Towards a More Inclusive Future: A Comprehensive Assessment of Gender Diversity in Nuclear Medicine Education, Training and Workforce.

The field of nuclear medicine has undergone remarkable advances, particularly with the introduction of new devices, radionuclides for imaging and therapy, new clinical applications, and emergence of medical evidence. As this dynamic field continues its rapid expansion, there is an urgent need to increase the number of well-trained professionals globally. Consequently, advocating for nuclear medicine as a thriving field of study and work for women becomes paramount in ensuring the establishment of a robust workforce capable of meeting the growing demands.

Hybrid imaging of Diabetic Foot Infections.

Diabetic foot infections, a common but diagnostically challenging clinical presentation, requires the difficult differentiation between soft tissue-only infection, diabetic neuropathic osteoarthropathy, osteomyelitis or a combination of these pathological processes. While there are clinical predictors for osteomyelitis and simple bedside tests available, imaging is often required for accurate diagnosis. A variety of anatomic and molecular imaging tests are in clinical use, each with its advantages and disadvantages.

SPECT/CT: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, It Is Time to Reach for the Sky!

Twenty years ago, SPECT/CT became commercially available, combining the strengths of both techniques: the diagnostic sensitivity of SPECT and the anatomic detail of CT. Other benefits initially included attenuation correction of SPECT reconstructions, ultimately evolving to correction techniques that would enable absolute tracer uptake quantification. Recent developments in SPECT hardware include solid-state digital systems with higher sensitivity and resolution, using novel collimator designs based on tungsten.

PET/CT Imaging in Soft Tissue Infection and Inflammation-An Update.

Nuclear medicine procedures, including Ga-67 and labeled leucocyte SPECT/CT as well as PET/CT using 18F-FDG and recently Ga-68 tracers, have found extensive applications in the assessment of infectious and inflammatory processes in general and in soft tissues in particular. Recent published data focus on summarizing the available imaging information with the purpose of providing the referring clinicians with optimized evidence based results. Guidelines and/or recommendations of clinical societies have incorporated nuclear medicine tests (using both labeled leucocytes and FDG) in their suggested work-up for evaluation of infective endocarditis and in certain patients with suspected vascular graft infections.

[111 INDIUM LABELED LEUKOCYTE SCINTIGRAPHY IS A LOW SENSITIVITY TEST FOR DIAGNOSING PROSTHETIC JOINT INFECTION IN EQUIVOCAL CASES].

Introduction: Nuclear medicine techniques are suggested to be used in equivocal cases only. Nuclear medicine procedures, specifically labeled leucocytes however, are widely used in the diagnosis of joint infection across Europe. The aim of our study was to determine if Indium 111 labeled leukocyte scintigraphy has a role in the diagnosis of infected prosthetic joints.

Two decades of SPECT/CT - the coming of age of a technology: An updated review of literature evidence.

Purpose: Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) combined with computed tomography (CT) was introduced as a hybrid SPECT/CT imaging modality two decades ago. The main advantage of SPECT/CT is the increased specificity achieved through a more precise localization and characterization of functional findings. The improved diagnostic accuracy is also associated with greater diagnostic confidence and better inter-specialty communication.

Strategies for Minimizing Occupational Radiation Exposure in Cardiac Imaging.

Purpose Of Review: Radiation safety has been at the center of interest of both researchers and healthcare institutions. This review will summarize and shed light on the various techniques adapted to reduce staff exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) in the field of cardiac imaging.

Recent Findings: In the last years, with the advance of awareness and the development of new technologies, there have been several tools and techniques adapted.

68Ga-PSMA PET/CT in prostate cancer patients - patterns of disease, benign findings and pitfalls.

Background: 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT has an important role in assessment of prostate cancer patients with biochemical recurrence and is evolving in staging high- and intermediate risk disease. The aim of present study was to describe the metastatic patterns and frequency of involved sites of prostate cancer and to assess the incidence of benign Ga68-PSMA avid PET/CT findings in a large patient population.

Methods: 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT studies performed in two tertiary medical centers over a period of 24 months were retrospectively reviewed.

Evaluation of Staff Radiation Exposure during Transthoracic Echocardiography Close to Myocardial Perfusion Imaging.

Background: Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) are used in cardiac patients. In this study the radiation exposure of sonographers performing TTE following MPI was evaluated.

Methods: Of 40 study patients, 30 underwent same-day Tc sestamibi MPI and TTE, while another 10 underwent only TTE.

Does Antibiotic Treatment Affect the Diagnostic Accuracy of F-FDG PET/CT Studies in Patients with Suspected Infectious Processes?

F-FDG PET/CT plays a significant role in the assessment of various infectious processes. Patients with suspected or known sites of infection are often referred for F-FDG imaging while already receiving antibiotic treatment. The current study assessed whether antibiotic therapy affected the detectability rate of infectious processes by F-FDG PET/CT.

The effect of CT-based attenuation correction on the automatic perfusion score of myocardial perfusion imaging using a dedicated cardiac solid-state CZT SPECT/CT.

Background: Data regarding cardiac cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT)-specific augmented databases and their impact on CT-based attenuation correction (AC) perfusion scores in myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) were obtained on a multiple-pinhole CZT SPECT/CT.

Methods And Results: Summed stress (SSS) and rest scores (SRS) were measured using automated software in three independent patient groups: group 1 (n = 80) underwent MPI on both CZT and conventional sodium iodide (NaI) devices, group 2 (n = 80) with low coronary artery disease likelihood and normal MPI provided reference CZT databases; and group 3 (n = 152) served to compare AC and non-AC (NAC) scores on CZT. Group 1 CZT and NaI scores gave a significant 1:1 linear correlation for CZT scores referenced to the custom database vs NaI scores referenced to the default database, but these were not concordant when CZT scores were referenced to the default database.

Diagnostic performance of the quantification of myocardium at risk from MPI SPECT/CTA 2G fusion for detecting obstructive coronary disease: A multicenter trial.

Background: The effective non-invasive identification of coronary artery disease (CAD) and its proper referral for invasive treatment are still unresolved issues. We evaluated our quantification of myocardium at risk (MAR) from our second generation 3D MPI/CTA fusion framework for the detection and localization of obstructive coronary disease.

Methods: Studies from 48 patients who had rest/stress MPI, CTA, and ICA were analyzed from 3 different institutions.

Preoperative [Tc]MIBI SPECT/CT Interpretation Criteria for Localization of Parathyroid Adenomas-Correlation with Surgical Findings.

Purpose: Minimally invasive surgery for parathyroid adenomas (PTA) requires precise identification and localization of the diseased gland prior to exploration for optimal surgical planning. The Perrier classification allows for accurate, reproducible, and reliable description of PTA location and communication of clinically significant information to surgeons. The current study compares the Perrier localization of PTA on [Tc]methoxyisobutylisonitrile ([Tc]MIBI) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/X-ray computed tomography (CT) with the results of surgery.