University of Minnesota researchers are preparing for human trials on molecular imaging technology that could improve early cancer detection. The team, headed by the U of M’s Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Professor Ben Hackel, received a MN-REACH grant ($6 million total) this summer to create a molecular imaging probe that makes viewing tumorous cells easier following PET scans. This probe may one day be used to help to diagnose a variety of cancers at a very early stage. It could also help doctors decide on a particular treatment plan, because visualizing the cancerous cells early gives clues as to which types of therapy will be effective for individual patients. Researchers have been attempting to create a probe that specifically targets cancer cells for years, and the University researchers’ technology reliably hones in on a telltale biomarker of the disease.

The process of scanning on a cellular level is known as molecular imaging. Tracer probes, like the kind Hackel’s team is developing, are the missing piece of the puzzle. They bind to cancerous cells and illuminate them on PET scans images. Large companies like GE Healthcare are already investing in modified PET scanners that can detect on a cellular level, so tracer probes stand to be a particularly useful tool for healthcare professionals. Hackel’s team has stated their tracers will be able to identify colorectal, breast, and other types cancers, so the technology may be useful for many patients. The U of M is pursuing a patent on their molecular probe, and the work will be presented to investors in the near future. It remains unclear whether the team hopes to sell the technology, or create a spinoff company to make use of it.

Making Full Body PET Scans Better

Scans may be taking a big step forward with full-body PET technology improvements. The recent World Molecular Imaging Conference brought together top minds in the scanning industry, including esteemed biomedical engineer Dr. Simon Cherry. The UC Davis professor said his team is working on a full-body PET scanner with 40 times the sensitivity of current top-of-the-line equipment. It’s a breakthrough researchers have hoped to achieve for decades, and it seems Dr. Cherry is closer than ever to making it a reality.

Making Advances

While it’s possible to obtain a total body scan today, doctors can only scan a segment at a time and stitch together the results. It’s not an ideal solution, because the machine must physically move the patient to scan different body parts, and the process takes about ten minutes. The new full-body scanner will not have this limited axis of view, and should be able to complete a scan in 15 to 30 seconds.  The system uses 250,000 detectors and 5,000 channels of electronics to create images with high spatial resolution and a massive amount of data.

Making It a Reality

Such high fidelity scans won’t come cheap. Today’s PET scanners cost around $2 million, and when the new technology hits the market it’s sure to cost more. The high price tag brings a lower injected dose rate, so patients can receive scans more frequently. Tracking disease progression will be easier, as well as monitoring the effectiveness of treatment. To Dr. Cherry, these are the kind of benefits that make the project worth pursuing. His team is currently developing prototypes, and one that’s fit for humans should be ready in four to five months. If the technology lives up to its potential, it will make scans faster, safer and more accurate.

A new study published in Nature Communications has demonstrated a new technology that nearly eliminates MRI image artifacts. The new technique is so effective that researchers can reliably assign numerical values to anatomical features, setting up a future where doctors can more reliably diagnose diseases for patients. Reducing MRI image distortions has been a goal in the scanning industry for decades. According to the NYU research team, the breakthrough could revolutionize how doctors use MRIs, as they will be able to utilize crystal clear imaging using more affordable equipment.

While MRIs are an integral component of many branches of medicine, the technology still relies on the qualitative analysis of an image. This limitation is due to the fact that MRIs use radio waves to illuminate tissue atoms by distorting their magnetic field. Unfortunately, the waves don’t always hit the atoms evenly or consistently between patients, causing distortions in the scan results. Doctors must account for these imperfections in every scan analysis. MRI equipment that accounts for field variations exists, but it requires meticulous calibration and longer exam times.

One key factor in the study was Magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) technology. MRF decodes the interplay between atoms’ magnetic spins within a tissue, and it has only been available for the last few years. While MRF scans have greatly reduced the time it takes to complete an MRI, they have provided uniformity issues. The study utilized a new technology known as Plug-and-Play MR fingerprinting, which uses a circling strobe of many radio signals, rather than a single source of radio wave pulses. This extra data eliminates image distortions, and could change the way doctors look at MRI results.

Muhammad Ali’s recent death has people talking about Parkinson’s disease and the procedures used to diagnose the illness. PET, MRI and SPECT scans have proven useful in detecting many diseases, but Parkinson’s has been harder to spot. One of the largest contributors of Parkinson’s disease research, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, has announced that it will award a $2 million prize to researchers that develop a PET tracer that visualizes the Parkinson’s disease protein alpha-synuclein. Both academic or industry teams are eligible to participate, and the competition will run until mid-2018.

Detection of alpha-synuclein is important because it is the protein that causes cell degeneration and death in the brain. As this protein progresses, the symptoms commonly associated with Parkinson’s disease become more obvious in patients. Visualizing alpha- synuclein with a new PET tracer may allow doctors to diagnose Parkinson’s disease early, and monitor changes in the brain. The new scanning technology would also reveal how patients respond to different types of treatment. The extra data may accelerate disease research, and improve the development of new therapies.

This is not the first time the Michael J. Fox Foundation has awarded scientists for Parkinson’s research. Seven years ago, it gave nearly $2 million in grants to teams studying alpha-synuclein. This time around, the foundation hopes to develop a viable tracer that’s backed by preclinical and clinical evidence. The PET tracer must have a nonexclusive license to be eligible for the prize, so doctors around the world can use the technology once it’s developed. Muhammad Ali’s battle with Parkinson’s showed everyone how devastating the illness can be – advancing diagnostic technology is sure to turn the fight around.

For the first time, scientists have shown that PET scans can identify the progressive stages of Alzheimer’s. A recent study performed at the University of California, Berkeley and published in the journal “Neuron” shines new light on a disease affecting millions of Americans. The scans were able to detect the progression of the disease before patients showed any other symptoms. The research could pave the way for improved Alzheimer’s diagnostic protocol.

To better understand the progression of Alzheimer’s, researchers took PET scans of 53 adults between the ages of 20 and 90. Some participants showed signs of Alzheimer’s, while others did not. Breakthroughs in PET scan technology have given doctors more powerful tools to see abnormalities that wouldn’t have been visible before. Previously, the clearest scans were limited to people who had already died. Using modern PET scans, the team observed varying stages of Alzheimer’s progression.

The researchers analyzed scan results and searched for accumulated tau and beta-amyloid proteins, as they have previously been associated with the disease. The results showed that once tau proteins had spread beyond the medial temporal lobe, outward symptoms of Alzheimer’s were present. Amyloid proteins also appear to play a role in this process. The team acknowledged that more research is necessary to utilize PET scans as an Alzheimer’s diagnostic tool. Regardless, the results are a promising indication that doctors can identify the disease in its early stages.