Dear Molecular Imaging Insider,
Multipinhole SPECT has long been favored as a technique for preclinical animal imaging. It's a relatively inexpensive method of acquiring higher count rates, and its small-diameter and high-magnification pinhole geometries are useful for specific imaging tasks.
A research team from Germany, in a work-in-progress presentation at last month's Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) meeting in Toronto, has developed a multiplexing multipinhole SPECT method that achieves a higher sensitivity than other techniques while maintaining the resolution benefits of pinhole SPECT.
They have begun using their method in a clinical setting to image patients presenting with osteoarthritis and early signs of rheumatoid arthritis. Although results are preliminary, their early findings are demonstrating strengths for the technique in comparison with MR and plain-film radiographs.
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 implementation of pinhole SPECT in a clinical setting, click here.
In addition, if you haven't done so this month, be sure to stop in and take a look at our online reference book, Nuclear Medicine on the Internet. Dr. Scott Williams has updated a variety of chapters for July, including PET tumor imaging and cardiovascular imaging. Check out his most current postings by clicking here.
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.com, please contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.
