Nuclear Medicine News and Research

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Nuclear medicine is a branch or specialty of medicine and medical imaging that uses radioactive isotopes (radionuclides) and relies on the process of radioactive decay in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. In nuclear medicine procedures, radionuclides are combined with other chemical compounds or pharmaceuticals to form radiopharmaceuticals.

International Isotopes 2010 net loss increases 49% to $6,802,014

International Isotopes Inc. announces the financial results for fiscal year ended December 31, 2010.

4 Apr 2011

Study finds high utilization of CTC and Medicare coverage in recent years

Medicare coverage and nationwide utilization of computed tomographic colonography, commonly referred to as virtual colonoscopy, has tripled in recent years, according to a study in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

4 Apr 2011

Iodine 131 exposure during childhood increases risk of developing thyroid cancer

Alan H. Lockwood, MD, professor of neurology and nuclear medicine in the University at Buffalo's School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences calls the Japanese Health Ministry's advice not to give tap water to infants "prudent."

24 Mar 2011

Experts issue joint statement to help Americans understand radiation-related health risks

The growing concern surrounding the release of radiation from an earthquake and tsunami-stricken nuclear complex in Japan has raised fears of radiation exposure to populations in North America from the potential plume of radioactivity crossing the Pacific Ocean.

19 Mar 2011

New detector technologies capable of reducing radiation dose from BSGI/MBI studies by 75%

A new study by Craig Thiessen, M.D., Director of Radiology for West Houston Radiology L.L.P. and North Cypress Medical Center in Houston, presented this week at the National Consortium of Breast Centers Annual Meeting, found the improved photon sensitivity of new detector technologies such as PSPMTs and CZT should be capable of reducing the radiation dose patient receive from BSGI/MBI studies by 75%.

18 Mar 2011

Positron to introduce its radiopharmaceutical system at American College of Cardiology

Positron Corporation, a leading molecular imaging company specializing in the field of nuclear cardiology, announced the introduction of its automated radiopharmaceutical system, under the name PosiRx, at two upcoming industry conferences.

18 Mar 2011

Indium oxine in development at Positron's Crown Point facility

Positron Corporation a molecular imaging company announced today that it is developing indium oxine, a radiopharmaceutical widely used for the radiolabeling of blood elements. This project signifies Positron's entrance into direct radiopharmaceutical manufacturing and sales; indium oxine is the first new product in development at Positron's research, development and manufacturing facility in Crown Point, Indiana.

14 Mar 2011

FDA approves Lantheus Medical Imaging's SPA for flurpiridaz F-18 Phase 3 trial in coronary artery disease

Lantheus Medical Imaging, Inc., a worldwide leader in diagnostic imaging, today announced that it has reached agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) on the design and planned analysis of a Phase 3 clinical trial for the assessment of myocardial perfusion using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging of flurpiridaz F-18 in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease (CAD).

11 Mar 2011

FDA approves Covidien's LEU-based Mo-99 medical isotope

Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of molybdenum-99 derived from low-enriched uranium (LEU) in the production of technetium-99m generators.

10 Mar 2011

NCCN, SNM enter cancer imaging research collaboration

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network- (NCCN-), and the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) are pleased to announce a collaboration to advance research for cancer imaging and therapies. Specifically, NCCN will work with SNM to qualify imaging sites for upcoming research projects utilizing molecular imaging in clinical trials.

9 Mar 2011

TOF positron emission tomography scans can improve cancer detection

For the first time, quantitative-not qualitative-data analysis has demonstrated that time-of-flight positron emission tomography scans can improve cancer detection.

2 Mar 2011

UH Ahuja Medical Center officially opens its doors to patients on March 2

University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center – the first new stand-alone hospital in Cuyahoga County in 30 years –officially opens its doors to patients on March 2.

2 Mar 2011

Despite absence of Medicare coverage, hospital use of CTC is on the rise: Study

Despite the absence of Medicare coverage, hospital use of computed tomographic colonography, commonly referred to as virtual colonoscopy, is on the rise, according to a study in the March issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

1 Mar 2011

Cell phone use and the brain: Study

Experts are still grappling with facts and fiction regarding brain damage caused by cell phone use. Dr. Nora Volkow, who is lead author of a new study published in the Feb. 23 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association said, “We don’t know whether this is detrimental or whether it could have some potential beneficial effects.

22 Feb 2011

GE Healthcare completes Orbotech Medical acquisition

GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Company, announced that it has completed the acquisition of the assets of Orbotech Medical Solutions Ltd. (OMS), a subsidiary of Orbotech Ltd. (Orbotech), and a manufacturer of cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detectors used in GE Healthcare's innovative Alcyone nuclear medicine technology.

21 Feb 2011

CMS selects BWH to participate in Medicare Imaging Demonstration project

Brigham and Women's Hospital was selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as one of five conveners of a demonstration project that promotes appropriate utilization of advanced imaging services, CMS announced February 2, 2011.

17 Feb 2011

Positron anticipates expanded market opportunity for Attrius PET scanner

Positron Corporation a molecular imaging solutions company focused on nuclear cardiology, announced today that with the conditional U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Eli Lilly's PET imaging agent Amyvid (florbetapir), it expects to see an expanded market opportunity for its Attrius® PET scanner.

8 Feb 2011

FDA clears new mobile radiology application

A new mobile radiology application cleared today by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will allow physicians to view medical images on the iPhone and iPad manufactured by Apple Inc.

4 Feb 2011

PET imaging may play a role in early evaluation of vandetanib response in thyroid cancer

Positron emission tomography can image metabolic changes following treatment with the protein kinase inhibitor vandetanib, helping to define the therapy response or the effectiveness of the therapeutic agent, according to research published in the February issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

1 Feb 2011

Radiologists should provide first-rate physiology education for medical students

In order for medical students to ultimately provide quality patient care medical schools should turn to radiologists to help them teach physiology, one of the core disciplines of medicine, according to a study in the February issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology (www.jacr.org). Physiology is the science of the function of living systems.

1 Feb 2011