Procedure Guidelines Manual" binder, the "Review of Nuclear Medicine Technology with Prep for Exam," the "Self-Study Oncology Anthology" (CME credit available), "Computers in Nuclear Medicine: A Practical Approach" and the must-have "Clinician’s Guide to Nuclear Medicine." Visit SNM’s Bookshop today!

• BMS Medical Imaging Letter to Customers Regarding Mallinckrodt Recall

  Nov 21, 2005

  Bristol-Myers Squibb Medical Imaging released additional information for customers regarding the voluntary recall of Mallinckrodt Ultra-TechneKow® DTE Technetium Generators...

• CORAR Releases Notice to the NM Community Regarding Mallinckrodt Recall

  Nov 21, 2005

  In the wake of this development the industry is cooperating, as appropriate, to meet the overall demand for Technetium-99m (Tc-99m) generators in North America and related patient unit doses, provided through radiopharmacy distributors, which use this critical isotope. This includes production scale up for both Tc-99m generators and Molybdenum-99, the raw material isotope. At this time, it is anticipated most of the market shortages for Tc-99m generators and Tc-99m unit doses should be met beginning Monday, November 28...

• Mallinckrodt Issues Voluntary Recall of Technetium Tc-99m Generators

  Nov 19, 2005

  On Nov. 18 Mallinckrodt issued a voluntary product recall on its Ultra-TechneKow(R) DTE generator (Technetium Tc-99m generator) with a request for immediate discontinuation of use of any of its generators in the market. This recall came as the result of a routine sterility assurance process revalidation.

• National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR)

  Nov 18, 2005

  The SNM was notified by CMS officials that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) cleared the Paperwork Reduction Act filing for the National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR). CMS is now in the final clearance process for the contract with affiliated organizations. The SNM, AMI, ACR and ASCO are hopeful the process will be implemented in January 2006.

• PET/fMRI Study Demonstrates That Number of Serotonin Receptors Influences Brain's Response to Fear and Stress

  Nov 16, 2005

  A University of Pittsburgh Medical Center study comparing PET and fMRI brain scans revealed how different areas of the brain react to stress and communicate with each other regarding stress response. The study may provide key information contributing to the definition of risk for psychiatric disorders and the development of molecular mechanisms to target as new therapies are developed.

• Nanoparticle Shows Promise in Reducing Radiation Side Effects Jefferson Researchers Find

  Nov 16, 2005

  Using transparent zebrafish embryos, researchers at Jefferson Medical College have shown that a microscopic nanoparticle can help fend off damage to normal tissue from radiation. The nanoparticle, a soccer ball-shaped, hollow, carbon-based structure known as a fullerene, acts like an "oxygen sink," binding to dangerous oxygen radicals produced by radiation.

• Clues to Progression of Alzheimer's Disease Revealed in Brain Imaging Studies

  Nov 16, 2005

  A novel imaging agent heralded for its potential to diagnose Alzheimer's disease during life is now giving researchers information never before available about how and where the disease progresses in the brain.

• Researchers Developing Way to Screen for Alzheimer's

  Nov 16, 2005

  A combination of PIB-PET and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis has left neuroscientists encouraged that they may finally be moving toward techniques for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease before its clinical symptoms become apparent.

• PET Imaging Reveals the Immune System at Work

  Nov 15, 2005

  A team of researchers Howard Hughes Medical Institute reports the results of experiments that enabled the group to tune in to the cellular battles waged by the immune system deep in the body. Using positron emission tomography, or PET, they were able to observe key cells of the immune system as they responded to tumors in mice.

• IAEA Symposium on Radiopharmaceuticals Opens 14 November Vienna

  Nov 14, 2005

  The latest trends and developments are being reviewed at an IAEA scientific symposium opening 14 November 2005 in Vienna. The focus is on radiopharmaceuticals, the short-lived radioactive drugs physicians use to help them trace the body's metabolism, diagnose disease, and develop effective treatments.

• Nuclear Medicine Pioneer Hal O. Anger, 1920-2005

  Nov 10, 2005

  Nuclear medicine pioneer Hal O. Anger, BS, DSc, died October 31 at his home in Berkeley, CA. Recognized as a quiet genius who shaped the future of nuclear medicine, Anger’s contributions include instruments that allow physicians to see inside the human body in a way that is fundamentally different from x-ray technology…

• Targeted Drug Delivery Achieved With Nanoparticle-Aptamer Bioconjugates

  Nov 10, 2005

  Ground-breaking results from researchers at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, disclosed at the 13th European Cancer Conference (ECCO) have shown for the first time that targeted drug delivery is possible using nanoparticle-apatamer conjugates.

• SNM Member Steven M. Larson Elected to Institute of Medicine of the National Academies

  Nov 2, 2005

  SNM member Steven M. Larson, MD, professor and director of radiology, Nuclear Medicine Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, has been elected to the prestigious Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

• Purdue's Gold Nanorods Brighten Future for Medical Imaging

  Oct 26, 2005

  Researchers at Purdue University have taken a step toward developing a new type of ultra-sensitive medical imaging technique that works by shining a laser through the skin to detect tiny gold nanorods injected into the bloodstream.

• Scientific Freedom: ICSU Revises and Reaffirms Commitment to the 'Universality of Science'

  Oct 21, 2005

  Warning that changes in the global political climate and concerns about international terrorism pose new challenges to scientific freedoms, the International Council for Science (ICSU) urged its members to consider a renewed and broader commitment to the organization's bedrock principle of the universality of science at the ICSU 28th General Assembly in Suzhou, China, October 20.

• Gene Therapy May Protect Normal Tissues During Radiation Treatments

  Oct 19, 2005

  Gene therapy could be used as an agent to protect normal tissues, including the esophagus and lung, from damage during a second administration of radiation therapy for non-small cell lung cancer, according to an animal study presented today by University of Pittsburgh researchers at the 47th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) in Denver.

• Physician Pay-for-Performance Programs May Produce Little Gain in Quality

  Oct 11, 2005

  Paying clinicians to reach a common, fixed performance target may produce little gain in overall quality and may largely reward those with higher performance at baseline, according to a study in the October 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

• IAEA and Director Mohamed ElBaradei Share 2005 Nobel Peace Prize

  Oct 7, 2005

  The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2005 is to be shared, in two equal parts, between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its Director General, Mohamed ElBaradei, for their efforts to prevent nuclear energy from being used for military purposes and to ensure that nuclear energy for peaceful purposes is used in the safest possible way.

• Attention Sponsors of Continuing Education Activities for Technologists: Fee Change Announcement

  Oct 6, 2005

  To offset the administrative costs of processing VOICE applications, there has been an increase of $15.00 in the application fees for certain program types.

• Study Shows New Imaging Tracer Reveals Metabolic Disturbances in Heart up to 30 Hours After Chest Pain Stops

  Sep 30, 2005

  A national team of researchers, led by a cardiovascular nuclear medicine specialist at the University of Maryland Medical Center, has demonstrated for the first time that the experimental radioactive BMIPP can show images of heart damage up to 30 hours after a brief interruption of blood flow and oxygen.

• ^99mTc-DPD Scans May Help Pin Down Tricky Diagnosis Between Inherited and Acquired Cardiac Amyloidosis

  Sep 22, 2005

  A ^99mTc-DPD scintigraphy scan may help clinicians properly diagnose and then treat two forms of cardiac amyloidosis, a rare type of heart failure caused by abnormal protein deposition in the heart, according to a new study.

• Advances in Brain Imaging for Epilepsy

  Sep 22, 2005

  PET brain scans of a brain chemical messenger system may prove sensitive enough to help plan brain surgery for epilepsy.

• New SNM Grants for Physician/Scientist Visits to China and India

  Sep 21, 2005

  The Society of Nuclear Medicine invites institutions/organizations in China and India to apply for a new, competitive program grant that will fund a one- to two-week visit by a nuclear medicine/molecular imaging physician or scientist from North America.

• Americans Think Commitment to Health Research Should be Stronger

  Sep 20, 2005

  Most Americans rate medical research as a high national priority and strongly support greater public and private funding, according to an article in the September 21 issue of JAMA. However, recent opinion surveys indicate that Americans also are increasingly dissatisfied with the nation's health care system.

• Looking for a Few Good Leaders…

  Sep 15, 2005

  The nominations cycle for the 2006-2007 election year will begin shortly for both the society and the Technologist Section. If you've ever had the desire to become a part of the society or Technologist Section's leadership, your chance is coming soon!

• Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment Program Launch

  Sep 15, 2005

  We are preparing to launch the first self-assessment modules (SAMs) of the Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment Program. Topics in oncologic PET and PET/CT will be among the first launched modules. The SAMs are currently being submitted to the ABR and ABNM for approval and determination of SAM credit.

• National Oncologic PET Registry Expected to Open in Fall

  Sep 9, 2005

  The National Oncologic PET Registry is expected to begin accepting case studies this fall pending approval of the registry forms and procedures by CMS. Acceptance of cases by the registry will open the door to Medicare reimbursement for PET studies for a wide variety of oncologic imaging studies while the registry collects data on the cost effectiveness of PET for each indication.

• PET Depicts Alterations in Brain Serotonin Activity That May Be Associated with Anorexia Nervosa

  Sep 9, 2005

  Women recovering from bulimia-type anorexia nervosa demonstrate via PET scans an alteration in serotonin binding that is widely associated with anxiety and other affective disorders more than one year after recovery, according to a study in the September issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

• Chernobyl: The True Scale of the Accident

  Sep 6, 2005

  The Chernobyl Forum has just released it's digest report on Chernobyl's Legacy: Health, Environmental and Socio-Economic Impacts," assessing the 20-year impact of the largest nuclear accident in history.

• A Picture of Progress: PET Imaging and Biomarkers Explored at ACS Meeting

  Aug 31, 2005

  Researchers shared their progress on this new medical frontier in a symposium, "Biomarkers and PET Imaging," on Wednesday, August 31, at the Washington Convention Center during the 230th national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Washington, DC.

• PET in Monkeys Demonstrates How New Drug Reverses Effects of Sleep Deprivation

  Aug 29, 2005

  Researchers at Wake Forrest University used PET to scan the brain activity of sleep-deprived monkeys while the animals were performing matching task before and after administration of ampakine, which is designed to target AMPA receptors that are located throughout the brain.

• Brain Activity in Youth May Presage Alzheimer's Pathology

  Aug 25, 2005

  Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers who used five different medical imaging techniques to study the brain activity of 764 people, have found that the areas of the brain that young, healthy people use when daydreaming are the same areas that fail in people who have Alzheimer's disease.

• Thinking the pain away? PET Study Shows the Brain’s Painkillers May Cause “Placebo Effect”

  Aug 23, 2005

  A new study by SNM member Jon-Kar Zubieta, MD, PhD, at the University of Michigan used 11C-carfentanil PET to demonstrate that just believing that a medicine will relieve pain is enough to prompt the brain to release its own natural painkillers and soothe painful sensations.

• Sentinel Node Biopsy Found Reliable in Diagnoses of Cancer Progression in Large Breast Tumors

  Aug 23, 2005

  New breast cancer research shows for the first time that even women with large breast tumors can benefit from sentinel node biopsy if performed prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

• NIBIB Grantsmanship Seminar Planned for October 17

  Aug 22, 2005

  The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering invites all interested colleagues to attend a regional grantsmanship seminar on Monday, October 17, 2005.

• ARRT Expands Supporting Categories For Post-Primary Certification to Include NMTCB Certification

  Aug 18, 2005

  Recognizing the increasing specialization of the profession and eager to provide the pathways for getting there, the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) has expanded its list of primary certifications that serve as supporting categories for post-primary certifications.

• Further Evidence that PET Scans Can Help Predict Outcomes in Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

  Aug 18, 2005

  Results from clinical trial in London found that response-to-therapy PET scans predicted progression free survival with high accuracy independent of other factors that typically indicate prognosis.

• Fluorescence Spectroscopy Proves Capable of Detecting Inflammatory Cells in Blood Vessels

  Aug 12, 2005

  A device that stimulates, collects and measures light emissions from body tissues has been able to detect the presence of inflammatory cells that are associated with critical atherosclerotic plaques in humans—plaques that are vulnerable to rupture. The study is described in the August 2005 issue of the journal Atherosclerosis.

• Small Business Innovation Research Program Requests Proposals

  Aug 9, 2005

  The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is soliciting contract proposals from small businesses as well as research institution staff scientists who are serving as consultants to small business. The proposals are being sought on a number of research topics . . .

• A New Code Of Ethics For Manufacturers of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Equipment

  Aug 4, 2005

  The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and its members have adopted a new code of ethics for 2005 and beyond. The new code sets forth the parameters of ethical interactions between members and health care providers and changes their interactions.

• Penn Named a 'Breast Cancer Center of Excellence' by Department of Defense; $10 Million Awarded to Study Breast Cancer Progression Using State-of-the-Art Imaging Techniques, Animal Models

  Jul 28, 2005

  The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has been named a Breast Cancer Center of Excellence by the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program. This designation establishes Penn as one of only 14 such sites in the United States.

• Combination Scanner May Increase Accuracy in Detecting Spread, Recurrence of Head, Neck Cancer

  Jul 27, 2005

  PET/CT may detect the spread of head and neck cancer more accurately than other widely used imaging examinations. In the new study, PET/CT was shown to be 80 percent accurate for staging of distant metastasis, such as the spread of head and neck cancer to the lungs

• Patients Receiving Radioisotope Scans Should be Warned About Triggering False Security Alarms at Airports

  Jul 21, 2005

  Patients undergoing diagnostic tests that involve radioisotopes should be warned that they could set off security radiation alarms in airports for up to 30 days after the procedure, state the authors of a case report in this week's issue of The Lancet.

• Insight Into Cell Metabolism Will Help Interpret PET, MRI Scans

  Jul 12, 2005

  By discovering a crucial piece of submicroscopic information about how the brain converts fuel into energy for neurons, Cornell University biophysicists have gleaned new insights into brain cell metabolism that will allow neurologists to better interpret data from such diagnostic tests as PET scans and BOLD-fMRI scans.

• New Computer Program Uses Brain Scans to Assess Risk of Alzheimer’s

  Jun 20, 2005

  According to a new study, a PET and MRI-based computer program can quickly and accurately measure metabolic activity in the hippocampus and predict, based on reductions in brain metabolism in healthy individuals, the later development of Alzheimer's disease.

• Nanoparticles Carry Cancer-Killing Drugs into Tumor Cells in Mice with Increased Efficacy and Lower Toxicity

  Jun 16, 2005

  University of Michigan scientists have created the nanotechnology equivalent of a Trojan horse to smuggle a powerful chemotherapeutic drug inside tumor cells-increasing the drug's cancer-killing activity and reducing its toxic side effects.

• Survey Finds Differing Standards for Clinical Trial Agreements with Industry Sponsors

  May 25, 2005

  A survey of academic medical centers found that some have more stringent standards than others regarding the aspects of research that industry sponsors are permitted to control.

• Study Finds Diagnostic Imaging In Line with Other Hospital Costs

  May 24, 2005

  A review of hospital costs at Massachusetts General Hospital shows that imaging cost increases have remained in line with other hospital costs and that diagnostic imaging may be associated with shorter hospital stays.

• U.S. Ranks Highest Worldwide in Use of High-Tech Imaging

  May 20, 2005

  The U.S. ranks highest in utilization of high-tech imaging compared to other countries worldwide, while Germany and Singapore rank high in utilization of both high and low tech imaging, a new study shows.

• NCI Announces Exploratory Grants for Quick Trials in Imaging and Image-Guided Interventions

  May 20, 2005

  Investigators may apply for a maximum of two years of funding support using the exploratory or developmental grant mechanism (R21) to cover up to $250,000 in direct costs per year.

• Mayo Clinic Researchers Evaluate Efficiency of Clinical Trial Length

  May 18, 2005

  In their efforts to explore more effective and efficient ways to conduct clinical trials, Mayo Clinic cancer researchers will present new recommendations about how long studies should track results when evaluating new cancer therapies.

• Whole-body MRI Superior to Bone Scintigraphy in Detecting Cancer Metastasis; PET Superior to MRI in Soft Tissues

  May 17, 2005

  Whole-body MRI with an automatic moving table is effective for evaluating the entire skeleton in patients with suspected bone metastasis in a single imaging scan; however, whole-body FDG-PET is superior to whole-body MRI in for staging lymph nodes, soft-tissue tumors, and metastasis in the internal organs.

• Zevalin Safe and Effective for Non-Hogdkin’s Lymphoma Patients with Advanced Disease

  May 17, 2005

  A study, presented May 17 at the 41st annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, indicates that NHL patients previously treated with chemotherapy and adult stem cell transplantation can safely tolerate Zevalin.

• MIBG/I-131 Therapy Yields High Response, Low Toxicity in Children With Relapsed Neuroblastoma

  May 17, 2005

  Researchers achieved a high number of responses with very few side effects in 167 patients with neuroblastoma using a compound called meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) bound to iodine-131 .

• USC Researchers Find Way to Streamline Radioimmunotherapy

  May 17, 2005

  Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and colleagues have found a way to streamline Zevalin therapy for patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

• Jefferson Lab Scientists Build Small-Animal Imager for German Cancer Research Center

  Apr 27, 2005

  This week three Jefferson Lab Detector Group members travel to Heidelberg, Germany, to assemble and bring on-line a small-animal gamma camera the group developed and built for the German Cancer Research Center.

• Nanoparticles Offer New Hope for Early Cancer Detection and Treatment

  Apr 25, 2005

  Specially designed nanoparticles can reveal tiny cancerous tumors that are invisible by ordinary means of detection, according to a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

• NMTCB's New PET Exam Joins List for Satisfying ARRT's CE Requirements

  Apr 21, 2005

  ARRT registrants who choose to satisfy their continuing education requirements by passing an approved exam have an additional qualifying exam from which to pick: the PET exam offered by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB).

• JLab, College of W&M Researchers Study Potassium Iodide for Radiation Protection in Imaging Studies on Mice

  Apr 21, 2005

  Scientists have found that a dose five times higher than the FDA-recommended dosage of potassium iodide for protection of humans in the event of a nuclear accident is needed to protect small animals effectively from radioactive iodide in imaging procedures.

• New Grants for 2006!

  Apr 12, 2005

  We are pleased to announce three new grant opportunities for 2006, made possible by the generous donations of Mallinckrodt, Inc. and Digirad Corporation to the Education and Research Foundation (ERF) and by the Corporate Friends of the SNMTS Professional Development and Education Fund (PDEF).

• Turning Viruses Into Allies Against Cancer with Radiovirotherapy

  Apr 11, 2005

  Scientists at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, reported that an engineered virus can seek out and destroy liver cancer cells, leaving surrounding healthy tissue intact, using the iodine "transport" protein attached to the virus as a kind of homing beacon for radioactive iodine.

• Genetic Testing Could Bolster Radiotherapy's Effectiveness Against Cancer

  Apr 6, 2005

  Obtaining a genetic picture of how a tumor will react to radiotherapy could help doctors design more effective therapies customized for individual cancer patients' needs, suggests a Purdue University research team.

• Bone SPECT Superior to FDG PET for Detecting Bone Metastases in Breast Cancer

  Apr 4, 2005

  Bone SPECT is better than FDG PET for detecting breast cancer that has metastasized to a patient’s bones, according to researchers from Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital in Japan.

• Bone Quality Assessment Meeting Scheduled

  Mar 31, 2005

  The NIBIB and other organizations are sponsoring a scientific meeting and symposium on "Bone Quality: What Is It and Can We Measure It?" on May 2 and 3 in Bethesda, MD.

• National Conference Represents 60 percent of Health Care Workforce

  Mar 22, 2005

  The Health Professions Network (HPN) conference was held March 4-6 in San Diego California. HPN convenes twice annually to discuss issues essential to the allied health community, which represents over 60 percent of the entire U.S. health care workforce. There are hundreds of professions in addition to nurses and physicians that deliver health care in the country.

• JCAHO Welcomes Peter B. Angood, MD, as Vice President and Chief Patient Safety Officer

  Mar 15, 2005

  Peter B. Angood, MD, FCCM, has been named vice president and chief patient safety officer of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

• AIMBE Hall of Fame Salutes PET as One of 24 Achievements in Medical, Biological Engineering

  Mar 10, 2005

  Citing their significance in saving and improving millions of lives worldwide over the past century, 24 key innovations of medical and biological engineering have been named initial inductees to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering's new AIMBE Hall of Fame.

• SNM President Voices Concern Over DOE Budget Cuts

  Mar 10, 2005

  SNM President Mathew L. Thakur, PhD, broadened awareness of the society’s campaign to protest cuts to the molecular/nuclear medicine programs in the Department of Energy’s Medical Applications and Measurement Science Program in a March 8 article in The Scientist.

• Jefferson Lab PET Mammography Unit Detects Breast Cancer

  Mar 9, 2005

  A positron emission mammography device designed and built by the Department of Energy's Jefferson Lab scientists is capable of imaging breast cancer tumors. In the pilot study the unit imaged 18 malignant tumors in 23 patients receiving additional screening due to suspicious mammograms.

• Combining PET and CT Leads to More Accurate Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer Patients

  Mar 9, 2005

  Using PET in addition to CT can reduce the amount of radiation exposure to normal tissue when treating lung cancer with radiation therapy, according to a new study that compared two three-dimensional conformal radiation treatment plans, one with CT-based planning and the second with a combination of PET and CT-based planning.

• Cardiac PET Could Reduce Use of Angiograms and Bypass Surgery and Cut Costs

  Mar 9, 2005

  Using PET scanning rather than other types of imaging as the first tool to diagnose heart-vessel blockages is more accurate, less invasive and saves dollars, a study by University at Buffalo researchers has shown.

• Joint NCI-FDA Fellowship Program Announced

  Mar 4, 2005

  In preparation for the new generation of molecular-based oncology medical products, the NCI has announced a fellowship program designed to train a cadre of researchers to bridge the processes from scientific discovery through clinical development and regulatory review of new oncology products.

• Newsday Publishes Article on Funding Cuts to Molecular/Nuclear Medicine Programs, Brookhaven Lab

  Mar 3, 2005

  The March 2 Newsday article, "Nuclear Medicine Funds to Disappear Under Plan: Brookhaven Lab Would Be Devastated if the House Approves Proposal by the Department of Energy," includes a mention of SNM and quotes from a member and consultant.

• Technologist Section Announces Two New Awards for 2005

  Feb 23, 2005

  The SNMTS is pleased to announce two new annual awards funded by the Education and Research Foundation: the Outstanding Educator Award and the Outstanding Technologist Award. Each winner will be presented with $750 and a plaque at the 2005 SNM Annual Meeting. Applications for both awards are now being accepted and must be received at SNM headquarters by April 15 in order to be considered for the 2005 awards.

• University of Chicago Scientists Still Hopeful About Rare Isotope Accelerator

  Feb 9, 2005

  University of Chicago scientists say they still hope that the U.S. Department of Energy will decide to build the $1 billion Rare Isotope Accelerator in Illinois, despite a $2.7 million cut in preliminary funding for the accelerator in this year's DOE budget.

• U-M Study Finds 95 Percent of Advanced Follicular Lymphoma Patients Respond to First Line Radioimmunotherapy Treatment

  Feb 3, 2005

  Treating advanced follicular lymphoma patients initially with radioimmunotherapy instead of traditional chemotherapy took a fraction of the time of traditional chemotherapy, caused fewer side effects, and elicited responses in 95 percent of patients (complete responses in 75 percent), a new study by researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center found.

• Cardiac Imaging is Underused in Women to Diagnose Disease

  Feb 2, 2005

  Cardiac imaging methods such as stress SPECT and stress echocardiography work as well in women as in men to accurately diagnose coronary artery disease (CAD). Women at risk for CAD, however, are less often referred for the right tests, according to a consensus statement from the American Heart Association.

• UCLA Researchers’ New Imaging Tool May Change the Way Cancer is Diagnosed and Treated

  Feb 1, 2005

  Quantum dots and nanoparticles are on the way to routine use in preclinical and clinical studies in molecular imaging and cancer therapy applications. Two recent advances announced in the most recent issue of Science show how quantum dots and PET-guided optical imaging work together to image cellular processes and treat cancer.

• DNA Used to Assemble Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery

  Jan 21, 2005

  University of Michigan researchers have developed a faster, more efficient way to produce a wide variety of nanoparticle drug delivery systems, using DNA molecules to bind the particles together.

• Antibody Treatment Partially Reverses Nerve Damage in Alzheimer Disease

  Jan 20, 2005

  Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine have shown that an antibody treatment administered to the brain surface in mice with Alzheimer disease is capable of rapidly reversing disease-related structural nerve damage.

• Mayo Clinic Researchers Report Success in New Molecular Breast Imaging Technique

  Jan 12, 2005

  Using a gamma camera specially designed for breast imaging, Mayo Clinic researchers reported success in identifying small malignant breast lesions even in dense breast tissue.

• Los Angeles Times, Reuters Press Hits Bring SNM News to Millions

  Jan 6, 2005

  Millions of readers recently learned about SNM members, SNM officers, and nuclear medicine in varied U.S. and international press outlets…

• Study Determines Commonly Used Contrast Agent Safe for “Universal Use” in CT

  Jan 5, 2005

  The contrast agent iopromide, which has been used on more than 70 million patients worldwide, can be used for all types of CT imaging, regardless of the volume or dosage required, according to a new study by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA.

• Registration Open for Third Annual Biomedical Imaging Research Opportunities Workshop

  Jan 3, 2005

  Nearly 200 leading radiologic researchers, physicists, and engineers are expected to participate in the third annual Biomedical Imaging Research Opportunities Workshop (BIROW III) scheduled for March 11 and 12 at the Hyatt Regency in Bethesda, MD.

• Combining Hormones With External, Internal Radiation Helps High Risk Prostate Cancer Patients

  Dec 30, 2004

  Prostate cancer patients with high risk cancers who are treated with both internal and external radiation and hormone treatment have a better chance of beating the disease than patients treated with radiation alone …

• Patient Protection Laws Don’t Favor Health Providers

  Dec 27, 2004

  Despite critics who say patients’ bills of rights laws are actually designed to protect health care providers, new research published in the current issue of the American Journal of Medicine found just the opposite.

• NEMA Releases 2004 Revision of DICOM Standard

  Dec 20, 2004

  National Electrical Manufacturers Association has released a sixteen-part update of the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine standard.

• Bone Marrow Fat May Indicate Bone Weakening

  Dec 7, 2004

  Measuring bone marrow fat along with bone mineral density can better predict weakening of bones than either test done alone, a new study indicates.

• Tumor Size Alone Not Always Best for Gauging Treatment Response; Both PET and CT Useful for Judging Biologic Changes

  Dec 7, 2004

  PET can help evaluate treatment for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) by revealing biologic changes such as how the tumor processes the fuel that makes it grow; CT can indirectly reveal biologic changes by analyzing the tumor's density.

• SNM Members Participate, Receive Honors at RSNA'04; SNM Wins Press Coverage in Major News Outlets

  Dec 6, 2004

  A number of Society of Nuclear Medicine members participated in RSNA'04—the world's largest medical meeting, held annually by the Radiological Society of North America—resulting in press coverage of their accomplishments and scientific findings, and of SNM.

• NEMA Releases New Code of Ethics for Manufacturers of Medical Imaging Equipment

  Dec 6, 2004

  The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has announced the publication of its new Code of Ethics for member companies that manufacture medical imaging equipment and radiation therapy systems.

• SNM Reports from RSNA: Thyroid Treatment Can Trigger Homeland Security Detectors

  Dec 1, 2004

  Medical procedures such as iodine therapy, a popular thyroid treatment, can result in patients triggering radiation detectors for up to three months after treatment, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)...

• Isotron Licenses ORNL Cancer Treatment Technology

  Dec 1, 2004

  Patients with cancers previously next to untreatable may have new hope because of a license agreement between Isotron of Norcross, GA, and UT-Battelle, which manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

• PET Scans Detect Brain Differences in People at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

  Nov 22, 2004

  Using brain imaging, researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) have found clear differences in brain function between healthy people who carry a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and those who lack the factor.

• SNM Recognized for Educational Excellence by AMA

  Nov 15, 2004

  The Society of Nuclear Medicine has been recognized by the American Medical Association for educational excellence in CPT educational activities and endeavors.

• NCI Launches New Integrative Cancer Biology Program

  Nov 2, 2004

  The ICBP is a designed to gain new insights into the development and progression of cancer by incorporating a spectrum of new technologies such as genomics, proteomics, and molecular imaging, to generate computer and mathematical models.

• New Tool Reveals Molecular Signature of Cancer and HIV

  Nov 1, 2004

  Scientists at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions have designed a new molecular tool, dubbed 'LigAmp,' to pinpoint DNA mutations. If the mutation is found, a bacterial gene produces a fluorescent color visible to powerful computer programs.

• Confocal Microscopy Visualizes Signaling Proteins

  Nov 1, 2004

  The observation of molecularly tagged protein by confocal microscopy serves as one of the first examples of direct visualization of the spread of signaling molecules in an intact animal.

• National Institute on Aging Launches $60 Million Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

  Oct 27, 2004

  The National Institute on Aging (NIA) launched a $60 million, 5-year public-private partnership to test whether serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), other biological markers, and clinical and neuropsychological assessment can be combined to measure the progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

• Researchers Identify Brain Protein That Halts Progression of Alzheimer’s

  Oct 26, 2004

  Researchers have identified a protein in the brain that halts the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in human brain tissue. The protein, known as 'transthyretin,' protects brain cells from gradual deterioration by blocking another toxic protein that contributes to the disease process.

• Gambhir Receives SMI’s Achievement Award

  Oct 20, 2004

  Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD, was presented with the Society for Molecular Imaging’s (SMI) Achievement Award at the SMI's annual meeting in September.

• NIA Launches Study to Determine Best Neuroimaging Method for Monitoring Alzheimer's Disease

  Oct 13, 2004

  The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is leading a landmark study to find neuroimaging and other methods for monitoring the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) aimed at significantly reducing the time and cost of clinical trials.

• Congress Recognizes Nuclear Medicine Week

  Oct 6, 2004

  Nuclear Medicine Week was recognized in Congress this week by statements from Senators John Warner (R-VA) and Christopher Bond (R-MO) and Representatives James Moran (D-VA) and Frank Wolf (R-VA).

• Study Finds Low Dose Radiation More Effective at Killing Cancer Cells than Higher Doses

  Oct 5, 2004

  A new study shows that lower doses of radiation elude a damage detection 'radar' in DNA and actually kill more cancer cells than high-dose radiation…

• Genetic Test Distinguishes Between Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma and Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma

  Sep 30, 2004

  Two types of thyroid cancer that are closely related and sometimes difficult to distinguish can be readily identified by differences in only a few genes, new research shows.

• SNM Rolls Out New Online Teaching Files

  Sep 29, 2004

  SNM can now offer residents and physicians the opportunity to showcase their interesting cases in our Online Teaching Files, where the case material will be available to the nuclear medicine community in an educational setting...

• Illinois Radiological Society Initiates Annual Steven M. Pinsky, MD, Resident Research Award

  Sep 29, 2004

  The Illinois Radiological Society named its new resident research award for the late nuclear medicine physician and educator, Steven M. Pinsky, MD.

• Howard Hughes Medical Institute, NIBIB/NIH to Invest up to $35 Million in Biological, Physical Sciences and Engineering PhD Programs

  Sep 29, 2004

  The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is opening a competition for up to 10, 3-year grants to educational institutions, totaling as much as $1 million each...

• IAEA Publishes Technical Report on 99mTc Agents for CNS Imaging

  Sep 29, 2004

  The International Atomic Energy Agency has just published Technical Report Series No: 496, 'Development of 99mTc Agents for Imaging Central Neural Systems Receptors.'

• OAK Ridge Spallation Neutron Source 'Warms' Up for 2006

  Sep 27, 2004

  With the recent 'warm commissioning' of its linear accelerator, Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Spallation Neutron Source has passed a crucial test and milestone on its way to completion in 2006.

• New PET COE Feature: Clinical Papers of the Week

  Sep 27, 2004

  The PET Center of Excellence (COE) has launched a new service for PET COE members: Clinical Papers of the Week. Each week the PET COE Web site will post a list of all medical research papers published during the previous week that include PET or 'positron emission tomography' in their keyword list.

• China Boosts Support for IAEA Development and Security Initiatives

  Sep 23, 2004

  Marking 20 years of cooperation with the IAEA, China announced today that it would donate $1 million to IAEA´s special funds for technical cooperation and enhanced nuclear security.

• PET Research Solves Mystery of HIV Dementia Mechanism

  Sep 21, 2004

  Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have documented a decrease in the neurotransmitter dopamine in patients with HIV dementia.

• New Drug Application for FDG PET Approved in Less than 6 Months

  Sep 7, 2004

  The FDA has approved a new drug application for 18F-FDG injection submitted by Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Citigroup Biomedical Imaging Center, in less than six months under the new streamlined drug application procedures for PET drugs.

• Diabodies Act as Guided Missiles Targeted to Mammary Tumor Growth

  Sep 1, 2004

  A mini-antibody bearing a payload of tumor-busting radiation thwarts the growth of human breast cancer in laboratory animals, according to research published in the September 1 issue of the journal Cancer Research.

• Stress Tests May Miss Latent Heart Disease

  Aug 19, 2004

  Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center have found that additional coronary calcium screening may help when patients have normal stress test results.

• Sweet Success in Targeting Sugar Molecules to Cells in Living Animals

  Aug 19, 2004

  Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers have successfully targeted unnatural sugar molecules with chemically unique functional groups onto the surfaces of cells in living animals without altering the animals' physiology.

• Now Available: Guide to NRC Compliance, Updated with Completely New Section on Radiopharmaceutical Therapy

  Aug 17, 2004

  The SNM’s Guide for Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine and Radiopharmaceutical Therapy has been updated and expanded to include a section on therapy. The guide to compliance with Nuclear Regulatory Commission requirements under 10 CFR Part 35 may be used in place of the NRC’s more cumbersome regulations for licensing medical by-product material.