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Press Release

• SNMMI Expresses Support of H.R. 6948: The Medicare Diagnostic Radiopharmaceutical Payment Equity Act of 2018

  Oct 4, 2018 — The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging commend Congressmen George Holding (NC-2) and Seth Moulton (MA-6) for introducing H.R. 6948.

• New Study Evaluates Efficacy of PET Imaging to Manage Chronic Liver Diseases

  Oct 4, 2018 — New research shows PET imaging with the 18F-FAC radiotracer can be used as a non-invasive substitute for liver biopsies. The study is featured in the October issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• New Nuclear Medicine Tracer Will Help Study the Aging Brain

  Oct 3, 2018 — A new PET imaging radiotracer could help researchers understand neurodegenerative disease and the aging brain.

• SNMMI 2018-2020 Wagner-Torizuka Fellowship Recipients Announced

  Sep 20, 2018 — The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2018-2020 SNMMI Wagner-Torizuka Fellowship.

• Researchers Identify Pitfall in Popular Prostate Cancer PET Imaging Method

  Sep 7, 2018 — Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has become a popular method for determining the stage of a patient’s prostate cancer. However, researchers have identified a major pitfall in this imaging technique and are cautioning medical professionals to be aware of the potential for misdiagnosis.

• New Nuclear Medicine Imaging Method Shows Strong Potential for Cancer Imaging

  Sep 5, 2018 — A new nuclear medicine imaging method could help diagnose widespread tumors, such as breast, colon, pancreas, lung and head and neck cancer better than current methods, with less inconvenience to patients and with equal or improved accuracy.

• SNMMI Honors Outstanding Contributors at 2018 Annual Meeting

  Aug 13, 2018 — The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), an international scientific and medical organization, recognized contributions to the field of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging during its 2018 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. Several awards ceremonies were held to recognize the valuable role SNMMI members play in advancing the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease, cancer and neurological conditions.

• PET Tracer Identifies Estrogen Receptor Expression Differences in Breast Cancer Patients

  Aug 6, 2018 — In metastatic breast cancer, prognosis and treatment is largely influenced by estrogen receptor (ER) expression of the metastases. However, little is known about ER expression across metastases throughout the body and surrounding normal tissue. Using a PET tracer, researchers in the Netherlands have been able to identify differences in ER expression, which could help guide treatment for metastatic breast cancer patients. The study is featured in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine’s August issue.

• Novel PET Imaging Method Could Track and Guide Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes

  Aug 2, 2018 — Researchers have discovered a new nuclear medicine test that could improve care of patients with type 1 diabetes. The new PET imaging method could measure beta-cell mass, which would greatly enhance the ability to monitor and guide diabetes therapies. This study is reported in the featured article of the month in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine’s August issue.

• SNMMI Technologist Section Announces 2018 Award Winners

  Jul 30, 2018 — SNMMI’s Technologist Section (SNMMI-TS) recognized contributions to and work in the field of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging during the SNMMI 2018 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. Several awards ceremonies were held to recognize the valuable role that SNMMI-TS members play in advancing the discipline of nuclear medicine technology.

• The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Impact Factor Increases by 12 Percent

  Jul 18, 2018 — The Journal of Nuclear Medicine (JNM)—SNMMI's flagship publication—has again been ranked among the top medical imaging journals worldwide, according to new data released in the 2017 Journal Citation Reports© published by Clarivate Analytics. JNM’s impact factor went up from 6.646 (2016) to 7.439 (2017).

• Novel PET Imaging Method More Fully Evaluates Extent of Rheumatoid Arthritis Inflammation

  Jul 9, 2018 — A new PET imaging method more fully evaluates the extent of rheumatoid arthritis by targeting translocator protein (TSPO) expression in the synovium (joint lining tissue). The study is featured in the July issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• Novel Pretargeted Radionuclide Therapy for HER2-Expressing Cancers Shows Promise

  Jul 2, 2018 — In a mouse model, researchers have demonstrated that a novel, affibody-based pretargeted radionuclide therapy for HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2)-expressing cancers is non-toxic to the kidneys and improves survival. The study is reported in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine’s July featured article of the month.

• SNMMI 65th Annual Meeting Sets the Stage for a Revolution in Precision Medicine

  Jun 28, 2018 — More than 5,000 physicians, technologists, scientists and exhibitors gathered for the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging’s 65th Annual Meeting, held June 23-26 in Philadelphia. With nuclear medicine playing a growing role in providing precision medicine, theranostics (combining diagnostic imaging and targeted radionuclide therapy) were an important focus throughout the meeting.

• Fluciclovine PET/CT Locates Recurrent Prostate Cancer and Advises Management

  Jun 26, 2018 — The addition of fluorine-18-fluciclovine PET/CT to the diagnostic work-up of patients with biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer locates previously undetected lesions and changes treatment management for the majority of patients, according to a clinical trial report presented at the SNMMI 2018 Annual Meeting.

• SNMMI Announces Norman E. Bolus, MSPH, MPH, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS, as President of Technologist Section During 2018 Annual Meeting

  Jun 26, 2018 — Norman E. Bolus, MSPH, MPH, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS, has been elected as the 2018-2019 president of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Technologist Section (SNMMI-TS). The new slate of officers was introduced during the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging’s (SNMMI) 2018 Annual Meeting, June 23–26 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

• SNMMI Announces Mark H. Crosthwaite, MEd, CNMT, PET, NMTCB(S), FSNMMI-TS, as President-Elect of Technologist Section during 2018 Annual Meeting

  Jun 26, 2018 — Mark H. Crosthwaite, MEd, CNMT, PET, NMTCB(S), FSNMMI-TS, associate professor and program director of the baccalaureate nuclear medicine technology program, Department of Radiation Sciences, at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, has been named 2018-2019 president elect of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Technologist Section (SNMMI-TS).

• Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Announces 2018 Fellows

  Jun 26, 2018 — The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging recognized 14 new SNMMI Fellows on June 25 during a Special Plenary Session at the society’s 2018 Annual Meeting, held June 23-26 in Philadelphia.

• SNMMI Image of the Year: PSMA PET Imaging of Theranostic for Advanced Prostate Cancer

  Jun 26, 2018 — In the battle against metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer, studies have demonstrated a high response rate to radionuclide therapy targeting PSMA with the radionuclide lutetium-177. At the SNMMI 2018 Annual Meeting, researchers reported on a phase II prospective trial. Using gallium-68-PSMA11 PET imaging, men who had exhausted conventional therapies were screened. Those with high PSMA-expression proceeded to 177Lu-PSMA617 (LuPSMA) therapy and experienced high response rates, which is clearly demonstrated in the PSMA PET imaging figure selected as the 2018 SNMMI Image of the Year.

• Early Treatment of Advanced Prostate Cancer with PSMA-Targeted Radioligand Therapy Prolongs Life

  Jun 26, 2018 — Research presented at the SNMMI 2018 Annual Meeting demonstrates for the first time the benefit of providing earlier lutetium-177 prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) radioligand therapy to patients with metastatic prostate cancer. Until now, this therapy has only been used in patients with end-stage disease.

• SNMMI Elects Vasken Dilsizian, MD, as President-Elect During 2018 Annual Meeting

  Jun 25, 2018 — Vasken Dilsizian, MD, professor of radiology and medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and chief of the Division of Nuclear Medicine at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, has assumed office as 2018-19 president-elect of SNMMI.

• SNMMI Elects Alan B. Packard, PhD, as Vice President-Elect at 2018 Annual Meeting

  Jun 25, 2018 — Alan Packard, PhD, has been elected as 2018-19 vice president-elect of SNMMI. He is associate professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School, director of radiopharmaceutical research and a senior research associate in nuclear medicine at Boston Children's Hospital, and a research associate in nuclear medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

• SNMMI Elects Satoshi Minoshima, MD, PhD, as President During 2018 Annual Meeting

  Jun 25, 2018 — Satoshi Minoshima, MD, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, has assumed office as 2018-19 president of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). SNMMI introduced a new slate of officers during its 2018 Annual Meeting, June 23–26 in Philadelphia.

• New Theranostic Strategy Developed for Precise Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy

  Jun 25, 2018 — A novel, intelligent theranostic agent for precise tumor diagnosis and therapy has been developed that remains as small molecules while circulating in the bloodstream, can then self-assemble into larger nanostructures in the tumor, and be activated by the tumor microenvironment for therapy guided by photoacoustic imaging. The research was presented at the SNMMI 2018 Annual Meeting.

• Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD, Receives 2018 Benedict Cassen Prize for Research in Molecular Imaging

  Jun 25, 2018 — Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD, known for his pioneering work in multimodality molecular imaging, was awarded the Benedict Cassen Prize during the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) in Philadelphia, Pa. This honor is awarded every two years by the Education and Research Foundation for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging in recognition of outstanding achievement and work leading to a major advance in nuclear medicine science.

• Richard L. Wahl, MD, Receives SNMMI 2018 Georg Charles de Hevesy Nuclear Pioneer Award

  Jun 24, 2018 — Richard L. Wahl, MD, FACNM, FACR, has been named this year’s recipient of the Georg Charles de Hevesy Nuclear Pioneer Award for his contributions to nuclear medicine. Wahl is the Elizabeth E. Mallinckrodt Professor and head of radiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, director of the university’s Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology and a professor of radiation oncology. He was presented the award by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) during its 2018 Annual Meeting, June 23-26 in Philadelphia.

• Simon Cherry, PhD, Receives SNMMI 2018 Paul C. Aebersold Award for Outstanding Achievement in Basic Nuclear Medicine Science

  Jun 24, 2018 — Simon R. Cherry, PhD, Distinguished Professor at the University of California, Davis, has been named the 2018 recipient of the prestigious Paul C. Aebersold Award. Cherry was presented the award by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) during its Annual Meeting, June 23-26 in Philadelphia, PA.

• New Nuclear Medicine Technique Could Help Tackle Brain Disease

  Jun 24, 2018 — A new molecular imaging method can monitor the success of gene therapy in all areas of the brain, potentially allowing physicians to more effectively tackle brain conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. The research was presented today at the SNMMI 2018 Annual Meeting, June 23-26 in Philadelphia.

• Novel Nuclear Medicine Approach Shows Promise for Treating Wide Array of Cancerous Tumors

  Jun 24, 2018 — A novel nuclear medicine approach is showing great promise for precision treatment of solid tumors in many types of cancer—including lung, breast, pancreas and ovarian in adults and glioma, neuroblastoma and sarcoma in children. The research was presented today at the SNMMI 2018 Annual Meeting, June 23-26 in Philadelphia.

• Novel Nuclear Medicine Probe Will Help Assess New Drugs for Neurodegenerative Diseases

  Jun 24, 2018 — New nuclear medicine tracers could help medical researchers find a cure for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. The research was presented today at the SNMMI 2018 Annual Meeting, June 23-26 in Philadelphia.

• Combining Targeted Radionuclide Therapy and Immunotherapy Could Improve Melanoma Survival

  Jun 24, 2018 — Research presented at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) shows that combining targeted radionuclide therapy with immunotherapy could improve the survival of patients with metastatic melanoma.

• Novel Long-Lasting Radionuclide Therapy for Advanced Neuroendocrine Tumors Proves Effective

  Jun 24, 2018 — A first-in-human study presented at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) demonstrates the benefits and safety of a new, long-lasting type of radionuclide therapy for patients with advanced, metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs).

• Novel PET Tracer Successfully Images Cardiovascular Infections

  Jun 23, 2018 — A novel positron emission tomography (PET) tracer has been developed that can accurately image cardiovascular infections, which are extremely dangerous and have a high fatality rate. The research was presented at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

• Improved PSMA-Targeting Agent More Effective for Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy in Mice

  Jun 23, 2018 — Research presented at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) demonstrates a potentially more effective method of imaging and treating prostate cancer that modifies a prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted radioligand by adding an albumin-binding Evans blue (an azo dye) derivative.

• WMIS, ACR and SNMMI Urge CMS to Reopen Reconsideration for NaF PET

  Jun 7, 2018 — Medicare patients with metastatic cancers may be negatively impacted by the recent decision of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to decline to provide coverage for 18F-sodium fluoride positron emission tomography (NaF PET) imaging.

• New Nuclear Medicine Method Shows Promise for Better Detection of Neuroendocrine Tumors

  Jun 6, 2018 — Researchers have shown that a new nuclear medicine procedure could safely and more effectively detect cancerous gastrointestinal and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors than current methods. The study is featured in the June issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• Novel PET Imaging Noninvasively Pinpoints Colitis Inflammation Sites

  Jun 4, 2018 — A novel positron emission tomography (PET) imaging method shows promise for noninvasively pinpointing sites of inflammation in people with inflammatory bowel disease, which includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), study is featured in the June issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• SNMMI 2018 Annual Meeting: Imaging the Future of Human Health

  May 31, 2018 — The SNMMI 2018 Annual Meeting will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA, June 23–26. It will bring together physicians, technologists, pharmacists and scientists from around the globe to share research, network, and collaborate on “Imaging the Future of Human Health.”

• SNMMI Collaborates with Industry to Advance the Field of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging

  May 17, 2018 — The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) Value Initiative Industry Alliance brings members of the corporate community to the table as key players in building the future of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging and demonstrating to the medical community, regulators, patients and the public their crucial role in delivering the highest quality of care.

• PET Imaging Agent Could Provide Early Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis

  May 3, 2018 — A novel PET tracer developed by Korean researchers can visualize joint inflammation and could provide early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, a common autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of joints and can lead to deformity and dysfunction. The study is reported in the featured basic science article in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine’s May issue.

• Novel Theranostic Approach for Treating Pancreatic Cancer Patients Shows Promise

  May 1, 2018 — German researchers have developed a novel diagnostic and therapeutic (theranostic) procedure for patients with ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma, a deadly cancer with an extremely poor prognosis (five-year survival rate of less than 5 percent) and limited treatment options. The study is featured in the May issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• PET Tracer Could Help Predict Treatment Effectiveness for Depression

  Apr 6, 2018 — A PET imaging agent could show, ahead of time, whether a specific treatment is likely to be effective for major depressive disorder—a debilitating condition that affects more than 14 million Americans. No such marker is currently available in clinical psychiatry. The study is featured in the April issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• Novel PET Imaging Agent Could Help Guide Therapy for Brain Diseases

  Apr 2, 2018 — Researchers have developed a new PET imaging agent that could help guide and assess treatments for people with various neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis. The agent targets receptors in nerve cells in the brain that are involved in learning and memory. The study is featured in the April issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• Novel PET Imaging Agent Targets Copper in Tumors, Allowing Early Detection of Prostate Cancer Recurrence

  Mar 5, 2018 — An Italian study featured in the March issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine demonstrates that a novel nuclear medicine imaging agent targeting copper accumulation in tumors can detect prostate cancer recurrence early in patients with biochemical relapse (rising prostate-specific antigen [PSA] level).

• Researchers Develop New Approach That Uses a Single PET Scan to Personalize Cancer Treatment

  Mar 1, 2018 — Researchers have developed a same-day, noninvasive PET-based imaging approach to assess PD-L1 positive tumors, which could help guide cancer treatment decisions and assess treatment response. The study is presented in the featured article of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine’s March issue.

• SNMMI and ASNC Issue Joint Guidelines for Quantification of Myocardial Blood Flow Using PET

  Feb 13, 2018 — SNMMI's Cardiovascular Council and the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) have issued the joint position paper, Clinical Quantification of Myocardial Blood Flow Using PET, which was jointly published in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology and The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• PSMA PET/CT Clearly Differentiates Prostate Cancer from Benign Tissue

  Feb 5, 2018 — Using nuclear medicine, German researchers have found a way to accurately differentiate cancerous tissue from healthy tissue in prostate cancer patients. The research is highlighted in the February issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• PSMA PET/CT Visualizes Prostate Cancer Recurrence Early, Impacts Radiation Therapy

  Feb 1, 2018 — A nuclear medicine scan may locate prostate cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy early after disease recurrence and could help guide salvage radiotherapy, according to new research from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). The study, which utilizes PET/CT with gallium-68 prostate-specific membrane antigen (68Ga-PSMA-11), is documented in the featured article in the February issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology to Be Covered by Clarivate Analytics

  Jan 11, 2018 — The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology (JNMT) has been selected by Clarivate Analytics for inclusion in its Emerging Sources Citation Index. This coverage begins with 2017.

• Kathy Thomas Named Editor of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology

  Jan 9, 2018 — Kathy Thomas, MHA, CNMT, PET, FSNMMI-TS, is the new editor of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology (JNMT), which is published by the technologist section of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). She has taken over leadership of JNMT from Norman E. Bolus, MSPH, MPH, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS, and her five-year term begins January 2018.

• Novel PET Tracer Clearly Identifies and Tracks Bacterial Infection in Lungs

  Jan 8, 2018 — Researchers at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, have demonstrated that a new radiotracer, F-18-FDS, can identify and track bacterial infection in lungs better than current imaging methods and is able to differentiate bacterial infection from inflammation. The study is the featured basic science article in the January issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• SNMMI Publishes Appropriate Use Criteria for Somatostatin Receptor PET Imaging

  Jan 4, 2018 — SNMMI has published appropriate use criteria (AUC) for somatostatin receptor PET imaging in neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), addressing several clinical scenarios for diagnosing NETs. This AUC is part of a new series developed by SNMMI in its role as a qualified provider-led entity under the Medicare Appropriate Use Criteria Program for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging.

• Total-Body PET: Maximizing Sensitivity for Clinical Research and Patient Care

  Jan 3, 2018 — The new total-body PET/CT scanner could revolutionize our understanding and treatment of disease through analysis of better imaging data from the whole body. In The Journal of Nuclear Medicine featured January article, scientists at the University of California, Davis, outline the development and benefits of this innovative diagnostic tool and explain how maximizing PET sensitivity will advance clinical research and patient care.

• PET Tracer Gauges Effectiveness of Promising Alzheimer’s Treatment

  Dec 6, 2017 — In the December featured basic science article in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, Belgian researchers report on the first large-scale longitudinal imaging study to evaluate BACE1 inhibition with micro-PET in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease. PET imaging has been established as an excellent identifier of the amyloid plaque and tau tangles that characterize Alzheimer’s disease. Now it is proving to be an effective way to gauge treatment effectiveness.

• PET Scan Identifies Which Prostate Cancer Patients Can Benefit from Salvage Radiation Treatment

  Dec 4, 2017 — For prostate cancer patients who have rising levels of PSA (a cancer indicator) even after radical prostatectomy, early treatment makes a difference. In a study featured in the December issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, Australian researchers demonstrate that PET scans can identify which of these prostate cancer patients would benefit from salvage radiation treatment.

• Novel Nuclear Medicine Test Can Identify Kidney Transplant Infection

  Nov 8, 2017 — German scientists have developed a novel nuclear medicine test that can determine whether a kidney transplant patient has developed infection in the transplanted tissue. The study, which utilizes positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI), is presented in the November issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• FDG PET Shows Tumor DNA Levels in Blood Are Linked to NSCLC Aggressiveness

  Nov 6, 2017 — Insights derived from FDG PET could improve treatment selection for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. The study is presented in the featured clinical investigation article of the November issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• New System for Treating Colorectal Cancer Can Lead to Complete Cure

  Nov 2, 2017 — Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston have developed a new, three-step system that uses nuclear medicine to target and eliminate colorectal cancer. In this study with a mouse model, researchers achieved a 100-percent cure rate—without any treatment-related toxic effects. The study is reported in the November featured article in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• SNMMI Publishes Appropriate Use Criteria for FDG PET/CT in Restaging and Treatment Response Assessment of Malignant Disease

  Oct 24, 2017 — SNMMI has published appropriate use criteria (AUC) for FDG PET/CT in restaging and treatment response assessment of malignant disease. As cancer patients move through therapy, FDG PET/CT has proven an effective tool for assessing treatment response and updating the stage of malignancy. This AUC aims to improve utilization and guide providers across specialties in its use.

• International Atomic Energy Agency and SNMMI Sign Cooperative Agreement

  Oct 23, 2017 — The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have established practical arrangements to cooperate on extending the reach of educational materials for nuclear medicine diagnostic and therapeutic applications. The agreement was signed at the 30th Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) in Vienna, Austria, on October 23, 2017.

• Novel PET Tracer Identifies Most Bacterial Infections

  Oct 5, 2017 — Stanford University medical scientists have developed a novel imaging agent that could be used to identify most bacterial infections. The study is the featured basic science article in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine’s October issue.

• What’s Next for Nuclear Medicine Training?

  Oct 4, 2017 — The “Hot Topic” article in the October issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine (JNM), titled Nuclear Medicine Training: What Now?, examines the role of nuclear medicine in the era of precision medicine and the need for training to evolve with the practice. An associated editorial presents an alternative view: “Is 16 Months of Specialized Nuclear Medicine Training Enough for Best Patient Care?” The two perspectives kick off a discussion that will unfold in coming issues of JNM.

• New Targeted Alpha Therapy Protocol for Advanced Prostate Cancer

  Oct 3, 2017 — Therapy options are limited for men with advanced-stage, metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, but a new treatment protocol offers hope. In the featured article of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine’s October issue, German researchers report on a new dosing regimen for actinium-225-labeled targeted alpha therapy of patients with prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-positive tumors. The protocol balances treatment response with toxicity concerns to provide the most effective therapy with the least side effects.

• Theranostics: Paintball Targeting of Cancer Cells Combined with Precision Therapy

  Sep 13, 2017 — The Journal of Nuclear Medicine’s September supplement shines a spotlight on theranostics and its increasingly important role in delivering precision medicine. Theranostics refers to the combination of a predictive biomarker, identified through diagnostic imaging using radiolabeled ligands, with precise therapy targeted on the now-marked cancer cells. The cancer cells are destroyed, while healthy cells are unharmed.

• Double Targeting Ligands to Identify and Treat Prostate Cancer

  Sep 7, 2017 — Researchers have demonstrated a new, effective way to precisely identify and localize prostate cancer tumors while protecting healthy tissue and reducing side effects. The study is presented in the featured basic article of the September issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• FDG-PET/CT Predicts Melanoma Patients’ Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy

  Sep 5, 2017 — Research highlighted in the featured article of the September issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine demonstrates that combined PET/CT scanning early in the treatment of advanced melanoma could identify whether immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy will benefit a particular patient. As the therapy has potentially serious side-effects, early determination of ineffectiveness could avert unnecessary risk exposure and provide the option of a different treatment.

• SNMMI 2017-2019 Wagner-Torizuka Fellowship Recipients Announced

  Aug 24, 2017 — SNMMI is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2017-2019 SNMMI Wagner-Torizuka Fellowship. This two-year fellowship, founded in 2008 by the late Henry N. Wagner, Jr., MD, and the late Kanji Torizuka, MD, PhD, is designed to provide extensive training and experience in the fields of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging for Japanese physicians in the early stages of their careers. Applications for the 2018-2020 SNMMI Wagner-Torizuka Fellowship are due by January 20, 2018.

• First Human Application of Novel PET Tracer for Prostate Cancer

  Aug 7, 2017 — In the featured translational article in the August issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, researchers at the University of Michigan demonstrate the potential of a new PET tracer, Carbon-11 labeled sarcosine (11C-sarcosine), for imaging prostate cancer, and set the stage for its possible use in monitoring other cancers.

• SNMMI Publishes Appropriate Use Criteria for Hepatobiliary Scintigraphy in Abdominal Pain

  Aug 3, 2017 — SNMMI has published appropriate use criteria (AUC) for hepatobiliary scintigraphy in abdominal pain. This is the third in a series of new AUC developed by SNMMI in its role as a qualified provider-led entity (PLE) under the Medicare Appropriate Use Criteria Program for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging. The other recently released AUC are for bone scintigraphy in prostate and breast cancer and for ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) imaging in pulmonary embolism.

• SNMMI Honors Outstanding Contributors at 2017 Annual Meeting

  Aug 2, 2017 — SNMMI recognized contributions to the field of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging during its 2017 Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado. Several awards ceremonies were held to recognize the valuable role SNMMI members play in advancing the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease, cancer and neurological conditions.

• New Imaging Tracer Allows Early Assessment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Risk

  Aug 1, 2017 — Yale University researchers have developed a way in which medical imaging could potentially be used to assess a patient’s rupture risk for abdominal aortic aneurysm. Delaying surgical treatment can be life-threatening, and this new type of imaging could allow physicians to diagnose disease and better plan its management. The study is presented in the featured article of the August issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• SNMMI Technologist Section Announces 2017 Award Winners

  Jul 20, 2017 — The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging’s Technologist Section (SNMMI-TS) recognized contributions to and work in the field of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging during the SNMMI 2017 Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, held June 10-14. Several awards ceremonies were held to recognize the valuable role that SNMMI-TS members play in advancing the discipline of nuclear medicine technology.

• Radiotherapy Dose Increase to PET/CT-Identified Hypoxic NSCLC Lesions Shows Need for New Approaches

  Jul 10, 2017 — Fluorine-18-fluoromisonidazole (FMISO) is a PET radiotracer that is widely used to diagnose hypoxia (insufficient oxygen supply to tissue), and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with FMISO uptake are known to face a poor prognosis. A multicenter French Phase II study featured in the July issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine investigated whether a selective radiotherapy dose increase to tumor areas with significant FMISO uptake in NSCLC patients could improve outcomes.

• Novel PET Tracer Detects Small Blood Clots

  Jul 6, 2017 — Blood clots in veins and arteries can lead to heart attack, stroke, and pulmonary embolism, which are major causes of mortality. In the featured article of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine’s July 2017 issue, German researchers show that targeting GPIIb/IIIa receptors, the key receptor involved in platelet clumping, with a fluorine-18 labeled ligand is a promising approach for diagnostic imaging.

• The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Impact Factor Increases

  Jun 20, 2017 — The Journal of Nuclear Medicine (JNM)—the flagship publication of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI)—has again been ranked among the top medical imaging journals worldwide, according to new data released in the 2016 Journal Citation Reports© published by Thomson Reuters. JNM’s impact factor went up from 5.849 (2015) to 6.646 (2016).

• SNMMI’s 64th Annual Meeting Highlights Growing Importance of Theranostics and Showcases New Research

  Jun 15, 2017 — More than 5,000 physicians, technologists, scientists and exhibitors gathered for SNMMI’s 2017 Annual Meeting, held June 10-14 in Denver, Colorado. The meeting shined a spotlight on theranostics, featured Germany as the highlight country, showcased exciting new research results, introduced the new Value Initiative, announced the SNMMI Image of the Year, and more!

• Prostate PET/CT Targets More Cancer and Improves Patient Care

  Jun 14, 2017 — An estimated one in seven American men will be affected by prostate cancer in their lifetime. Prostate-specific molecular imaging gives these men a fighting chance, especially if their cancer returns, according to research revealed at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

• SNMMI Image of the Year: PET and Optical Imaging of Dual-Labeled PSMA Inhibitors Shows Promise for Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy

  Jun 14, 2017 — In the battle against metastatic prostate cancer, the removal of lymph node metastases using image-guided surgery may have a high clinical impact on outcomes. Researchers at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) demonstrated preclinically that dual-labeled PSMA-inhibitors based on PSMA-11 enhance preoperative staging, using PET/CT followed by fluorescence-guided surgery. The combined approach results in more accurate detection of PSMA-positive tumor lesions.

• Dual-agent PET/MR With Time of Flight Detects More Cancer

  Jun 14, 2017 — Simultaneous injections of the radiopharmaceuticals fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) and 18F-sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) followed by quantitative scanning significantly improves image quality and detection of bone metastases at a lower dose, according to research presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

• Single Dual Time-Point PET Scan Identifies Dual Alzheimer’s Biomarkers

  Jun 13, 2017 — Identifying Alzheimer's disease before major symptoms arise is critical to preserving brain function and helping patients maintain quality of life. A new study presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) demonstrates that a single dual time-point PET scan could identify important biomarkers of Alzheimer’s.

• SNMMI and SNMMI-TS Welcome New Officers for 2017-18

  Jun 13, 2017 — At the 2017 SNMMI Annual Meeting in Denver, the SNMMI and SNMMI-TS welcomed new officers for the coming year.

• SNMMI Announces Norman E. Bolus, MSPH, MPH, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS, as President-Elect of Technologist Section During 2017 Annual Meeting

  Jun 13, 2017 — Norman E. Bolus, MSPH, MPH, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS, program director and assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Health Professions Clinical and Diagnostics Sciences Department for the Master of Science in Nuclear Medicine Technology Program and interim program director of the Master of Science in Health Physics Program in Birmingham, Alabama, has been elected as the 2017-18 president-elect of the Society of SNMMI-TS.

• SNMMI Announces Kathleen M. Krisak, BS, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS, as President of Technologist Section During 2017 Annual Meeting

  Jun 13, 2017 — Kathleen M. Krisak, BS, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS, a nuclear medicine technologist at the Holyoke Medical Center, Holyoke, Mass., has been elected as the 2017-18 president of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Technologist Section (SNMMI-TS). The new slate of officers was introduced during the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging’s (SNMMI) 2017 Annual Meeting, June 10-14 in Denver, Colorado.

• Immuno-PET Shows Promise for Detecting and Treating Pancreatic Tumors

  Jun 13, 2017 — A first-in-human study presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) demonstrates the feasibility and safety of the novel human monoclonal antibody HuMab-5B1 with highly specific targeting for the cancer antigen (CA) 19-9, which is expressed on pancreatic tumors and a variety of other malignancies, including small cell lung cancer and tumors of the gastrointestinal system. It holds the promise of better identifying tumors and directing treatment.

• SNMMI Elects Bennett S. Greenspan, MD, MS, FACNM, FACR, as President During 2017 Annual Meeting

  Jun 12, 2017 — Bennett S. Greenspan, MD, MS, FACNM, FACR, professor of radiology at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, in Augusta, GA, has assumed office as 2017-18 president of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). SNMMI introduced a new slate of officers during its 2017 Annual Meeting, June 10-14, in Denver, Colorado.

• At Annual Meeting, SNMMI Recognizes New Fellows for Distinguished Service

  Jun 12, 2017 — The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging recognized seven new SNMMI Fellows during a Special Plenary Session at the society’s 2017Annual Meeting, held June 10-14 in Denver, Colorado. The SNMMI Fellowship was established last year to recognize distinguished service to the society as well as exceptional achievement in the field of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging.

• Personalized PRRT Improves Radiation Delivery to Neuroendocrine Tumors

  Jun 12, 2017 — Neuroendocrine cancer is exceedingly difficult to manage and unlikely to be cured, but researchers intend to slow progression of these tumors and aid survival by personalizing patient dose of peptide-receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT), according to research presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

• Targeted Radionuclide Treatment for Neuroendocrine Tumors Improves Quality of Life

  Jun 12, 2017 — Malignant neuroendocrine tumors, commonly called NETs, are easy to miss and associated with discouraging survival rates and poor quality of life. A study presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) shows how a novel peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) is significantly improving patient wellbeing.

• Combining Radionuclide Therapy with a PARP Inhibitor Slows Neuroendocrine Tumor Growth

  Jun 12, 2017 — Patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) may experience fewer symptoms and survive longer by undergoing peptide-receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) combined with a drug that makes tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy, say researchers presenting at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

• SNMMI Elects Vasken Dilsizian, MD, as Vice President–Elect During 2017 Annual Meeting

  Jun 12, 2017 — Vasken Dilsizian, MD, professor of radiology and medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and chief of the Division of Nuclear Medicine at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, has assumed office as 2017-18 vice president–elect of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). SNMMI introduced a new slate of officers during its 2017 Annual Meeting, June 10-14, in Denver, Colorado.

• SNMMI Elects Satoshi Minoshima, MD, PhD, as President-Elect During 2017 Annual Meeting

  Jun 12, 2017 — Satoshi Minoshima, MD, PhD, professor of radiology and chairman of the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, has assumed office as 2017-18 president-elect of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). SNMMI introduced a new slate of officers during its 2017 Annual Meeting, June 10-14 in Denver, Colorado.

• Targeted Photodynamic Therapy Shown Highly Effective Against Prostate Cancer

  Jun 11, 2017 — Researchers presenting a preclinical study at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) demonstrated the efficacy and optimal dose for targeted photodynamic therapy (tPDT) to treat prostate cancer before and during surgery.

• PET Imaging of Atherosclerosis Reveals Risk of Plaque Rupture

  Jun 11, 2017 — A new study shows that a hybrid molecular imaging system unites three imaging modalities to map the composition of dangerous arterial plaques before they rupture and induce a major cardiac event. The research was presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

• Neuro-Receptor PET Could Provide an Early Warning for Alcoholic Relapse

  Jun 11, 2017 — A study presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) reveals how brain receptors involved in the compulsion to drink, adapt to alcohol-dependency by reducing their bioavailability, but return to their normal availability after a modest period of detoxification. Receptor availability at the outset of sobriety could also serve as a predictor of long-term success.

• New Grants for Traumatic Brain Injury Research Announced by Julian Bailes, MD, at SNMMI Annual Meeting

  Jun 11, 2017 — At the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) Annual Meeting, Julian E. Bailes, MD, a recognized leader in the field of neurosurgery and the impact of brain injury on brain function, announced new grant funding programs of up to $25 million for research on traumatic brain injury (TBI) and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

• Joanna S. Fowler, PhD, Receives SNMMI 2017 Georg Charles de Hevesy Nuclear Pioneer Award

  Jun 11, 2017 — Joanna S. Fowler, PhD, senior chemist emeritus of the Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York; special volunteer at the National Institutes of Health; emeritus professor in the Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University; and adjunct professor in the Psychiatry Department, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, has been named this year’s recipient of the Georg Charles de Hevesy Nuclear Pioneer Award for her contributions to nuclear medicine. Fowler was presented the award by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) during its 2017 Annual Meeting, June 9-14 in Denver, Colorado.

• Martin G. Pomper, MD, PhD, Receives SNMMI 2017 Paul C. Aebersold Award for Outstanding Achievement in Basic Nuclear Medicine Science

  Jun 11, 2017 — Martin G. Pomper, MD, PhD, director of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging and professor in the Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, has been named the 2017 recipient of the prestigious Paul C. Aebersold Award. Pomper was presented the award by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) during its annual meeting, held June 10-14 in Denver, Colorado.

• Diagnostic Radiation Exposure Safe for Children, Experts State

  Jun 7, 2017 — In an article published in the June 2017 issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, researchers assert that exposure to medical imaging radiation not only doesn’t increase an adult person’s risk of getting cancer, it doesn’t increase a child’s risk. According to the authors, the long-held belief that even low doses of radiation, such as those received in diagnostic imaging, increase cancer risk is based on an inaccurate, 70-year-old hypothesis and leads to unnecessary fear and misdiagnoses.

• National Decision Support Company and the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging enter agreement for delivery of Appropriate Use Criteria

  Jun 6, 2017 — National Decision Support Company and the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging announced today that they have entered an agreement to make the SNMMI Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria available to referring physicians and other medical providers.

• PET/MR Shows Arterial CO2 as Potent Vasodilator for Cardiac Stress Testing

  Jun 5, 2017 — Using PET/MR imaging, a new international study featured in the June issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine demonstrates that increases in partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) can safely and efficiently widen blood vessels of the heart during stress tests to help determine heart function.

• Combined Optical and Molecular Imaging Could Guide Breast-Conserving Surgery

  Jun 1, 2017 — Breast-conserving surgery is the primary treatment for early-stage breast cancer, but more accurate techniques are needed to assess resection margins during surgery to avoid the need for follow-up surgeries. Now, in a first-in-human study, British researchers have provided a possible solution using Cerenkov luminescence imaging (CLI), which combines optical and molecular imaging. The study is covered in the featured article of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine’s June 2017 issue.

• The SNMMI Annual Meeting: Reaching New Heights in the Mile-High City

  May 18, 2017 — The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging’s 2017 Annual Meeting will be held in Denver, Colorado, June 10-14. It will bring together more than 5,000 physicians, technologists, scientists and exhibitors from around the globe to share and learn about cutting-edge research, advance their knowledge through continuing education sessions, and network.

• SPECT/CT Combined with Fluorescence Imaging Detects Micrometastases

  May 10, 2017 — Researchers in The Netherlands have demonstrated that combining SPECT/CT and fluorescence imaging could help surgeons differentiate tumor tissue from normal tissue. The research is detailed in the featured basic science article of the May 2017 issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• PET/CT Helps Predict Therapy Effectiveness in Pediatric Brain Tumors

  May 2, 2017 — In this first ever molecular drug-imaging study in children, researchers in The Netherlands used whole-body PET/CT scans to determine whether bevacizumab (Avastin) treatment of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma in children is likely to be effective. The study is featured in the May 2017 issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• SNMMI Publishes Appropriate Use Criteria for Ventilation/Perfusion Imaging in Pulmonary Embolism

  May 1, 2017 — SNMMI has published appropriate use criteria for ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) imaging in pulmonary embolism. This is the second in a series of new AUC developed by SNMMI in its role as a qualified provider-led entity (PLE) under the Medicare Appropriate Use Criteria program for advanced diagnostic imaging.

• PET Radiotracer Design for Monitoring Targeted Immunotherapy

  Apr 7, 2017 — In an article published in the April issue of “The Journal of Nuclear Medicine,” researchers at Stanford University in California provide a template for assessing new positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracers that can accurately identify molecules in cancer cells that prevent the immune system from attacking the cancer.

• SNMMI Publishes Appropriate Use Criteria for Bone Scintigraphy in Prostate and Breast Cancer

  Apr 6, 2017 — SNMMI has released a new AUC for bone scintigraphy in prostate and breast cancer. This is the first in a series of new AUC developed by SNMMI in its role as a Medicare qualified provider-led entity. Beginning January 1, 2018, all referring physicians or ordering professionals are required to consult appropriate use criteria using a clinical decision support mechanism before ordering any nuclear medicine study.

• Advanced FDG-PET Image Analysis Identifies Cell Mutations in Cancer Patients

  Apr 1, 2017 — Researchers have used positron emission tomography (PET) to successfully identify genetic cell mutations that can cause lung cancer. The research, published in the featured article of the April 2017 issue of “The Journal of Nuclear Medicine,” shows that an advanced image analysis technique, radiomics, can non-invasively identify underlying cell mutations in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

• Fluciclovine PET/CT Improves Radiotherapy Targeting for Recurrent Prostate Cancer

  Mar 6, 2017 — The featured clinical investigation article of the March 2017 issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine" demonstrates that the PET radiotracer fluciclovine (fluorine-18; F-18) can help guide and monitor targeted treatment for recurrent prostate cancer, allowing for individualized, targeted therapy.

• New PET Radiotracer Identifies Inflammation in Life-Threatening Atherosclerosis

  Mar 1, 2017 — In the featured article of the March 2017 issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine," researchers demonstrate that a new positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer, gallium-68 (Ga-68)-pentixafor, can quickly and non-invasively identify life-threatening atherosclerotic plaques. The tracer binds to the CXCR4 receptor on inflammatory cells present in atherosclerotic plaques—making it possible to find and treat atherosclerosis early.

• Radiotargeted Therapy with SST2 Antagonists Could Combat Multiple Human Cancers

  Feb 6, 2017 — A study published in the February issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine" demonstrates the potential of extending peptide receptor radionuclide therapy targeting the somatostatin receptor to other types of malignancies beyond neuroendocrine tumors.

• New Type of PET Imaging Identifies Primary and Metastatic Prostate Cancer

  Feb 1, 2017 — In the featured article from the February 2017 issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine," researchers document the first-in-human application of a new imaging agent to help find prostate cancer in both early and advanced stages and plan treatment. The study indicates that the new agent—a PET radiotracer—is both safe and effective.

• Fear of Diagnostic Low-dose Radiation Exposure Is Overstated, Experts Assert

  Jan 9, 2017 — In an article published in the January 2017 issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine," researchers assert that exposure to medical radiation does not increase a person’s risk of getting cancer.

• New Therapeutic Agent Proves More Effective Treatment for Advanced Prostate Cancer

  Jan 5, 2017 — A German multicenter study, initiated by the German Society of Nuclear Medicine, demonstrates that lutetium-177 (Lu-177)-labeled PSMA-617 is a promising new therapeutic agent for radioligand therapy (RLT) of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The study is published in the January 2017 issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine" and is the featured article.

• Johannes Czernin, MD, Named Editor-in-Chief for "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine"

  Jan 3, 2017 — Johannes Czernin, MD, has assumed leadership of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine" (JNM), the educational flagship publication of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). Czernin is a professor of molecular and medical pharmacology and the chief of the Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

• 3D-Printed Kidney Phantoms Aid Nuclear Medicine Dosing Calibration

  Dec 5, 2016 — In nuclear medicine, the goal is to keep radiation exposure at a minimum, while obtaining quality images. Optimal dosing for individual patients can be difficult to determine. That’s where 3D-printed organ models of varying size and shape could be of great use. In a study reported in the December issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine," researchers at the University of Würzburg in Germany focused on kidneys to demonstrate that low-cost 3D printing techniques can be used for quantitative SPECT/CT imaging.

• Novel Anti-PSMA Imaging Agent Quickly Identifies Prostate Cancer Lesions

  Dec 2, 2016 — New research demonstrates that a novel imaging agent can quickly and accurately detect metastasis of prostate cancer, even in areas where detection has previously been difficult. Published in the December issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine," the Phase 1 dose-escalation study of Zr-89-desferrioxamine-IAB2M (Zr-89-Df-IAB2M), an anti-PSMA minibody, in patients with metastatic prostate cancer shows its effectiveness in targeting both bone and soft tissue lesions.

• ASNC, IAC and SNMMI Call for Field to Focus on Radiation Dose Optimization in Nuclear Cardiology

  Nov 17, 2016 — Working in concert, the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC), the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC)’s Nuclear/PET accreditation division and the Society of Nuclear Medicine in Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) are mandating optimized radiation doses in conjunction with the nuclear cardiology studies (i.e., myocardial perfusion imaging) performed throughout the United States and beyond.

• PET Imaging Visualizes Hard-to-Diagnose Cardiac Amyloidosis

  Nov 1, 2016 — Researchers at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia, have demonstrated that cardiac amyloidosis (abnormal deposits of proteins in the heart), which is notoriously difficult to diagnose, can be visualized noninvasively with positron emission tomography (PET) using the radiotracer fluorine-18 (F-18)-florbetaben. The study is published in the November issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine."

• Optical and PET/CT Probes Detect Early Signs of Atherosclerosis

  Oct 20, 2016 — Researchers at Stanford University have demonstrated for the first time the use of a dual optical and PET/CT activity-based probe, which images vascular inflammation, to detect atherosclerotic plaques. The study is published in the October issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine."

• PET Probe Images Breast Cancer’s Ability to Foil Treatment, Provides Therapy Guidance

  Sep 19, 2016 — Cancer biologists know that inhibitor-mediated feedback loop changes (increased expression of a cell surface receptor in response to target inhibition) can result in breast cancer treatment failure and the need for additional therapy. A recent study by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City shows that imaging of these cell surface receptor changes with PET probes specific to epidermal growth factor receptor 1 (EGFR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (HER3) directly addresses this unmet need in cancer therapy decision-making, while avoiding the need for repeated biopsies. The study is reported in the September issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine."

• NAS Report Finds U.S. Supply of Critical Medical Isotope Vulnerable

  Sep 13, 2016 — The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have released a report on the state of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) production, its utilization in medicine, and progress toward eliminating the use of highly enriched uranium (HEU) during production. The report says, “The committee judges that there is a substantial (>50 percent) likelihood of severe molybdenum-99/technetium-99m supply shortages after October 2016, lasting at least until current global suppliers complete their planned capacity expansions.”

• Call for the Standardization of Pediatric Nuclear Medicine

  Sep 6, 2016 — The Nuclear Medicine Global Initiative, which was formed in 2012 and consists of 13 international organizations, focused on pediatric nuclear medicine for its first project. Its final report, published in the July issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine," sets forth recommendations for achieving global standards for the administration of radiopharmaceuticals in children.

• SNMMI 2016-2018 Wagner-Torizuka Fellowship Recipients Announced

  Aug 23, 2016 — SNMMI is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2016-2018 SNMMI Wagner-Torizuka Fellowship. This two-year fellowship, founded in 2008 by the late Henry N. Wagner, Jr., MD, and the late Kanji Torizuka, MD, PhD, is designed to provide extensive training and experience in the fields of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging for Japanese physicians in the early stages of their careers. Applications for the 2017-2019 SNMMI Wagner-Torizuka Fellowship are due by January 20, 2017.

• Novel Tracer Safely and Effectively Maps Sentinel Lymph Nodes in Breast Cancer Patients

  Aug 17, 2016 — A recent study by researchers at Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute demonstrates the effectiveness and safety of Tc-99m-rituximab, a new SLN radiotracer, that targets the antigen CD20, which is expressed extensively in lymph nodes. The study is published in the August issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine."

• SNMMI Technologist Section Announces Award Winners

  Jul 28, 2016 — The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging’s Technologist Section (SNMMI-TS) recognized contributions to and work in the field of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging during the SNMMI 2016 Annual Meeting in San Diego, California. Several awards ceremonies were held to recognize the valuable role that SNMMI-TS members play in advancing the discipline of nuclear medicine technology.

• SNMMI Honors Outstanding Contributors at Annual Meeting

  Jul 13, 2016 — SNMMI recognized contributions to the field of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging during its 2016 Annual Meeting in San Diego, Calif. Several awards ceremonies were held to recognize the valuable role SNMMI members play in advancing the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease, cancer and neurological conditions.

• PET/MRI: A One-Stop Imaging Test to Detect Prostate Cancer?

  Jul 11, 2016 — A University of Michigan study published in the July issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine" reports that combining PET imaging with multi-parametric MR improves the accuracy of targeted prostate biopsies.

• Journal of Nuclear Medicine Impact Factor Third Highest Worldwide Among Medical Imaging Journals

  Jun 30, 2016 — "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine" (JNM)—the flagship publication of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI)—has again been ranked among the top medical imaging journals worldwide, according to new data released in the 2015 Journal Citation Reports© published by Thomson Reuters. JNM earned an impact factor of 5.849—ranking third of the 124 journals included in the medical imaging category.

• SNMMI Named a Medicare Qualified Provider-Led Entity in the Appropriate Use Criteria Program for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging

  Jun 22, 2016 — SNMMI has been named a qualified provider-led entity under the Medicare Appropriate Use Criteria program for advanced diagnostic imaging. This will allow referring physicians to use SNMMI’s appropriate use criteria to fulfill the requirements of the 2014 Protecting Access to Medicare Act.

• SNMMI’s 63rd Annual Meeting Highlights History of FDG and Showcases New Research

  Jun 16, 2016 — More than 5,700 physicians, technologists, scientists and exhibitors gathered at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging’s (SNMMI) 2016 Annual Meeting, held June 11-15 in San Diego, Calif.

• SNMMI Image of the Year: Novel PET Imaging Demonstrates Relationship Between Tau Buildup and Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s Patients

  Jun 15, 2016 — Positron emission tomography (PET) with three different radiotracers can now measure amyloid plaques, tau tangles and metabolic activity in the brains of living Alzheimer’s patients. This multimodal study shows significant correlation between increased tau and decreased metabolic activity in the brain—a clear sign of neurodegeneration—reveal researchers at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

• PET/CT Imaging of Prostate Cancer Proves Accurate Biopsy Guide

  Jun 15, 2016 — Prostate cancer is the leading cancer among men, second only to skin cancer. With surgical removal at the frontline of defense, oncologists are considering prostate-specific molecular imaging at the point of initial biopsy and pre-operative planning to root out the full extent of disease, researchers revealed at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

• CT-Based Calculations Improve Accuracy of PET for Cancer Patients

  Jun 14, 2016 — Cancer patients often experience significant fluctuations in weight and lean body mass (LBM). Neglecting to account for these changes can prevent clinicians from obtaining precise data from molecular imaging, but a new method of measuring LBM takes changes in individual body composition into account for better staging of disease and therapy monitoring, say researchers at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

• Novel Portable Diagnostic Tool Pairs Optical and Gamma Imaging

  Jun 14, 2016 — Bigger isn’t always better, especially when it comes to a new and surprisingly portable molecular imaging system that combines optical imaging at the surface level and scintigraphy, which captures the physiological function of what lies beneath, announced developers at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

• SNMMI Elects Satoshi Minoshima, MD, PhD, as Vice President-Elect During 2016 Annual Meeting

  Jun 13, 2016 — Satoshi Minoshima, MD, PhD, professor of radiology and chairman of the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, has assumed office as 2016-17 vice president-elect of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). SNMMI introduced a new slate of officers during its 2016 Annual Meeting, June 11-15, in San Diego, Calif.

• Molecular Imaging of Neuroendocrine Tumors Optimizes Radiotherapy Dose

  Jun 13, 2016 — Aggressive neuroendocrine cancer is something of a dark horse—a rare, elusive and persevering force linked to discouraging long-term survival rates. Researchers at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) are presenting a molecular imaging technique that allows oncologists to set patients’ radiotherapy doses right at that critical limit of delivering the most powerful kill to neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) while protecting vulnerable vital organs.

• SNMMI Announces Kathleen M. Krisak, BS, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS, as President-Elect of Technologist Section During 2016 Annual Meeting

  Jun 13, 2016 — Kathleen M. Krisak, BS, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS, a nuclear medicine technologist at the Holyoke Medical Center, Holyoke, Mass., has been elected as the 2016-17 president-elect of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Technologist Section (SNMMI-TS). The new slate of officers was introduced during the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging’s (SNMMI) 2016 Annual Meeting, June 11-15 in San Diego, Calif.

• SNMMI Announces Sara G. Johnson, MBA, CNMT, NCT, FSNMMI-TS, as President of Technologist Section During 2016 Annual Meeting

  Jun 13, 2016 — Sara G. Johnson, MBA, CNMT, NCT, FSNMMI-TS, chief technologist/administrative officer and research coordinator for nuclear medicine with the VA San Diego Healthcare System in San Diego, Calif., has been elected as the 2016-17 president of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Technologist Section (SNMMI-TS). The new slate of officers was introduced during the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging’s (SNMMI) 2016 Annual Meeting, June 11-15 in San Diego, Calif.

• H. William Strauss, MD, Receives 2016 Benedict Cassen Prize for Research in Cardiovascular Nuclear Medicine

  Jun 13, 2016 — H. William (Bill) Strauss, MD, FACNM, a pioneer in the field of cardiovascular nuclear medicine, was awarded the Benedict Cassen Prize, often considered the Nobel Prize of nuclear medicine, during the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) in San Diego, Calif. This honor is given every two years by the Education and Research Foundation for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (ERF) to a living scientist or physician-scientist whose work has led to a major advance in basic or clinical nuclear medicine science.

• SNMMI Elects Bennett S. Greenspan, MD, MS, FACNM, FACR, as President-Elect During 2016 Annual Meeting

  Jun 13, 2016 — Bennett S. Greenspan, MD, MS, FACNM, FACR, professor of radiology at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, in Augusta, GA, has assumed office as 2016-17 President-elect of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). SNMMI introduced a new slate of officers during its 2016 Annual Meeting, June 11-15, in San Diego, Calif.

• SNMMI and SNMMI-TS Welcome New Officers for 2016-17

  Jun 13, 2016 — At the 2016 SNMMI Annual Meeting, the SNMMI and SNMMI-TS welcomed new officers for the coming year.

• SNMMI Elects Sally W. Schwarz, MS, RPh, BCNP, as President During 2016 Annual Meeting

  Jun 13, 2016 — Sally W. Schwarz, MS, RPh, BCNP, professor of radiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo., has assumed office as 2016-17 president of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). SNMMI introduced a new slate of officers during its 2016 Annual Meeting, June 11-15, in San Diego, Calif.

• SNMMI Creates Fellowship to Recognize Distinguished Service

  Jun 13, 2016 — The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging announced the creation of an SNMMI Fellowship recognizing distinguished service to SNMMI as well as exceptional achievement in the field of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. The announcement was made during today’s Special Plenary Session at the society’s 2016 Annual Meeting, held June 11-15 in San Diego, Calif.

• PET Points to Tau Protein as Leading Culprit in Alzheimer’s

  Jun 13, 2016 — Alzheimer’s is a devastating and incurable disease marked by beta-amyloid and tau protein aggregations in the brain, yet the direct relationship between these proteins and neurodegeneration has remained a mystery. New molecular imaging research is revealing how tau, rather than amyloid-deposition, may be more directly instigating neuronal dysfunction, say presenters at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

• FDG PET Evaluates Immunotherapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

  Jun 13, 2016 — Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) have a collective reputation for not responding very well to chemotherapy. Researchers at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) are presenting a means of evaluating an immunotherapy that fights off NSCLC by strengthening a patient’s own immune system.

• Peter S. Conti, MD, PhD, Receives SNMMI 2016 Paul C. Aebersold Award for Outstanding Achievement in Basic Nuclear Medicine Science

  Jun 12, 2016 — Peter S. Conti, MD, PhD, FACNP, FACR, professor of radiology, pharmaceutical sciences and biomedical engineering, and director of the Molecular Imaging Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, has been named the 2016 recipient of the prestigious Paul C. Aebersold Award. Conti was presented the award by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) during its annual meeting, held June 11-15 in San Diego, Calif.

• Blood Test Predicts Success of Neuroendocrine Cancer Therapy

  Jun 12, 2016 — Malignant neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are relatively rare, notoriously difficult to treat, and associated with poor long-term survival. According to research presented at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), an investigative blood test could predict how patients will respond to peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) before they commit to a course of treatment.

• PET Detects Neuroinflammation in Multiple Sclerosis

  Jun 12, 2016 — The triggers of autoimmune inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS) have eluded scientists for many years, but molecular imaging is bringing researchers closer to identifying them, while providing a means of evaluating next-generation therapies for MS, say researchers introducing a study at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

• Markle Foundation Partners with SNMMI to Commemorate 75th Anniversary of Transformative Treatment for Thyroid Disease

  Jun 12, 2016 — This year marks the 75th anniversary of the first treatment of thyroid disease with radioactive iodine. In January 1941, Dr. Saul Hertz administered a cyclotron-produced mixture of iodine-130 and iodine-131 to a patient at Massachusetts General Hospital for the treatment of Graves’ disease. Purchase of that cyclotron was funded by the Markle Foundation, which has now partnered with SNMMI to commemorate this anniversary at SNMMI’s Annual Meeting, June 11-15 in San Diego, Calif.

• Ross McDougall, MB, ChB, PhD, Receives SNMMI 2016 Georg Charles de Hevesy Nuclear Pioneer Award

  Jun 12, 2016 — Ross McDougall, MB, ChB, PhD, professor emeritus of radiology and medicine at Stanford University, Stanford, Calif., has been named this year’s recipient of the Georg Charles de Hevesy Nuclear Pioneer Award for his contributions to nuclear medicine. McDougall was presented the award by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) at its 2016 Annual Meeting, held June 11-15 in San Diego, Calif.

• PET/CT Reveals Adaptations of the Alcoholic Brain

  Jun 12, 2016 — Alcoholism is a devastating disorder that too often leads to a perpetual cycle of abuse. An emerging molecular imaging technique may provide a way to break that cycle. It could signal patients’ heightened risk and lead to targeted drug treatments that reduce the compulsion to drink, say researchers presenting at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

• Pretargeted Radioimmunotherapy May Eliminate Colorectal Cancer

  Jun 12, 2016 — An emerging cancer therapy has colorectal tumors surrounded. Presenters at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) are unveiling a novel radioimmunotherapy that combines a cancer-seeking antibody with potent radionuclide agents, resulting in complete remission of colorectal cancer in mouse models.

• Predicting Advanced Prostate Cancer Outcomes with NaF-PET/CT

  Jun 7, 2016 — A recent pilot study reported in the June issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine" found that NaF-PET/CT accurately detects bone metastases in patients with advanced prostate cancer, and follow-up scans over time correlate clearly with clinical outcomes and patient survival.

• A Better Way to Diagnose and Manage Neuroendocrine Tumors

  May 9, 2016 — A recent study reported in the May issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine" demonstrates that Ga-68 DOTATATE PET/CT scans are superior to In-111 pentetreotide scans, the current imaging standard in the United States for detecting neuroendocrine tumors (NETS), and could significantly impact treatment management.

• SPECT-MRI Fusion Minimizes Surgery for Diagnosis of Early-stage Cervical Cancer Patients

  Apr 14, 2016 — A recent study reported in the April issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine" found that cervical cancer patients without enlarged lymph nodes could benefit from SPECT-MRI imaging of their sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) to assess whether metastases are present.

• Twin Study: Genetics and Environment Affect Different Regions of the Brain

  Mar 1, 2016 — A recent study, reported in the March issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine," found evidence that genetic influence on cerebral glucose metabolism played a major role in the bilateral parietal lobes and the left temporal lobe of the human brain, while environmental influences after birth dominated in other regions.

• A Better Way to Image Metastatic Prostate Cancer

  Jan 27, 2016 — A recent study, reported in the January issue of "The Journal of Nuclear Medicine," shows in a prospective, systematic manner that a PET/CT scan, using the radiotracer F-18-DCFBC to target prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), is significantly more effective than other detection methods currently in use.

• Combined Imaging Modalities May Change Cancer Management

  Dec 10, 2015 — PET/CT and whole-body MRI detect extraskeletal disease that may change the management of high-risk breast and prostate cancer patients, according to a recent study reported in the December issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

• PET Imaging Detects Fast-Growing Prostate Cancer

  Aug 20, 2015 — A molecular imaging biomarker is able to detect fast-growing primary prostate cancer and distinguish it from benign prostate lesions, addressing an unmet clinical need.

• SNMMI Honors Outstanding Contributors at Annual Meeting

  Aug 17, 2015 — The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), an international scientific and medical organization, recognized contributions to the field of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging during its 2015 Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Md.

• SNMMI Technologist Section Announces Award Winners

  Aug 17, 2015 — The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging’s Technologist Section (SNMMI-TS)—an international scientific and medical organization—recognized contributions to and work in the field of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging during its 2015 Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Md.

• SNMMI Announces the Election of Neil A. Petry, MS, RPh, BCNP, to Board of Directors

  Jun 8, 2015 — Neil A. Petry MS, RPh, BCNP, associate professor of radiology and medical physics graduate program faculty member at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC, has been elected director-at-large of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).