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.

Summit explores medical application of molecular nanotechnology

Albuquerque's blue skies and majestic mountains provided a scenic backdrop for a summit that explores one of the most promising technologies on the horizon--nanomedicine, or the medical application of molecular nanotechnology--a still-developing science dedicated to constructing microscopic probes and biomechanical devices.

2 Feb 2010

PET for children: CHOP-Penn researchers study reduction in radiation dosage

Studies have shown positron emission tomography's (PET) value as a minimally invasive, painless and safe diagnostic tool for many pediatric conditions. In a study published in the February issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine (JNM), researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) gathered data that may provide clinicians with new formulas-specific to pediatrics-to calculate the amount of radiotracer that should be injected based on the patient's weight.

2 Feb 2010

Epigenetics may help determine CT radiation risk to patients' offsprings

There remains a lack of consensus amongst the medical and scientific communities about any cancer risk from low level radiation, particularly low-dose radiation delivered from computed tomography (CT) scans. However, the study of epigenetics may play a role in determining whether or not future trends of diseases can in fact be linked to utilization of CT, according to an article in the February issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR).

1 Feb 2010

Researchers to assess any cancer risk associated with low-dose radiation exposure from medical imaging tests

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center are incorporating radiation dose exposure reports into the electronic medical record, an effort that they hope will lead to an accurate assessment of whether any cancer risk is associated with low-dose radiation exposure from medical imaging tests, according to an article in the February issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR).

1 Feb 2010

AAPM reassures safety of radiation therapy

The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) has issued a statement today in the wake of several recent articles in the New York Times yesterday and earlier in the week that discuss a number of rare but tragic events in the last decade involving people undergoing radiation therapy.

30 Jan 2010

Medical equipment could be a key weapon in stopping nuclear waste seeping into environment

Medical equipment used for diagnosis of patients with heart disease and cancer could be a key weapon in stopping nuclear waste seeping into the environment, according to new research.

From The University of Manchester 30 Jan 2010

NNSA helps funding development of domestic radioisotope supply

SNM applauds a move by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to help fund the development of a domestic supply of radioisotopes, which are used to help millions of patients each year through the diagnosis and staging of cancer, thyroid and heart disease.

28 Jan 2010

Kyoto University implements Isilon IQ for eliminating storage issues in diagnostic imaging research

Isilon® Systems today announced that Kyoto University's Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine has implemented Isilon's scale-out NAS for a new collaboration project focused on identifying new technologies and enhanced functionality in diagnostic imaging. With Isilon IQ, the Department has unified ultrasonic tomography, retinal tomography and MRI image data into a single, highly scalable, high performance, shared pool of storage to accelerate time-to-results for its mission-critical research.

27 Jan 2010

GEH to create a supply of molybdenum-99 for use in nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) announced today it has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to help develop a U.S. supply of a radioisotope used in more than 20 million diagnostic medical procedures in the United States each year.

27 Jan 2010

CT colonography remains an effective colorectal cancer screening tool for older individual

Computed tomographic colonography (CTC), also known as virtual colonoscopy, remains effective in screening older patients for colorectal cancer (CRC), produces low referral for colonoscopy rates similar to other screening exams now covered by Medicare, and does not result in unreasonable levels of additional testing resulting from extracolonic findings, according to a study published in the February issue of Radiology.

27 Jan 2010

NNSA awards $9M for B&W TSG's medical isotope production program

Babcock & Wilcox Technical Services Group, Inc. has been awarded approximately $9 million from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) for the company’s medical isotope production program. Awarded under a cooperative agreement, the funding will be used for further development of B&W TSG’s patented reactor technology for medical isotope production using low enriched uranium. B&W TSG is an operating unit of The Babcock & Wilcox Company.

27 Jan 2010

Testing DBS for treating severe long-term depression

Bewernick and colleagues administered DBS treatment in ten patients with severe long-term depression who had not responded to multiple other antidepressant treatments, including psychotherapy, drug treatments and electroconvulsive treatment. After one year of DBS, all patients showed some improvement, and half of them experienced significant improvement in their symptoms of depression, astonishing considering they had not responded to any prior antidepressant treatment. In addition, the patients showed reduced ratings of anxiety and had only minor side effects. Importantly, none of their overall brain functioning was impaired by the DBS treatment.

27 Jan 2010

Care to Care granted license to manage outpatient diagnostic imaging services in Virginia

Care to Care, a radiology benefits management company, has been granted a license by the Virginia Department of Health to manage outpatient diagnostic imaging services in the State of Virginia as a Private Review Agent (PRA).

27 Jan 2010

Large New York medical center reduces CT scans and radiation dose delivered to patients with PE

A large New York medical center reduced the number of CT scans and radiation dose delivered to emergency department patients with suspected pulmonary emboli (PE) by holding collaborative educational seminars for staff and routing patients to CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) or ventilation perfusion (V/Q) scanning based solely on their chest X-ray results, according to a study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

22 Jan 2010

New learning centre dedicated to train CT health care specialists established

The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences and GE Healthcare Canada today announced the establishment of a new learning centre dedicated to training both the current and next generation of CT health care specialists.

22 Jan 2010

Positron's Attrius PET scanner sold to Gramercy Cardiac Diagnostic Services

Positron Corporation a molecular imaging solutions company focused on Nuclear Cardiology, announced today the sale of its AttriusTM PET scanner to Manhattan based, Gramercy Cardiac Diagnostic Services, owned by prominent New York City cardiologist, Dr. Peter Rentrop.

21 Jan 2010

First Coast Oncology uses PEM scanner and AccuBoost image guided procedure for breast cancer treatment

First Coast Oncology in Jacksonville, Florida has significantly enhanced its ability to treat breast cancer with the addition of a Naviscan PEM (Positron Emission Mammography) scanner.

20 Jan 2010

GEH, Exelon Generation agree to a landmark deal to deploy GEH’s isotope generation technology

Seeking to address a growing demand for the domestic and global supply of cobalt-60, a radioisotope used for treating cancer and other biomedical applications, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) and Exelon Generation Company have agreed to a landmark deal to deploy GEH’s isotope generation technology.

20 Jan 2010

Bracco Diagnostics implements Datalliance VMI to reduce stockouts and maximize inventory investment

Kimberly Cox, Bracco Diagnostics Director of Supply Chain Operations, said, "Our goal with VMI is to expand the service we offer to our large healthcare customers. By assisting with the inventory replenishment process we will help our customers be more efficient by addressing mutual objectives such as reducing stockouts and maximizing inventory investment.

20 Jan 2010

Health policy research roundup: Long-term care, diabetes disparities, health IT

Annals of Internal Medicine: Cultural Competency Training and Performance Reports to Improve Diabetes Care for Black Patients - In this study, researchers measure the effects cultural competency training and performance training for physicians has on the clinical outcomes for black patients with diabetes.

8 Jan 2010

Nuclear Medicine News and Research

Further Reading

Summit explores medical application of molecular nanotechnology

PET for children: CHOP-Penn researchers study reduction in radiation dosage

Epigenetics may help determine CT radiation risk to patients' offsprings

Researchers to assess any cancer risk associated with low-dose radiation exposure from medical imaging tests

AAPM reassures safety of radiation therapy

Medical equipment could be a key weapon in stopping nuclear waste seeping into environment

NNSA helps funding development of domestic radioisotope supply

Kyoto University implements Isilon IQ for eliminating storage issues in diagnostic imaging research

GEH to create a supply of molybdenum-99 for use in nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures

CT colonography remains an effective colorectal cancer screening tool for older individual

NNSA awards $9M for B&W TSG's medical isotope production program

Testing DBS for treating severe long-term depression

Care to Care granted license to manage outpatient diagnostic imaging services in Virginia

Large New York medical center reduces CT scans and radiation dose delivered to patients with PE

New learning centre dedicated to train CT health care specialists established

Positron's Attrius PET scanner sold to Gramercy Cardiac Diagnostic Services

First Coast Oncology uses PEM scanner and AccuBoost image guided procedure for breast cancer treatment

GEH, Exelon Generation agree to a landmark deal to deploy GEH’s isotope generation technology

Bracco Diagnostics implements Datalliance VMI to reduce stockouts and maximize inventory investment

Health policy research roundup: Long-term care, diabetes disparities, health IT

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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