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Annual Hawaii Cancer Conference

Reshma Jagsi, MD, DPhil; Kevin Kalinsky, MD, MS; Hope S. Rugo, MD, FASCO; Alastair Thompson, MD, MBChB, BSc (Hons), FRCS (Ed), FACS; Debu Tripathy, MD


Clinical Case Vignette Series™: 41st Annual Miami Breast Cancer Conference®

The appropriate use criteria (AUC) reflect updates to the 2013 AUC for amyloid PET and new criteria for tau PET in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

SNMMI Issues New Appropriate Use Criteria for Amyloid PET and Tau PET Imaging

In research involving over 2,200 women who had SPECT MPI exams, researchers found that those who had a high score with the COronary Risk Score in WOmen (CORSWO) model had a greater than fourfold higher risk of major adverse coronary events (MACE).

Assessing MACE Risk in Women: Can an Emerging Model with SPECT MPI Imaging Have an Impact?

Agreement on follow-up imaging was 41 percent more likely with recommendations by thoracic radiologists and 36 percent less likely on recommendations for follow-up nuclear imaging, according to new research.

New Study Examines Agreement Between Radiologists and Referring Clinicians on Follow-Up Imaging

In newly published guidelines, researchers discuss the utility of CT, MRI and PET/CT in the diagnosis, staging, treatment monitoring and follow-up imaging for peritoneal metastases in patients with ovarian or colorectal cancer.

Consensus Recommendations on MRI, CT and PET/CT for Ovarian and Colorectal Cancer Peritoneal Metastases

Designed for theranostic imaging applications, the AnyScan Trio SPECT/CT TheraMax scanner was recently unveiled at the annual meeting of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM).

SPECT/CT Device for Theranostic Imaging Debuts at EANM Meeting

Discussing the evolution of updating appropriate use criteria (AUC) for amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) from the originally issued AUC in 2013, Phillip Kuo, M.D., recalls vociferous debates, addressing new clinical scenarios and rescoring of recommendations.

In a recent interview, Dr. Kuo said the normally arduous undertaking of updating an AUC with a multidisciplinary panel was a dynamic four-year process marked by the challenges of incorporating tau PET into the 

 and reflecting the emergence of the newly FDA-approved anti-amyloid antibody therapies lecanemab (Leqembi, Eisai/Biogen) and donanemab (Kisunla, Eli Lilly) upon updates for amyloid PET.

“Even within this short period of time, relatively speaking, (there were a lot) of changes in the therapeutic landscape that obviously would affect the AUC criteria,” explained Dr. Kuo, a professor and division chief of nuclear medicine in the Department of Diagnostic Radiology at the City of Hope Cancer Center in Duarte, Calif.

“Those scenarios were added and then had to be rescored to reflect the fact that we now know that these anti-amyloid antibodies can have a statistically significant slowing of cognitive decline in patients who are amyloid positive and have (mild cognitive impairment) or early dementia due to Alzheimer's disease.”

While the multidisciplinary panel was originally charged with updates to the AUC for amyloid PET, Dr. Kuo said there was fairly strong consensus that tau PET recommendations needed to be included in the new AUC as well.

“ … While (amyloid PET) is a very sensitive and accurate marker for amyloid deposition in your brain, it doesn’t necessarily track very well with the clinical symptoms or the functional decline. That is where tau (PET) really has its strength,” emphasized Dr. Kuo. “It is a much more dynamic biomarker and is far more reflective, generally speaking, … of clinical symptoms.”

(Editor’s note: For related content, see “

New PET and MRI Research Suggests that Visceral Fat Reduction May Prevent or Delay Alzheimer’s Disease

FDA Clears New Centiloid Scoring and Tau PET Quantification Tools

For more insights from Dr. Kuo, watch the video below.

Phillip Kuo, MD discusses the new appropriate use criteria for amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) and tau PET for patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

A Closer Look at the New Appropriate Use Criteria for Brain PET: An Interview with Phillip Kuo, MD, Part 1

In a recent interview, Phillip Kuo, M.D., discussed the impact of newer anti-amyloid antibody therapies for Alzheimer’s disease upon recently issued appropriate use criteria (AUC) for amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) imaging as well as the incorporation of tau PET into the AUC for patients with mild cognitive impairment.

New research shows that non-physician practitioner (NPP) image interpretation in office settings grew by more than nine percent annually over the course of a decade for ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and increased by more than seven percent annually for nuclear medicine interpretation.

In a recent interview, study co-author Richard Duszak, MD, shared his perspective on the increases in NPP image interpretation reported in the study, which was recently published in the 

Journal of the American College of Radiology

“The compound growth rate here is pretty staggering: 9 percent per year for X-ray, ultrasound, CT, and MR with (nuclear medicine) not far behind at 7 percent. They’re all growing at a relatively similar rate,” noted Dr. Duszak, a professor and chair of the Department of Radiology, at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

“It's only about 5.5 percent of all the nurse practitioners and (physician assistants) that we were able to identify (via) Medicare claims (data) that are doing this, but they are empowered, perhaps emboldened, to say, ‘I can look at an ankle X ray, therefore, I'm going to look at a brain CT scan.’ From somebody who spent an extensive amount of time in medical school, in residency, going through board certification, to have folks come out of nurse practitioner school with essentially no training in imaging — which is what the data from nurse practitioner training program literature says — (and attempt to interpret images) is a bit scary.”

The Rise of NPP Image Interpretation: What New Radiology Research Reveals

Current Perspectives on Radiology Workforce Issues and Potential Solutions

Emergency Department Radiology: Study Shows Higher Imaging Orders by NPPs

Dr. Duszak said there was considerable state by state variation with the NPP image interpretation rates. For example, Dr. Duszak explained that the probability of having an office-based NPP interpret imaging in Alaska is approximately 20 percent and noted this would have been closer to zero percent when he was in residency training. He noted the importance of identifying causes behind these trends in outlier states and emphasizing targeted advocacy and education.

“This is an exponential curve. It really is a potential game changer with regard to what's happening in the workforce and in the marketplace. I think (this) really requires a lot more attention, not just from researchers, but from policy makers as well,” emphasizes Dr. Duszak, a member of the Board of Chancellors for the American College of Radiology.

For more insights from Dr. Duszak, watch the video below.

Richard Duszak, MD discusses new study findings that show significant annual increases in CT, MRI and ultrasound interpretation by office-based non-physician practitioners.

Radiology Study Finds Increasing Rates of Non-Physician Practitioner Image Interpretation in Office Settings

In a recent interview, Richard Duszak, MD, discussed new study findings that showed over nine percent annual increases in ultrasound, CT and MRI interpretation by office-based non-physician practitioners (NPPs) between 2013 and 2022.

While it took over a decade of advocacy to lead to the recent decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to unbundle reimbursement for diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals exceeding $630 in per-day costs, the new policy significantly expands access to these modalities, according to Cathy Cutler, Ph.D., the president of the Society for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

“By CMS agreeing to walk away from bundling and to provide appropriate reimbursement (for diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals), this means that these important tools that physicians use to help ensure patients are getting optimal treatment will now be widely available,” noted Dr. Cutler in a recent interview.

Dr. Cutler said the shift away from bundling diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals as supplies and providing separate reimbursement for these modalities that exceed the daily cost threshold of $630 is a significant advance.

The policy, which goes into effect on January 1, 2025, will likely spur the development of new radiopharmaceuticals, according to Dr. Cutler, the Director of the Medical Isotope Research Production and Development Group in Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York.

While the new CMS policy was preceded by years of advocacy efforts from SNMMI, Dr. Cutler said the broader access to diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals is rewarding as it can lead to improved decision-making in the treatment of patients.

New SNMMI President Cathy Cutler, PhD, Discusses Current Challenges and Goals for Nuclear Medicine

What SPECT/CT May Reveal About Early Treatment Response for Pluvicto in Patients with mCRPC

FDA Clears Automated Dosimetry with the Monte Carlo Method for Radionuclide Therapy

“I'm very happy for patients. I do think that these are very valuable tools that physicians get to use to help (patients) have optimal treatment and improves their quality of life. It can lead to extension of life, and it can ensure that they're not taking drugs that are not benefiting them, so I think this is a real win for patients,” emphasized Dr. Cutler.

For more insights from Dr. Cutler, watch the video below.

SNMMI president Cathy Cutler, PhD discusses a recent CMS decision to unbundle reimbursement for diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals costing over $630 a day. 

Assessing a Landmark Change in CMS Reimbursement for Diagnostic Radiopharmaceuticals

In an interview, SNMMI president Cathy Cutler, PhD, discussed the impact of the recent CMS decision to unbundle reimbursement for diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals costing above $630 a day, calling it a “game changer” decision that will benefit patients, physicians, and the development of new radiopharmaceutical agents.



In separate studies presented at the recent 

, the positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer 

F-flotufolastat demonstrated no urinary retention in patients with primary prostate cancer (PCa) and facilitated a 15 percent higher percentage of biochemical failure-free survival in comparison to conventional imaging for guided salvage radiotherapy in patients with recurrent PCa.

In one study comparing 18F-flotufolastat (Posluma, Blue Earth Diagnostics) and 

, researchers found that 18 percent of primary tumors located near the bladder in the 

Ga-PSMA-11-PET group (3/17) were obscured by radioactivity in the bladder in comparison no obscured tumors with 

F-flotufolastat (0/24). The study authors also reported a 27.4 percent rate of halo artifacts with the 

Ga-PSMA-11-PET cohort (17/62) in contrast to 4.8 percent (3/62) for those in the 

The researchers also emphasized that there was no ureter retention with 

F-flotufolastat in comparison to 21 percent (13/62) for men in the 

David Gauden, D.Phil, discussed these study results during an interview at the SNMMI conference.

“Their findings were clinically impactful in their opinion in that they had a much lower background radioactivity in the bladder (with 

F-flotufolastat) when they were evaluating the scans. (This) gave them more confidence in their diagnostic findings when they evaluated it on a multi-point scale of background (radiopharmaceutical) activity, leading them to believe that when you’re looking for local recurrences, using an agent with this lower bladder excretion could be clinically valuable in helping with the management of these patients,” noted Gauden, the chief executive officer for Blue Earth Diagnostics.

Study: 18F-Flotufolastat PET Imaging Changes Treatment in 89 Percent of Patients with Prostate Cancer Recurrence

Could Pluvicto Have a Role in Taxane-Naïve mCRPC?: an Interview with Oliver Sartor, MD

SNMMI: PSMA-18F DCFPyL Changes Treatment for PCa Recurrence in Significant Number of Patients with Low PSAs

In a separate study of 110 patients with biochemical recurrence of PCa after radical prostatectomy, researchers compared 

F-flotufolastat PET-guided salvage radiotherapy (SRT) to conventional SRT. Although the researchers conceded a lack of statistical significance, they found that the 

F-flotufolastat PET-guided group had 8 percent, 15 percent, and 21 percent higher rates of biochemical failure-free survival at one, two and three years, respectively, than those who had conventional SRT.

“Although it was a small study without a statistically significant finding, there were trends toward longer biochemical progression-free survival for the group where the radiotherapy was guided by PET imaging in addition to the standard field … ,” added Gauden.

For more insights from Mr. Gauden, watch the video below.

David Gsuden, D.Phil, discusses new research, presented at the SNMMI meeting, that examines use of 18F-flotufolastat in patients with prostate cancer.

Emerging Research at SNMMI Examines 18F-flotufolastat in Managing Primary and Recurrent Prostate Cancer

1. Rauscher I, Langbein T, Fuetterer CS, Weber W, Eiber M. Evaluation of qualitative and quantitative PET parameters in primary prostate cancer patients: double-match comparison of 18F-flotufolastat and 68Ga-PSMA-11-PET. Presented at the 2024 Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Annual Meeting, June 8-11, Toronto, Canada. Available at: 

https://www.xcdsystem.com/snmmi/program/10OD8Tq/index.cfm

2. Rauscher I, Vogel MME, Gschwend J, Peeken JC, Eiber M. 18F-rhPSMA-7 and 18F-flotufolastat PET-guided salvage radiotherapy in recurrent prostate cancer. Presented at the 2024 Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Annual Meeting, June 8-11, Toronto, Canada. Available at: 

In a recent interview at the SNMMI conference, David Gauden, D.Phil, discussed key findings from new research evaluating the use of the PET radiotracer 18F-flotufolastat in patients with primary prostate cancer (PCa) and men with biochemical recurrence of PCa. 

Emerging Research at SNMMI Examines 18F-Flotufolastat in Managing Primary and Recurrent Prostate Cancer

The radiopharmaceutical agent (177Lu)Lu-PSMA-617 (Pluvicto, Novartis) may be a viable option in the treatment of patients with taxane-naïve metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), according to emerging research findings presented at the 2024 Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) Annual Meeting.

, Oliver Sartor, MD, said there are reimbursement challenges as well as mixed results with current androgen receptor pathway inhibitor (ARPI) treatment in this patient population.

“We know (ARPI therapy) is a viable alternative, but we also know these patients will progress and go on to need additional therapy,” noted Dr. Sartor, the director of radiopharmaceutical trials at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

In new research, which garnered Abstract of the Year honors at the SNMMI conference, researchers compared the use of Pluvicto versus a change in ARPI therapy (abiraterone or enzalutamide) in 468 taxane-naïve patients with mCRPC.

In the primary study analysis, the researchers found that patients in the Pluvicto group had a significantly higher median radiographic progression-free survival in comparison to those in the ARPI change group (9.3 months vs. 5.55 months). A second interim analysis revealed that patients in the Pluvicto group had over a 35 percent higher objective response rate (50.7 percent vs. 14.9 percent) and a significantly longer median time to PSA progression (10.55 months vs. 4.24 months) in contrast to patients in the ARPI change cohort.

Dr. Sartor, a co-author of the study, also noted that the second interim analysis showed a lower incidence of grade > 3 adverse events in patients receiving Pluvicto.

Emerging Perspectives on PSMA PET Radiotracers: An Interview with Kenneth J. Pienta, MD

Study: PSMA PET/CT Agent May Rule Out csPCa in 93 Percent of PI-RADS 3 Lesions

While Pluvicto was approved by the FDA for patients with PSMA-positive mRCPC who previously had ARPI therapy and taxane-based chemotherapy, Dr. Sartor suggested there is “reasonable hope” for an expanded indication for Pluvicto in the management of patients with taxane-naïve mRCPC.

“If the FDA does give an approval, it will truly be practice-changing, Insurances will cover it and patients can be treated,” added Dr. Sartor.

For more insights from Dr. Sartor, watch the video below.

Oliver Sartor, MD, discusses the potential of Pluvicto in treating metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in taxane-naive patients.. 

Could Pluvicto Have a Role in Taxane-Naïve mCRPC?: An Interview with Oliver Sartor, MD 

In an interview at the SNMMI 2024 conference, Oliver Sartor, M.D. discussed key findings from new award-winning research evaluating the potential of Pluvicto in treating patients with taxane-naïve metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

Could Pluvicto Have a Role in Taxane-Naive mCRPC?: an Interview with Oliver Sartor, MD

A longtime researcher who has over two decades of experience in the development and assessment of radiopharmaceuticals, Cathy Cutler, Ph.D., said she is excited about the increased patient interest in positron emission tomography (PET).

“We’re at a point where patients know so much more about PET and they’re asking for this. They want to ensure their doctors have these tools to better inform their therapies. It’s exciting to see that. When you talk to patients, they’re out there now fighting with us to help make sure they have access to PET imaging, It’s not where I thought we would be about 20 years ago but it’s very exciting to see that is where we are today,” noted Dr. Cutler, the new president of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

Dr. Cutler said it’s important to build upon that enthusiasm in recruiting talented people into the field. Through recent surveys conducted through the SNMMI’s workforce pipeline, Dr. Cutler noted significant numbers of pending retirees so there is increasing urgency to ramp up recruiting efforts. Noting a visit to a local high school in Toronto by SNMMI leaders during the conference, Dr. Cutler said video testimonials from physicians, scientists, and technologists about the benefits of the field are also being shared with younger audiences to help spark interest.

As the director of the Medical Isotope Research Production and Development Group at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York. Dr. Cutler said isotope availability is an ongoing challenge with demand likely to increase as more radiopharmaceuticals are utilized in patient treatment. Appropriate reimbursement is another challenge in the field, according to Dr. Cutler.

“Unfortunately, the CMS … looks at diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals as supplies, kind of like gloves so they basically bundle the costs,” posted Dr. Cutler. “It turns out those costs really don’t cover what it takes us to manufacture those drugs.”

SNMMI: Study Shows Viability of FAPI PET/CT for Predicting Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis in Lung Disease Patients

Meta-Analysis Assesses Impact of PSMA PET/CT for Staging of Renal Cell Carcinoma

Study: PSMA PET/CT May Rule Out csPCa in 93 Percent of PI-RADS 3 Lesions

New SNMMI President Cathy Cutler, PhD, discusses key challenges and goals in nuclear medicine.

In a recent interview, Cathy Cutler, Ph.D., shared her perspective on a number of topics affecting nuclear medicine, ranging from isotope availability and reimbursement challenges for diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals to increasing patient interest in PET imaging.

New SNMMI President Cathy Cutler, PhD Discusses Current Challenges and Goals for Nuclear Medicine

A higher amount of visceral abdominal fat in one’s midlife years may be an early warning sign for the development of Alzheimer’s disease, according to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) findings recently presented at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) conference.

In a cohort of 54 cognitively healthy people with an average body mass index (BMI) of 32, researchers found that a higher amyloid PET tracer uptake in the precuneus cortex, a brain region known to show early pathological sings of Alzheimer’s disease, was associated with a higher ratio of visceral abdominal fat to subcutaneous fat.

“Showing this association in midlife in individuals with obesity highlights that we are observing early amyloid pathology in the Alzheimer’s (disease) signature areas 20 years before the onset of Alzheimer’s disease,” noted Mahsa Dolatshahi, M.D., M.P.H., the lead author of the study and a postdoctoral research scholar affiliated with the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University, in a recent video interview.

Emerging Neuroradiology Concepts: Could Tau-PET be a New Standard in Assessing Possible Alzheimer’s Disease?

FDA Clears AI-Powered MRI Software for Brain Atrophy

Brain PET Study Suggests Link Between Early Amyloid Accumulation and Repetitive Subconcussive Trauma

Cyrus A. Raji, M.D., Ph.D, said the long relied upon body mass index (BMI) is an “imperfect measure” for characterizing body fat. In taking a closer look at the anatomically specific distribution of visceral fat and subcutaneous fat and its relationship to the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, Dr. Raji noted the preliminary research findings have many potential implications for early intervention.

“By characterizing the actual distribution of fat and the biophysical profiles, we can really start building an idea of who needs a more aggressive form of lifestyle intervention or related drug therapies,” explained Dr. Raji, an associate professor of radiology and neurology at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University. 

“This will not only decrease the risk for Alzheimer’s disease for people at midlife, but it will also improve the potential for people to be more successful on any Alzheimer’s drug they may have to take later in life since individuals who take those drugs are less likely to benefit from those drugs if their underlying brain health is already impaired.”

For additional insights from Drs. Dolatshahi and Raji, watch the video below.

Researchers discuss new MRI and PET study findings that show a link between higher visceral abdominal fat and early development of Alzheimer's disease.

Emerging MRI and PET Research Reveals Link Between Visceral Abdominal Fat and Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease

In a recent interview, Mahsa Dolatshahi, M.D., M.P.H., and Cyrus A. Raji, M.D., Ph.D., discussed MRI and PET study findings, presented at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) conference, that showed an association between higher amyloid PET tracer uptake in the precuneus cortex and a higher visceral to subcutaneous fat ratio.

Emerging MRI and PET Research Reveals Link Between Visceral Abdominal Fat and Early Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

Artificial intelligence (AI) is of course one of, if not the hottest topic at this year's 

, but how is all of the hype translating to clinical practice?

As exciting as new technology can be, actually using that technology requires a great deal of effort, especially for larger institutions that are faced with training dozens of radiology staff. 

User education is a key component to adoption and uptake, according to Nina Kottler, MD, MS, associate chief medical officer of clinical artificial intelligence at Radiology Partners. Dr. Kottler spoke with 

 at RSNA 2023, where she reflected on Radiology Partners hitting (and recently surpassing) an impressive milestone: utilizing clinical AI in more than 20 million patient exams. None of that would be possible without purposeful training programs to make sure that radiology end-users are comfortable with the new technology and understand the key benefits of use. 

Dr. Kottler, who is also an associate fellow at Stanford University's Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Imaging (AIMI), also spoke about what she has observed in terms of the affect that AI is having on radiology workflows. 

Watch the interview below for additional insights on AI. 

Nina Kottler, MD, MS, of Radiology Partners, discusses the importance of user education to improve uptake of AI technology and improve ROI. 

Nina Kottler, MD, MS on AI Adoption in Radiology

Click here for more coverage of RSNA 2023.

Dr. Kottler sat down with Diagnostic Imaging at RSNA 2023 to discuss AI imaging milestones and the potential impact of AI on workflows in radiology. 

Nina Kottler, MD, MS on Adoption and Impact of AI in Radiology

Radiology experts discuss the current knowledge and use of PSMA-PET screening among colleagues, as well as unmet needs.

Current Use of PSMA-PET Scans for Prostate Cancer

 Do you think that PSMA-PET is already there or eventually will be the standard of care for patients with prostate cancer? And if it’s not, are we just on the horizon of it? What are your thoughts, Dr Sohi?

Molecular Imaging

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