Dear Molecular Imaging Insider,
MRI and CT are advancing rapidly in so many areas that it's often tempting to write off long-established techniques that seem outdated and unfashionable. But sometimes old methods are dismissed prematurely, as appears to be the case with technetium-99m sestamibi myocardial perfusion scanning in the assessment of myocardial function.
Sestamibi is a radioisotope imaging technique that has been around for many years, but a new study from a leading London hospital suggests that it still has a valuable role for assessing myocardial viability. To find out more, visit our Molecular Imaging Digital Community, or click here.
Researchers from Zurich have found that PET/CT scans with the radiopharmaceutical choline can change treatment plans for some patients with recurrent prostate cancer. Their results show that choline-PET/CT significantly affected therapy management. Get the story here.
At Eberhard-Karls University Tübingen in Germany, radiologists have provided further evidence that hybrid PET/MRI can offer outstanding MR image quality and a high concordance between PET/MR and PET/CT. Their work has been published in the European Journal of Radiology, and you can click here for the details.
Our regular history columnist, Dr. Adrian Thomas, has scrutinized the early days and origins of molecular imaging and nuclear medicine. His article makes fascinating reading and can lead to a better understanding of today's developments. You can view it here.
If you haven't done so already, then spare a moment to read Dr. Arturo Chiti's thought-provoking column about the future of molecular imaging. To ensure the successful introduction of molecular techniques, he thinks serious problems must be addressed, including the recruitment of well-trained staff and the maintenance of an appropriate regulatory framework. Click here to learn more.
The European Congress of Radiology (ECR) begins on Thursday, and molecular imaging will feature prominently in our news reports. Log on starting on 1 March for our live coverage from Vienna.
