Dear AuntMinnie Member,
The heightened interest in PET imaging of neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease has prompted a start-up company to target the growing niche with a dedicated brain scanner.
About the size of a large suitcase, the CerePET system from Brain Biosciences is designed to provide brain PET imaging at a fraction of the cost of whole-body PET scanners, most of which have historically focused on oncologic imaging using FDG.
The interest is being sparked by new radiotracers that have recently become available for imaging beta-amyloid buildup, which is seen as a precursor to Alzheimer's disease. The idea behind CerePET is that many facilities might prefer to perform beta-amyloid scans with a lower-cost dedicated system than a whole-body unit.
CerePET is still an investigational system, though, and Brain Biosciences is early in its development phase, having been formed only last year. Learn more about the company by clicking here, or visit our Molecular Imaging Digital Community at molecular.auntminnie.com.
Breast tomo boosts reading time
In other news, a study from the RSNA 2013 meeting hints at a downside to digital breast tomosynthesis imaging: increased reading time.
Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital compared image interpretation times for two methods of performing screening mammography: digital mammography alone and digital mammography in conjunction with tomosynthesis.
They found that radiologists required nearly 50% more time to read cases with the combined approach than with mammography alone. And that could be an issue in today's busy screening mammography facilities.
Learn more by clicking here, or visit our Women's Imaging Digital Community at women.auntminnie.com.
Arab Health preview
Finally, if you're interested in how radiology is being practiced in the Middle East, be sure to read our preview of Arab Health 2014, set to start on Monday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The producers of the show have made a few tweaks to the medical imaging sessions, now called Total Radiology and expanded to a fourth day. They've also added additional presentations targeted at radiologic technologists.
Learn more about it by clicking here, and be sure to check back in our Middle East Digital Community for daily articles from the conference, at me.auntminnie.com.
