Authors: T Van den Wyngaert, K Strobel, W U Kampen...

PURPOSE

The radionuclide bone scan is the cornerstone of skeletal nuclear medicine imaging. Bone scintigraphy is a highly sensitive diagnostic nuclear medicine imaging technique that uses a radiotracer to evaluate the distribution of active bone formation in the skeleton related to malignant and benign disease, as well as physiological processes.

METHODS

The European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) has written and approved these guidelines to promote the use of nuclear medicine procedures of high quality.

CONCLUSION

The present guidelines offer assistance to nuclear medicine practitioners in optimizing the diagnostic procedure and interpreting bone scintigraphy. These guidelines describe the protocols that are currently accepted and used routinely, but do not include all existing procedures. They should therefore not be taken as exclusive of other nuclear medicine modalities that can be used to obtain comparable results. It is important to remember that the resources and facilities available for patient care may vary.

Topics: Bone and Bones; Europe; Female; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Nuclear Medicine; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Pregnancy; Quality Control; Radionuclide Imaging; Radiopharmaceuticals; Safety; Societies, Medical

PubMed: 27262701
DOI: 10.1007/s00259-016-3415-4

Review

Authors: Xiu Juan Wang, XianFeng Li, Yuan Ren...

Over the past decades, the diagnostic methods and therapeutic tools for thyroid cancer (TC) have been greatly improved. In addition to the classical method of ingestion of radioactive iodine-131 (I131) and subsequent I123 and I124 positron emission tomography (PET) in therapy and examination, I124 PET-based 3-dimensional imaging, Ga68-labeled [1, 4, 7, 10-tetraazacyclododecane-1, 4, 7, 10-tetraacetic acid]-1-NaI(3)-octreotide (DOTANOC) PET/computed tomography (CT), Tc99m tetrofosmin, pre-targeted radioimmunotherapy, and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy have all been used clinically. These novel methods are useful in diagnosis and therapy of TC, but also have unavoidable adverse effects. In this review, we will discuss the development of nuclear medicine in TC examination and treatment.

Topics: Humans; Iodine Radioisotopes; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Positron-Emission Tomography; Radionuclide Imaging; Thyroid Neoplasms

PubMed: 27100499
DOI: 10.2741/4449

Review

Authors: Shady Abohashem, Simran S Grewal, Ahmed Tawakol...

The heart and brain have a complex interplay wherein disease or injury to either organ may adversely affect the other. The mechanisms underlying this connection remain incompletely characterized. However, nuclear molecular imaging is uniquely suited to investigate these pathways by facilitating the simultaneous assessment of both organs using targeted radiotracers. Research within this paradigm has demonstrated important roles for inflammation, autonomic nervous system and neurohormonal activity, metabolism, and perfusion in the heart-brain connection. Further mechanistic clarification may facilitate greater clinical awareness and the development of targeted therapies to alleviate the burden of disease in both organs.

Topics: Humans; Heart; Radionuclide Imaging; Heart Failure; Brain; Positron-Emission Tomography

PubMed: 37003682
DOI: 10.1016/j.ccl.2023.01.013

Review

Authors: Ajay Kumar, Harry T Chugani

Epilepsy is one of the most common yet diverse neurologic disorders, affecting almost 1%-2% of the population. Presently, radionuclide imaging such as PET and SPECT is not used in the primary diagnosis or evaluation of recent-onset epilepsy. However, it can play a unique and important role in certain specific situations, such as in noninvasive presurgical localization of epileptogenic brain regions in intractable-seizure patients being considered for epilepsy surgery. Radionuclide imaging can be particularly useful if MR imaging is either negative for lesions or shows several lesions of which only 1 or 2 are suspected to be epileptogenic and if electroencephalogram changes are equivocal or discordant with the structural imaging. Similarly, PET and SPECT can also be useful for evaluating the functional integrity of the rest of the brain and may provide useful information on the possible pathogenesis of the neurocognitive and behavioral abnormalities frequently observed in these patients.

Topics: Epilepsy; Humans; Positron-Emission Tomography; Radioactive Tracers; Temporal Lobe; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

PubMed: 28258205
DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.112.114397

Review

Authors: Ajay Kumar, Harry T Chugani

Epilepsy is one of the most common yet diverse neurologic disorders, affecting almost 1%-2% of the population. Presently, radionuclide imaging such as PET and SPECT is not used in the primary diagnosis or evaluation of recent-onset epilepsy. However, it can play a unique and important role in certain specific situations, such as in noninvasive presurgical localization of epileptogenic brain regions in intractable-seizure patients being considered for epilepsy surgery. Radionuclide imaging can be particularly useful if MR imaging is either negative for lesions or shows several lesions of which only 1 or 2 are suspected to be epileptogenic and if electroencephalogram changes are equivocal or discordant with the structural imaging. Similarly, PET and SPECT can also be useful for evaluating the functional integrity of the rest of the brain and may provide useful information on the possible pathogenesis of the neurocognitive and behavioral abnormalities frequently observed in these patients.

Topics: Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe; Humans; Positron-Emission Tomography; Radionuclide Imaging; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

PubMed: 23970368
DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.112.114397

Review

Authors: Mary Beth Farrell

Topics: Gastric Emptying; Humans; Radionuclide Imaging; Stomach

PubMed: 31167827
DOI: 10.2967/jnmt.117.227892

Review

Authors: V Kouranos, A U Wells, R Sharma...

INTRODUCTION

Radionuclide imaging for the diagnosis and monitoring of cardiac involvement in sarcoidosis has advanced significantly in recent years.

SOURCES OF DATA

This article is based on published clinical guidelines, literature review and our collective clinical experience.

AREAS OF AGREEMENT

Gallium-67 scintigraphy is among the diagnostic criteria for cardiac involvement in systemic sarcoidosis, and it is strongly associated with response to treatment. However, fluorine-18, 2-fluoro-deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) is now preferred both for diagnosis and for assessing prognosis.

AREAS OF CONTROVERSY

Most data are from small observational studies that are potentially biased.

GROWING POINTS

Quantitative imaging to assess changes in disease activity in response to treatment may lead to FDG-PET having an important routine role in managing cardiac sarcoidosis.

AREAS TIMELY FOR DEVELOPING RESEARCH

Larger prospective studies are required, particularly to assess the effectiveness of radionuclide imaging in improving clinical management and outcome.

Topics: Cardiomyopathies; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; Gallium Radioisotopes; Humans; Myocardial Perfusion Imaging; Positron-Emission Tomography; Prognosis; Sarcoidosis; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

PubMed: 26311504
DOI: 10.1093/bmb/ldv033

Review

Authors: Suleman Surti

Breast cancer mammography is a well-acknowledged technique for patient screening due to its high sensitivity. However, in addition to its low specificity the sensitivity of mammography is limited when imaging patients with dense breasts. Radionuclide imaging techniques, such as coincidence photon-based positron emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomography or scintimammography, can play a role in assisting screening of such patients. Radionuclide techniques can also be useful in assessing treatment response of patients with breast cancer to therapy, and staging of patients to diagnose the disease extent. However, the performance of these imaging modalities is generally limited because of the poor spatial resolution and sensitivity of the commercially available multipurpose imaging systems. Here, we describe some of the dedicated imaging systems (positron emission mammography [PEM] and breast-specific gamma imaging [BSGI]) that have been developed both commercially and in research laboratories for radionuclide imaging of breast cancer. Clinical studies with dedicated PEM scanners show improved sensitivity to detecting cancer in patients when using PEM in conjunction with additional imaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging or mammography or both, as well as improved disease staging that can have an effect on surgical planning. High-resolution BSGI systems are more widely available commercially and several clinical studies have shown very high sensitivity and specificity in detecting cancer in high-risk patients. Further development of dedicated PEM and BSGI systems is ongoing, promising further expansion of radionuclide imaging techniques in the realm of breast cancer detection and treatment.

Topics: Breast Neoplasms; Humans; Mammography; Radionuclide Imaging; Rotation

PubMed: 23725989
DOI: 10.1053/j.semnuclmed.2013.03.003

Review

Authors: Lingzhou Zhao, Meilin Zhu, Yujie Li...

Recent advances in nuclear medicine have explored nanoscale carriers for targeted delivery of various radionuclides in specific manners to improve the effect of diagnosis and therapy of diseases. Due to the unique molecular architecture allowing facile attachment of targeting ligands and radionuclides, dendrimers provide versatile platforms in this filed to build abundant multifunctional radiolabeled nanoparticles for nuclear medicine applications. This review gives special focus to recent advances in dendrimer-based nuclear medicine agents for the imaging and treatment of cancer, cardiovascular and other diseases. Radiolabeling strategies for different radionuclides and several challenges involved in clinical translation of radiolabeled dendrimers are extensively discussed.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Dendrimers; Drug Carriers; Humans; Isotope Labeling; Nanoparticles; Neoplasms; Nuclear Medicine; Optical Imaging; Positron-Emission Tomography; Radioisotopes; Radionuclide Imaging; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

PubMed: 28841180
DOI: 10.3390/molecules22091350

Review

Authors: Yoshitaka Toyama, Rudolf A Werner, Camilo A Ruiz-Bedoya...

In recent years, a paradigm shift from single-photon-emitting radionuclide radiotracers toward positron-emission tomography (PET) radiotracers has occurred in nuclear oncology. Although PET-based molecular imaging of the kidneys is still in its infancy, such a trend has emerged in the field of functional renal radionuclide imaging. Potentially allowing for precise and thorough evaluation of renal radiotracer urodynamics, PET radionuclide imaging has numerous advantages including precise anatomical co-registration with CT images and dynamic three-dimensional imaging capability. In addition, relative to scintigraphic approaches, PET can allow for significantly reduced scan time enabling high-throughput in a busy PET practice and further reduces radiation exposure, which may have a clinical impact in pediatric populations. In recent years, multiple renal PET radiotracers labeled with C, Ga, and F have been utilized in clinical studies. Beyond providing a precise non-invasive read-out of renal function, such radiotracers may also be used to assess renal inflammation. This manuscript will provide an overview of renal molecular PET imaging and will highlight the transformation of conventional scintigraphy of the kidneys toward novel, high-resolution PET imaging for assessing renal function. In addition, future applications will be introduced, e.g. by transferring the concept of molecular image-guided diagnostics and therapy (theranostics) to the field of nephrology.

Topics: Animals; Humans; Kidney; Molecular Imaging; Positron-Emission Tomography; Precision Medicine; Radioisotopes; Radionuclide Imaging; Radiopharmaceuticals; Urology

PubMed: 33897902
DOI: 10.7150/thno.58682