Dear Molecular Imaging Insider,
The International Workshop Criteria (IWC) for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) has helped clinicians worldwide in restaging this potentially devastating disease. However, the IWC bases its NHL assessment, in part, on CT imaging.
And therein lies the problem, according to a multinational team of researchers from Iowa City, IA; Rochester, MN; and Ulm, Germany. In a study published online prior to print in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the study authors noted that there is compelling documentation of the limitations of CT in the assessment of NHL response to therapy.
Over an eight-year period, the research team compiled powerful evidence that integrating PET imaging, along with contrast-enhanced CT, more accurately determines the IWC designation of NHL than the current model.
In fact, their research is so persuasive that some international lymphoma conferences are even now taking steps to integrate PET into the response criteria for NHL.
As a Molecular Imaging Insider subscriber, you have access to this story before it's published for the rest of our AuntMinnie.com members. To read more about the addition of PET to the IWC for NHL, click here.
In addition, if you haven't done so this month, be sure to take a look at our online reference book, Nuclear Medicine on the Internet. Dr. Scott Williams has updated 10 chapters for June, covering subjects from thallium myocardial imaging prognostic implications to the latest published research in PET imaging for prostate cancer and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Check out his most current postings by clicking here.
Also, be sure to check in with us during the week of June 19. We'll be on the scene and publishing breaking news from the Society of Nuclear Medicine's scientific conference in Toronto.
Finally, if you'd care to share your suggestions or insights on any aspect of molecular imaging you'd like to see covered on AuntMinnie, please contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.
