Radionuclide And Hybrid Bone Imaging

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 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.

The British Nuclear Medicine Society celebrates its 50th Anniversary with this booklet, which reflects the research of many of the pioneers in the use of radionuclides for the diagnosis and therapy of human disease. Since 1949 there have been remarkable advances in radionuclide techniques and imaging equipment: from the first devices “home-made” in the many physics departments throughout the UK, to the sophisticated multimodality imagers now in everyday use in Nuclear Medicine. The BNMS has been instrumental in promoting the use of radionuclide techniques in the investigation of pathology by supporting and providing education, research and guidelines on the optimum use of radiation to help patients. The future of Nuclear Medicine is bright, thanks to improved imaging resolution, new radiopharmaceuticals, and new diagnostic and therapeutic techniques and procedures.

Building on the traditional concept of nuclear medicine, this textbook presents cutting-edge concepts of hybrid imaging and discusses the close interactions between nuclear medicine and other clinical specialties, in order to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients. Today the diagnostic applications of nuclear medicine are no longer stand-alone procedures, separate from other diagnostic imaging modalities. This is especially true for hybrid imaging guided interventional radiology or surgical procedures. Accordingly, today’s nuclear medicine specialists are actually specialists in multimodality imaging (in addition to their expertise in the diagnostic and therapeutic uses of radionuclides). This new role requires a new core curriculum for training nuclear medicine specialists. This textbook is designed to meet these new educational needs, and to prepare nuclear physicians and technologists for careers in this exciting specialty.

Integrated single photon emission computed tomography and computed tomography (SPECT/CT) has emerged as an important diagnostic tool in medical imaging, where morphological markers are superimposed on anatomical images to allow a more thorough examination and higher levels of diagnostic accuracy. This TECDOC presents an overview of the SPECT/CT technology for use by nuclear medicine physicians, radiologists and clinical practitioners. The publication also covers the current medical status of SPECT/CT imaging, the role of this technology in the clinical management of patients and possible trends for future development.

This pocket book is the first of its kind on sodium fluoride (18F-NaF)-PET and addresses skeletal as well as cardiovascular applications. In malignant metastatic diseases 18F-NaF-PET has already demonstrated its benefits in cancer staging, re-staging, follow-up and response evaluation. It also has an emerging diagnostic role in the calcified soft-tissue metastases of primary bone tumours, and can be applied to evaluate cardiovascular diseases, such as calcifications in heart valves and peripheral vascular disease. The book is divided into 11 chapters: five on oncology, four addressing the general aspects of skeletal conditions, and two on cardiovascular diseases. It offers a valuable guide for referring colleagues, nuclear medicine physicians/radiologists and aid clinicians, and highlights the main applications and limitations of 18F-NaF-PET hybrid imaging (PET/CT).