Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark imaged its first patients with MedTrace Pharma's device for oxygen-15 (O-15) PET imaging to measure myocardial blood flow.
Radioactive water (O-15 water) has been the gold standard in measuring heart muscle perfusion since the 1980s, but its tracer's ultrashort decay time has prevented the water's widespread use. MedTrace Pharma created a system that automatically produces and administers O-15 water to patients undergoing PET myocardial perfusion imaging.
MedTrace Pharma has made it possible to deliver the radioactive tracer easily and safely every 10 minutes. Now, using radioactive water could become routine, the company said.
