This book provides a comprehensive state-of-the-art review of pediatric nuclear medicine, encompassing both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Detailed attention is paid to the role of FDG PET-CT within oncology, but a variety of other long-established or less frequently used diagnostic procedures are also covered. Each indication is critically discussed from a clinical perspective, with analysis of benefits and limitations and comparison against the information yield of alternative techniques. The coverage of therapy based on radiopharmaceuticals includes the most relevant current strategies, including those utilizing radioiodine, MIBG, or radiolabelled peptides. In addition, issues concerning the radiation risk of nuclear medicine procedures in children are addressed. All chapters have been written by international experts and include the most up-to-date scientific and clinical information.

This book, written by authors with national and international reputations in the field, covers all aspects of radionuclide and hybrid bone imaging. Introductory sections present the basic science and consider the current status and limitations of conventional radiological techniques. The underlying principles of PET-CT and SPECT-CT are carefully explained, and the value of different PET and SPECT tracers, assessed. The role of single- and dual-modality approaches in the imaging of benign bone diseases and malignancies is then discussed in detail in a series of well-illustrated chapters. The pathologies addressed include metabolic bone disease, arthritis, bone and joint infections, primary bone and soft tissue tumors, and metastases from breast and prostate cancer. A further section considers the role of bone scintigraphy in the pediatric patient, and the closing chapters focus on miscellaneous subjects, including bone densitometry and radionuclide targeted therapy.

This volume provides a comprehensive overview of recent developments in magnetic particle imaging (MPI), a novel imaging modality. Using various static and oscillating magnetic fields, and tracer materials made from iron oxide nanoparticles, MPI can perform background-free measurements of the particles' local concentration. The method exploits the nonlinear remagnetization behavior of the particles and has the potential to surpass current methods for the detection of iron oxide in terms of sensitivity and spatiotemporal resolution. Starting from an introduction to the technology, the topics addressed include setting up an imaging device, assessment of image quality, development of new MPI tracer materials, and the first preclinical results. This is the first book to be published on magnetic particle imaging, and it will be an invaluable source of information for everyone with an interest in this exciting new modality.

99mTc-sestamibi is a single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) radiotracer that is widely used for the imaging of myocardial perfusion, as well as a variety of malignant and benign diseases. 99mTc-Sestamibi - Clinical Applications provides a detailed and informative overview of almost all the oncologic and non-oncologic applications of 99mTc-sestamibi SPECT, including several relatively rare indications. Different disease-related protocols for 99mTc-sestamibi SPECT are presented, and for each disease a comprehensive summary of the relevant pathology and epidemiology is provided. Throughout, there is a strong emphasis on the practical aspects of use of this popular tracer, including instructions for the preparation of several commercially available tracer kits. Clinical practitioners will find this book to be an invaluable guide to the application and benefits of 99mTc-sestamibi SPECT in both the inpatient and the outpatient setting.

Although lymphoscintigraphy was originally introduced into clinical routine for identification of the cause of peripheral edema, more recently it has been widely applied for radioguided biopsy of the sentinel lymph node in patients with solid cancers. The procedure is now considered crucial for adequate planning of oncologic surgery in a growing number of cancers. This atlas presents a collection of richly illustrated teaching cases that demonstrate the clinical relevance and impact of lymphoscintigraphy in different pathologic conditions. After introductory chapters on the anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology of lymphatic circulation, the role of lymphoscintigraphy in differential diagnosis of peripheral edema and characterization of intracavitary lymph effusions is addressed. The principal focus of the book, however, is on the use of lymphoscintigraphic mapping for radioguided sentinel node biopsy in cutaneous melanoma and cancers at a range of anatomic sites. The most commonly observed lymphoscintigraphic patterns are depicted, and anatomic variants and technical pitfalls of the procedure receive careful attention. The role of tomographic multimodality imaging is also considered. The atlas will be an excellent learning tool for residents in nuclear medicine and other specialists with an interest in the field.

Due to the latest developments in magnetic resonance imaging for the evaluation of liver pathology, a second, completely revised and enlarged edition of this book was felt necessary - despite only three years having elapsed since the first edition. All chapters from the first edition have been revised and enriched with additional illustrations and information. New chapters have been added covering important and highly relevant topics, among which imaging of pseudolesions, imaging of neoplastic diseases in pediatric subjects, imaging of bile ducts, MR angiography and imaging pre and post liver transplantation. Particular attention has been paid to the differential use of contrast agents with emphasis placed on the authors' broad experience of MR imaging of focal liver lesions using different contrast agents. The diverse mechanisms of action of all MR contrast agents applicable for liver imaging are explained in detail and comparative examples are provided. As was the case with the first edition, this book will prove invaluable to radiologists wishing to further expand or consolidate their routine approach to MR imaging of the liver.

This book aims to provide a complete overview of the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). It has been conceived to be both a detailed guide for clinical practice and an updated reference for all those involved in the evaluation of GISTs imaging. The publication provides comprehensive descriptions of the full range of common imaging and non imaging techniques used in the diagnosis and followup of GISTs. Techniques reviewed include: Conventional radiography* Endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound* Conventional, color-Doppler and contrast-enhanced ultrasound* Computed tomography* Magnetic resonance imaging, and* Contrast-enhanced PET/CT imaging. Both medical and surgical treatment strategies are also fully reviewed. Finally, the book concludes with a chapter that aims to stimulate widespread interest in the formation of new GISTs Units. Written by experts in the field, the book is enriched throughout by numerous black-and-white and color images, making it an invaluable source of information as well as an indispensable guide to interpreting images for radiologists, gastroenterologists, pathologists, oncologists and surgeons.

Nuclear Medicine Therapy presents the state of the art in targeted radionuclide therapy, both in clinical practice and contemporary clinical investigation and trials. With contributions from an internationally-distinguished group of physicians and scientists, the book is devoted entirely to the use of nuclear medicine techniques and technology for therapy of malignant and benign diseases. Individual chapters cover the scientific principles and clinical applications of radionuclide therapy and the state of clinical trials of agents currently under investigation in the therapy of tumors involving virtually every organ system. Due to overlapping interest in techniques, indications, and clinical use, the development of radionuclide therapy attracts considerable input from other medical specialists whose collaboration is essential, including radiation and medical oncologists, hematologists, diagnostic radiologists, hepatologists, endocrinologists, and rheumatologists. And because radionuclide therapy is a rapidly evolving field of nuclear medicine, it is the aim of this volume to appeal to all specialists involved in targeted radionuclide therapy and to contribute to the standardization of the practice globally.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of diagnostic imaging in infectious diseases. It starts with a general review of infectious diseases, including their classification, characteristics and epidemiology. In separate chapters, the authors then introduce the radionuclide imaging of 50 kinds of infectious diseases. Volume 1 covers 21 viral infections. Volume 2 has 29 chapters discussing 24 bacterial infections and 5 parasitic infections. Each disease is clearly illustrated using cases combined with high-quality computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The book provides a valuable reference source for radiologists and doctors working in the area of infectious diseases.

In compiling this textbook on the exciting novel imaging modality of PET/MRI, the editors have brought together a truly international group of experts in the field. The book is divided into two parts. The first part covers methodology and equipment and includes chapters on basic molecular medicine, contrast agents, MR attenuation and validation, and quantitative MRI and PET motion correction. The second part of the book focuses on clinical applications in oncology, cardiology, and neurology. Imaging of major neoplasms is covered in a series of individual chapters. Further chapters address functional and metabolic cardiovascular examinations and major central nervous system applications such as brain tumors and dementias. This book will be of interest to all radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians who wish to learn more about the latest developments in this important emerging imaging modality and its applications.

In the past two decades much has been published on whiplash injury, yet both the confusion regarding the condition and the medicolegal discussion surrounding it have increased. In this scenario, a guide to recent and current international research in the field is more necessary than ever. Especially functional imaging methods - such as single-photon emission tomography, positron emission tomography, functional MRI, and hybrid techniques - have demonstrated a variety of significant brain alterations. This book accordingly offers a critical approach to the challenging interpretation of the new research data obtained using functional neuroimaging in whiplash injury. It covers all aspects, including the imaging tools themselves and the different methods of image analysis. Whiplash Injury: New Methods of Functional Neuroimaging will hopefully help patients, their relatives and friends, physicians, and others to understand this condition as a disease.

This atlas fills a gap in the literature by documenting in detail the role of nuclear medicine imaging of infection and inflammation. The pathophysiologic and molecular mechanisms on which radionuclide imaging of infection/inflammation is based are clearly explained, but the prime focus of the book is on the clinical relevance of such procedures. Their impact is demonstrated by a collection of richly illustrated teaching cases that describe the most commonly observed scintigraphic patterns, as well as anatomic variants and technical pitfalls. Due attention is paid to the application of recently developed techniques, including multimodality fusion imaging such as SPECT/CT and PET/CT. Emphasis is placed in particular on the ability of multimodality imaging to increase both the sensitivity and the specificity of radionuclide imaging. This atlas will be an excellent learning tool for residents in nuclear medicine and illuminating for other specialists with an interest in the field.

The Institute of Nuclear Medicine, founded in 1961, celebrates with this Festschrift, its Golden Jubilee. It has been a remarkable 50 years of progress of the radionuclide tracer methodology. From initial, physiology based experimentation, a full independent medical discipline evolved, and with it, a comprehensive clinical service. Diagnosis and Treatment with radiotracers have established the basis for Nuclear Medicine. Technological advances have permeated the field like none other, its multidisciplinary character and its translational research are embedded in the history of the Institute and its success. Recent and latest advances in the field promise a future as bright as has been witnessed and documented in the last 50 years.

The Third Edition of this classic text presents the basic concepts of PET imaging technology. Topics include basic physics of PET imaging; detectors, scanners and data collection; storage, display, and PACS; PET radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals; reimbursement for PET procedures; and performance of PET studies. This revised edition is thoroughly updated and includes information on new PET scanning detectors and PET/MRI scanners; PET/MRI data acquisition; software packages; recently developed PET radiopharmaceuticals; and new procedures for PET studies. To maximize understanding, the book includes pertinent basic science principles, equations, sample problems and practice questions. Basics of PET Imaging, Third Edition, is an ideal resource for nuclear medicine physicians, residents and technologists.

This book reviews the philosophies, theories, and principles that underpin assessment and evaluation in radiology education, highlighting emerging practices and work done in the field. The sometimes conflicting assessment and evaluation needs of accreditation bodies, academic programs, trainees, and patients are carefully considered. The final section of the book examines assessment and evaluation in practice, through the development of rich case studies reflecting the implementation of a variety of approaches. This is the third book in a trilogy devoted to radiology education. The previous two books focused on the culture and the learning organizations in which our future radiologists are educated and on the application of educational principles in the education of radiologists. Here, the trilogy comes full circle: attending to the assessment and evaluation of the education of its members has much to offer back to the learning of the organization.

The fourth edition of this well-established text has been completely revised and updated to reflect developments in the science and practice of radiopharmacy that have taken place over the last ten years. As the demand for radiopharmacists continues to increase, this book aims to meet the need for specialised information on the use of radiopharmaceuticals in the detection and treatment of diseases and conditions. The book is divided into the following six sections: * physics applied to radiopharmacy * medicinal radio-elements * radiopharmacology and radiopharmacokinetics * radiopharmaceutics: formulation, preparation and quality assurance * radiopharmacy practice * new techniques for design and testing of radiopharmaceuticals. Sampson's Textbook of Radiopharmacy is supported by the UK Radiopharmacy Group and includes contributions from experts worldwide. It is the only up-to-date reference that covers the regulation of radiopharmacy practice in the UK, the USA and Europe. This book is essential reading for advanced students specialising in radiopharmacy and will serve as a lifelong reference for radiopharmacists practising in PET (Positron Emission Tomography) centres, nuclear medicine centres and radiopharmacies, as well as those working in research or the pharmaceutical industry.

Intended for nuclear medicine specialists in training, it is equally an invaluable reference for other professionals and students. The richly illustrated chapters are devoted to individual organs and systems, with each chapter depicting the findings in selected pathological cases and in healthy individuals, with a comparison of nuclear medicine with other diagnostic imaging modalities. The full potential and also the limitations of modern nuclear medicine are described and sources of error are elucidated. The author is a well-versed nuclear medicine specialist with experience in research, teaching and clinical practice.

This fully revised second edition of Top 3 Differentials in Radiology provides a comprehensive core exam review of frequently encountered imaging gamuts in all major radiological subspecialties. Author William O'Brien utilizes the widely acclaimed format of his first edition, with 330 new and updated radiology cases organized into 12 core subspecialty sections. The last section, "Roentgen Classics," includes cases from each of the previous core sections, with imaging findings characteristic of a single diagnosis. This book reflects content included in the current radiology board examinations with accurate and concise descriptions of key differentials, which are integral to acing the boards. Each case is formatted as a two-page unit. The left page features clinical images, succinctly captioned radiographic findings, and pertinent clinical history. The right page includes the key imaging gamut, differential diagnoses rank-ordered by the Top 3, additional diagnostic considerations, and clinical pearls. Key Features More than 700 high quality images, including advanced imaging techniques Rank ordered differentials organized into the Top 3 and additional diagnostic considerations A high-yield review of important imaging and clinical manifestations for all entities on the list of differentials Imaging pearls at the end of each case provide a quick review of key points This outstanding resource provides radiologists and trainees with a solid foundation of core radiology topics and a wide spectrum of key imaging findings encountered in clinical practice. It is a must-have for radiology residents preparing for board examinations. Veteran radiologists looking for a comprehensive review of critical topics in radiology will also find this book invaluable.

This book explains clearly and in detail all aspects of radiation protection in nuclear medicine, including measurement quantities and units, detectors and dosimeters, and radiation biology. Discussion of radiation doses to patients and to embryos, fetuses, and children forms a central part of the book. Phantom models, biokinetic models, calculations, and software solutions are all considered, and a further chapter is devoted to quality assurance and reference levels. Occupational exposure also receives detailed attention. Exposure resulting from the production, labeling, and injection of radiopharmaceuticals and from contact with patients is discussed and shielding calculations are explained. The book closes by considering exposure of the public and summarizing the "rules of thumb" for radiation protection in nuclear medicine. This is an ideal textbook for students and a ready source of useful information for nuclear medicine specialists and medical physics experts.

In this volume an account is given of the technologies relevant to the detection of sentinel lymph nodes in the context of surgical oncology. This is a rapidly and evolving field, and the clinical applications discussed in this volume are exciting and important. A multidisciplinary team was assembled to discuss this subject in the light of direct experience gained by each of the groups in the previous 12 months. Clinical case material is presented and the methodology of sentinel lymph node imaging and detection is discussed in detail. The authors have assembled in a single volume a significant amount of personal data and a comprehensive literature review which will serve as a single reference and teaching source for all those interested in this critical technique relevant to the management of large numbers of patients in surgical oncology.

This book presents a comprehensive review of nuclear cardiology principles and concepts necessary to pass the Nuclear Cardiology Technology Specialty Examination. The practice questions are similar in format and content to those found on the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) and American Registry of Radiological Technologists (ARRT) examinations, allowing test takers to maximize their chances of success. The book is organized by test sections of increasing difficulty, with over 600 multiple-choice questions covering all areas of nuclear cardiology, including radionuclides, instrumentation, radiation safety, patient care, and diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Detailed answers and explanations to the practice questions follow. It also includes helpful test-taking tips. Supplementary appendices include commonly used abbreviations and symbols in nuclear medicine, glossary of cardiology terms, and useful websites. Nuclear Cardiology Study Guide is a valuable reference for nuclear medicine technologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and all other imaging professionals in need of a concise review of nuclear cardiology.

PRACTICAL FDG IMAGING provides the reader with a reference source of cases with FDG images obtained both on dedicated PET tomographs and hybrid scintillation cameras. The cases are presented in thorough depth so that they are of value to both specialists and residents in training who need to learn the indications and interpretations of FDG images and the advantages and limitations of hybrid scintillation cameras compared to dedicated PET tomographs. This book is ideal for nuclear and radiology medicine residents, as well as those practitioners who need to become familiar with this technology. The first part of the book concentrates on the technical aspects of FDG imaging. Part two is devoted to the clinical applications in the fields of neurology, cardiology and oncology.

Coronary flow reserve is an important functional parameter to understand the pathophysiology of coronary circulation. Coronary flow reserve measurement is used to assess epicardial coronary stenoses or to examine the integrity of microvascular circulation. An appreciation of coronary physiology is an integral part of clinical decision-making for cardiologists treating patients with coronary artery disease. The pioneering research efforts of Dr Lance Gould, who explored the relationship between the anatomic severity of a stenosis and its flow resistance (59;60) , have been transferred to clinical practice (94; 194). In the absence of stenosis in epicardial coronary artery, the coronary flow reserve may be decreased when coronary microvascular circulation is compromised by arterial hypertension with or without left ventricular hypertrophy, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, or other diseases. Several techniques have been established for measuring coronary flow reserve. However, these techniques are either invasive (intracoronary Doppler flow wire), highly expensive and scarcely available (Positron Emission Tomography - PET) or semi-invasive and causing patient discomfort (transesophageal Doppler echocardiography), thus their clinical use is limited. Because of the clinical importance of coronary flow reserve there is a need for a simple, noninvasive, repeatable and inexpensive tool capable of this functional evaluation. This monograph focuses on the assessment of coronary flow reserve using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography - the technique fulfilling the above-mentioned criteria. Transthoracic Doppler echocardiography has become a popular tool evolving from a research to diagnostic technique applied in everyday practice.

Because of the current progress in molecular medicine (genomics, proteomics), a plethora of new and often human-specific targets are being identified. These targets often play a significant role in the pathogenesis of diseases, and identifying them offers the potential for early diagnosis and intervention. An early in vivo validation of specific ligands binding to these targets in humans is needed to as- sess their potential for targeted imaging and radiotherapy. Further- VI Preface more, such validation studies may allow for a better understanding of the molecular processes underlying phannacologic activity and therefore for a more successful development of phannaceuticals in general. The purpose of the Ernst Schering Research Foundation (ESRF) Workshop 48 was to provide a forum for an open exchange on the state of the art in the early development of such radiophanna- ceuticals. Experts from academia, industry, and regulatory authori- ties were invited to give presentations on aspects covering the identi- fication of targets, preclinical studies on the safety of ligands, as well as their validation in human clinical trials. It was our intention to cover both the opportunities and the challenges that scientists in this field are facing. Radiopharmaceuticals are uniquely suitable for the above-men- tioned target validation studies.

The European Collaboration on Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT), conceived in 1987 and successful in 1989 in gaining financial support as a Concerted Action through the Medical and Health Research Programme of the Commission ofthe European Communities (CEC) in Brussels, considered it an opportune moment to hold its annual Plenary Meeting on 18-20 Septem ber 1991 as an International Workshop entitled "Towards Clinical Trials of Glioma with BNCT". The background to this consideration was influenced by the world-wide resurgence ofinterest in NCT over the last 2 decades and by the exemplifica tions at the Fourth International Symposium on Neutron Capture Therapy for Cancer held in Sydney in December 1990, where it was strongly indicated that within the next 2 years clinical trials would be started both in Europe and the United States. In particular at the High Flux Reactor of the Joint Research Centre of the CEC at Petten in The Netherlands, an epithermal neutron beam designed and installed in the summer of 1990 recently became operable at full reactor power. An extensive series ofexperiments, including the nuclear and radiobiological characterisation of the beam and a healthy tissue tolerance study on canines has started and has the aim to define the preconditions for clinical trials onpatients with Grade III/IV glioma. However, as with any other new therapy modality, it must be demon strated that BNCT is safe for the patient and has a reasonable chance of being an effective therapy.