Combined PET-MR: A Technology Becomes Mature

Researchers examine the use of combined PET/MR in their study published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine run by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). With breakthroughs in finding new detectors to replace photomultiplier tubes (PMT) in traditional PET, such as avalanche photodiodes (APD), Geiger-mode APDs (AKA silicon PMTs or solid-state PMTs), and silicon photomultipliers (SiPM), tolerance to magnetic fields and time-of-flight PET scans became possible. X-Z LAB’s Basic Detector Module (BDM) | PET Detector Module utilizes this technology and enhances it with our patented multi-voltage threshold (MVT) algorithm. Although the researchers do not see combined PET/MR
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Genetic Loci Influence Cancer Risk from Low-Dose Radiation

Scientific Reports published a new study from researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) examining the risk of mammary cancer in mice from low-dose radiation, which the researchers defined as 100 millisieverts (mSv). For most mice, low-dose radiation had no effect on their risk of cancer. Some even gained more protection from cancer after the dose. However, the other end of the spectrum occurred as well, with some mice becoming more susceptible. Of those mice, the scientists identified thirteen genetic loci that contribute to tumor susceptibility. The researchers hope to find similar loci in humans in the future,
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The Lasting Effects of Radiation

It is interesting: without radiation, there would not be life on earth. With too much, like water or salt, the balance of life and death is precariously close. Four years after Fukushima1 was hit with a huge earthquake and resulting tsunami that caused a nuclear meltdown at the local power plant, the public is still unable to return to normalcy. Personal radiation detectors like X-Z LAB’s RadPavise | Personal Radiation Detector (PRD) are able to help first responders and safety officers in situations in Japan. Not only are they able to detect the presence of radiation like traditional analog detectors do, but they also
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PET-MR More Effectively Diagnoses Cause of Foot Pain than PET-CT

A new study shows that imaging with PET/MR provides better diagnostic information than with PET/CT, reports EurekAlert!, the science news service run by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Published in the March issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine from the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), the study compared the image quality and diagnostic performance between the two methods when used to obtain more information about undiagnosed foot pain from twenty-two patients. In their evaluation, PET/MR was found to have significantly higher image quality while providing more diagnostic relevant findings. With very promising
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