Dear Molecular Imaging Insider,
Translating new PET radiotracers from the research lab to clinical use is a process that can take years. For instance, a team of Danish researchers at the University of Copenhagen recently reported phase II clinical trial results of a tracer they developed in 2014.
According to the study, the gallium-68 tracer is effective for predicting higher risk of disease progression and death in patients with neuroendocrine tumors. You can read the story in this edition's Insider Exclusive.
PET imaging continues to play a major role in Alzheimer's disease research, with one study finding recently that flortaucipir F-18 uptake in women's skulls may cloud imaging results showing signs of early disease.
In another study, a team at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, found that even in individuals without cognitive impairment, beta-amyloid and tau biomarkers are associated with long-term cognitive decline.
In research published a few weeks later, the same group identified significant early beta-amyloid pathology in most patients who were considered negative for the disease at the time they participated in clinical trials. The team suggested moving the starting gate when it comes to testing new drugs.
Despite these gains in understanding, however, Alzheimer's disease research may be hampered due to barriers preventing patients from enrolling in clinical trials, according to a group at University of Southern California.
In other topics, hybrid PET/MRI is beginning to live up to its clinical promise, with Dutch researchers suggesting its use over other modalities for diagnosing bone infections and an Italian team offering promising PET/MRI results in breast cancer patients.
Meanwhile, PET/CT is proving its value in cancer imaging. Taiwanese researchers suggested PET/CT exams prior to surgery for non-small cell lung cancer patients improve survival rates.
Finally, radiology and nuclear medicine administrators are optimistic about growth in procedure volume in 2022 but less so regarding revenue, reimbursement, and net income, according to IMV Medical Information Division's newly published 2022 Nuclear Medicine Market Outlook Report.
That's all for now. Be sure to check back regularly for more news in your Molecular Imaging Community!
