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.

Changes in CMS reimbursement to accelerate demand for cardiac PET imaging

Positron Corporation a molecular imaging solutions company focused on Nuclear Cardiology, expects the evolution from cardiac SPECT to cardiac PET imaging will be greatly accelerated with the recent changes in reimbursement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) set for 2010.

13 Nov 2009

CMS approves FDG PET for initial staging of cervical cancer

SNM applauds the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services- (CMS) decision to expand coverage of FDG PET for the initial staging of cervical cancer without previously imposed restrictions.

13 Nov 2009

UOHI to receive $5.4M federal funds for development of new alternative radioisotope imaging tracers

Researchers from the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) will receive nearly half of a $5.4 million federal fund to help solve a shortage of medical isotopes resulting from the shutdown of the Chalk River nuclear reactor. Two research teams will develop two new alternative radioisotope imaging tracers, test new applications for their use in diagnosing heart disease, and fast track production and distribution as quickly as possible across Canada.

10 Nov 2009

SNM commends the U.S. House of Representatives for its passage of medical isotope legislation

SNM applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for its passage of H.R. 3276-the American Medical Isotopes Production Act of 2009.

7 Nov 2009

Successful leukemia treatment with a radiolabeled antibody followed by stem cell transplant

For the first time, researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have reported the use of a radiolabeled antibody to deliver targeted doses of radiation, followed by a stem cell transplant, to successfully treat a group of leukemia and pre-leukemia patients for whom there previously had been no other curative treatment options.

6 Nov 2009

Molecular imaging pinpoints inflammation in the brains of schizophrenics and migraine sufferers

Inflammatory response of brain cells-as indicated by a molecular imaging technique-could tell researchers more about why certain neurologic disorders, such as migraine headaches and psychosis in schizophrenic patients, occur and provide insight into how to best treat them, according to two studies published in the November issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

31 Oct 2009

Bayer HealthCare's Phase II study results of imaging agent florbetaben

Bayer HealthCare presented results from a global Phase II study of florbetaben, its imaging agent in development for the detection of cerebral beta-Amyloid plaques, at the 19th World Congress of Neurology (WCN).

30 Oct 2009

Researchers report preclinical results of a novel PET biomarker designed to detect malignant breast tumors

Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA, supported in part by NuView Life Sciences, have published an article in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine reporting preclinical results of a novel PET biomarker designed to selectively detect malignant breast tumors.

30 Oct 2009

Residents can serve a vital role in promoting CT colonography awareness

Residents can serve a vital role in educating Congress, the medical community, and the general public regarding the efficacy of cutting-edge technologies like CT colonography (CTC) as well as the importance of radiologists' training and education and the role that radiologists serve in the provision of quality health care, according to an article published in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR).

29 Oct 2009

Inpatient diagnostic imaging exams achieve lower in-hospital mortality rates, shows study

Hospitals that make greater use of inpatient diagnostic imaging exams achieve lower in-hospital mortality rates with little or no impact on costs, according to a peer-reviewed study of more than 1 million patient outcomes in more than 100 hospitals nationwide published in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR).

29 Oct 2009

Pulmo BioTech signs agreement with Biotechnology Consulting Poland for commercialization of PulmoBind

Pulmo BioTech Inc. has announced that it will ultimately receive at least $3.3 million pursuant to the license agreement contemplated by the previously announced non-binding letter of intent with Biotechnology Consulting Poland Sp. z.o.o. with respect to its Pulmonary Vascular Diagnostic Product Candidate PulmoBind(TM) development work, clinical trials and ultimately, commercialization in the European market.

24 Oct 2009

Third-quarter fiscal 2009 results announced by Digirad

Digirad Corporation today reported the Company continued to generate positive cash flow, improved gross margins in its DIS (Digirad Imaging Solutions) business, and maintained its total cash and investments position of more than $31 million in its third quarter ended September 30, 2009, staying on track to record positive net earnings for the year, despite lower camera sales in its product segment.

22 Oct 2009

Sectra signs distribution agreement with Attieh Medico

The Swedish IT and medical-technology company Sectra has signed a distribution agreement with Attieh Medico, a leading medical technology company in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

22 Oct 2009

Fairfax Radiological Consultants implements revolutionary CT scanners

Fairfax Radiological Consultants, P.C. (FRC), the largest private radiology practice in the region, today announced the implementation of revolutionary CT scanners. These scanners provide up to 33 percent clearer images while reducing radiation exposure to patients by an average of 50 percent compared to prior generation scanners and are in all five FRC CT locations across Northern Virginia.

22 Oct 2009

CMS requested for coverage of two FDG PET scans during the initial treatment

Seven medical imaging groups wrote a joint letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to formally request coverage of two fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scans for a patient during the initial treatment evaluation. Currently, CMS covers only one FDG-PET study during initial treatment-a limitation that the groups believe is contrary to good clinical practice under certain circumstances.

20 Oct 2009

Delays contribute to unnecessary ER visits and additional imaging services in symptomatic gallstone treatment

Getting patients to the operating room more quickly could cut by half the amount paid for hospital treatment of painful gallstones, researchers reported today at the 2009 Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons.

15 Oct 2009

BRIC nations spend $500 billion in 2009 for health care despite economic downturn

According to Millennium Research Group (MRG), the global authority on medical technology market intelligence, sustained economic growth since 2003 in Brazil, Russia, India, and China (BRIC) has enabled massive increases in health care expenditures with an astounding $500 billion spent in 2009 alone.

14 Oct 2009

Dilon Diagnostics and Philips sign distribution agreement

Dilon Diagnostics, the leader in molecular breast imaging (MBI) also known as Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) and Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI), today announce that they have entered into a distribution agreement. Philips Healthcare will sell and support the Dilon 6800 gamma camera in key European and Middle Eastern markets. The compact camera technology and related products and services are used for the detection of breast cancer as an adjunct to mammography and serve to complement Philips innovative women's health solutions.

12 Oct 2009

Canary Foundation to implement biosensor technologies for early cancer detection

Canary Foundation has committed to being the first organization to implement the breakthrough in biosensor technologies in its research pipeline. The new technology promises to revolutionize the early detection cancer field.

12 Oct 2009

Susquehanna Health acquires a Daxor blood volume analyzer

Daxor Corporation, a medical instrumentation and biotechnology company, today announced the receipt of a signed trial agreement from Susquehanna Health of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. This will provide Susquehanna Health with a Blood Volume Analyzer-100 (BVA-100), an instrument which enables semi-automated measurement of a patient's total blood volume, red blood cell volume and plasma volume.

8 Oct 2009

Nuclear Medicine News and Research

Further Reading

Changes in CMS reimbursement to accelerate demand for cardiac PET imaging

CMS approves FDG PET for initial staging of cervical cancer

UOHI to receive $5.4M federal funds for development of new alternative radioisotope imaging tracers

SNM commends the U.S. House of Representatives for its passage of medical isotope legislation

Successful leukemia treatment with a radiolabeled antibody followed by stem cell transplant

Molecular imaging pinpoints inflammation in the brains of schizophrenics and migraine sufferers

Bayer HealthCare's Phase II study results of imaging agent florbetaben

Researchers report preclinical results of a novel PET biomarker designed to detect malignant breast tumors

Residents can serve a vital role in promoting CT colonography awareness

Inpatient diagnostic imaging exams achieve lower in-hospital mortality rates, shows study

Pulmo BioTech signs agreement with Biotechnology Consulting Poland for commercialization of PulmoBind

Third-quarter fiscal 2009 results announced by Digirad

Sectra signs distribution agreement with Attieh Medico

Fairfax Radiological Consultants implements revolutionary CT scanners

CMS requested for coverage of two FDG PET scans during the initial treatment

Delays contribute to unnecessary ER visits and additional imaging services in symptomatic gallstone treatment

BRIC nations spend $500 billion in 2009 for health care despite economic downturn

Dilon Diagnostics and Philips sign distribution agreement

Canary Foundation to implement biosensor technologies for early cancer detection

Susquehanna Health acquires a Daxor blood volume analyzer

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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