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Diagnostics
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Advances in Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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Advances in Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Imaging and Theranostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2025) | Viewed by 2416

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Gabriele Masselli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Radiology Department, Umberto I Hospital Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
Interests: body MRI; PET/CT; pediatric radiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue highlights the latest breakthroughs in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, showcasing cutting-edge technologies and their transformative impact on diagnostics and therapeutics. Key advancements include the development of novel radiotracers that enhance the precision of imaging modalities, such as PET and SPECT, enabling earlier and more accurate detection of diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions. The integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning into imaging analysis is also explored, offering improved data interpretation and personalized treatment planning. Additionally, this Special Issue delves into theranostics, a rapidly growing field that combines diagnostic imaging with targeted radionuclide therapy, revolutionizing patient care by tailoring treatments to individual molecular profiles. Contributions from leading experts emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of these innovations, bridging radiology, oncology, and computational sciences. This collection not only underscores the current state of the field but also envisions future directions, emphasizing the potential of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging to redefine precision medicine and improve clinical outcomes globally.

Dr. Gabriele Masselli
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cancer
  • cardiovascular imaging
  • neurodegenerative conditions
  • computed tomography
  • molecular imaging
  • neuroimaging
  • positron emission tomography (PET)
  • single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)
  • nuclear medicine
  • molecular imaging
  • theranostics
  • response evaluation

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1512 KB  
Article
Granzyme B PET Imaging Enables Detection of CAR T-Cell Therapy Response in a Human Melanoma Mouse Model
by Priska Summer, Niklas Bulmer, Suma Prabhu, Naomi Gallon, Rebecca C. Larson, Marcela V. Maus, Umar Mahmood and Pedram Heidari
Diagnostics 2025, 15(23), 3058; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15233058 - 30 Nov 2025
Viewed by 308
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Granzyme B (GZB) PET Imaging is a non-invasive tool that can determine tumoral and systemic effects in immunotherapy. We aim to evaluate 68Ga-NOTA-CYT-200 PET Imaging as a molecular imaging approach to determine CAR T-cell therapy response in a human melanoma [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Granzyme B (GZB) PET Imaging is a non-invasive tool that can determine tumoral and systemic effects in immunotherapy. We aim to evaluate 68Ga-NOTA-CYT-200 PET Imaging as a molecular imaging approach to determine CAR T-cell therapy response in a human melanoma mouse model. Our goal is to provide a method to monitor CAR T-cell therapy for patients with melanoma and other solid tumors. Methods: A human melanoma mouse model was generated by implanting naïve NSG mice (n = 28) with a human melanoma cell line (A375) subcutaneously (s.c.). After tumor implantation, mice were randomly assigned to receive either the treatment (CAR T) or vehicle solution (controls). After treatment, tumor sizes were measured every other day up to 35 days after cell implantation. 68Ga-NOTA-CYT-200 PET Imaging was performed on days 2, 7, and 14 after CAR T-cell administration to assess T-cell activity within the tumors and organs. The PET Imaging results were correlated with IHC and immunofluorescent staining and cytokine assessment of tumor samples. Results: Tracer uptake within tumors of the CAR T group was significantly greater on days 2 (3.1 ± 1.2 vs. 1.1 ± 0.4, p = 0.002) and 7 (2.0 ± 1.1 vs. 1.1 ± 0.1, p = 0.01) after treatment, even before the CAR T group first presented with significantly lower tumor volumes on day 11 after treatment (61.8 mm3 ± 8.7 vs. 287.1 mm3 ± 157.6, p = 0.05). GZB (p = 0.03) and CAR T (p = 0.001) staining were also significantly greater in tumors of CAR T-cell-treated mice. Inflammatory cytokines such as IFN gamma (p = 0.03), CXCL10 (p = 0.004), and CCL5 (p = 0.02) concentrations were also significantly greater in CAR T-cell-treated tumors. Conclusions: CAR-T-treated tumors show significantly elevated 68Ga-NOTA-CYT-200 uptake compared with controls, consistent with enhanced effector activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging)
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10 pages, 968 KB  
Article
Prognostic Value of Automated Bone Scan Index (aBSI) in Patients with mCRPC Undergoing Three vs. Six Cycles of 223Ra Therapy
by Sophie C. Siegmund, Harun Ilhan, Antonia Gerull, Andrei Todica, Marcus Unterrainer, Astrid Delker, Franz Josef Gildehaus, Can D. Aydogdu, Christian G. Stief, Rudolf A. Werner, Lena M. Unterrainer and Mathias J. Zacherl
Diagnostics 2025, 15(16), 2007; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15162007 - 11 Aug 2025
Viewed by 688
Abstract
Background/Objectives: In patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and osseous metastases only, 223Radium therapy represents a valuable therapeutic option. Bone scintigraphy (BS) is typically performed to assess metastasis load, with the BS-derived automated bone scan index (aBSI) used for response [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: In patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and osseous metastases only, 223Radium therapy represents a valuable therapeutic option. Bone scintigraphy (BS) is typically performed to assess metastasis load, with the BS-derived automated bone scan index (aBSI) used for response assessment. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of aBSI in patients receiving three or six cycles of 223Ra therapy. Methods: We included patients that were diagnosed with extensive osseous tumor load on BS, had no visceral or nodal metastases, had undergone 223Ra therapy. The aBSI prior to and following three or six cycles of therapy, total tumor volume (TTV), SUVmax, and overall survival were analyzed. Results: This study included 49 mCRPC patients (mean age: 70 ± 9 years) with 42 (85.7%) receiving six and 7 (14.3%) receiving three cycles. After three cycles, the mean aBSI (p = 0.369), TTV (p = 0.902), and SUVmax (p = 0.149) remained unchanged. After six cycles, the mean aBSI (p = 0.247) and TTV (p = 0.784) were unchanged, while SUVmax decreased significantly (p = 0.001). The aBSI did not significantly correlate with the mean aBSI (six cycles: χ2 = 1.823, p = 0.177; three cycles: χ2 = 0.308, p = 0.579). Conclusions: Although quantitative changes in TTV and aBSI did not significantly correlate with each other, their respective absolute values consistently indicated stable disease burden under therapy. This highlights its potential as a useful tool for monitoring disease burden while indicating that aBSI alone is insufficient for predicting overall survival. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging)
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Review

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19 pages, 667 KB  
Review
Prostate Cancer Imaging Beyond PSMA: Applications of GRPR, AR, and Amino Acid Tracers
by Farzana Z. Ali
Diagnostics 2025, 15(21), 2737; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15212737 - 28 Oct 2025
Viewed by 966
Abstract
Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) targeting agents have been the cornerstone of advanced prostate cancer (PCa) management in theranostics due to their high sensitivity for detecting and treating metastatic disease. However, approximately one-third of metastatic castration-resistant PCa (mCRPC) lesions may exhibit low or absent [...] Read more.
Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) targeting agents have been the cornerstone of advanced prostate cancer (PCa) management in theranostics due to their high sensitivity for detecting and treating metastatic disease. However, approximately one-third of metastatic castration-resistant PCa (mCRPC) lesions may exhibit low or absent PSMA expression due to tumor heterogeneity, prior androgen deprivation therapy, or loss of androgen receptor expression, subsequently altering their response to PSMA-targeted therapy. The molecular and biological mechanisms underlying PSMA downregulation remain elusive but may include neuroendocrine differentiation or epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). This review addresses this knowledge gap by examining recent preclinical and clinical evidence on novel radiotracers with the potential to provide alternative strategies beyond PSMA for imaging and treating PCa. The diagnostic performance and therapeutic potential of three emerging radiotracer classes are discussed, including gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) ligands, androgen receptor (AR) ligands, and amino acid analogs. This article further highlights the complementary roles of these radiotracers along with their utility in specific patient populations, such as those with low prostate-specific antigen (PSA), biochemical recurrence (BCR), or confirmed PSMA-negative disease. For instance, GRPR-targeted radiotracers have achieved sensitivity of up to 88% and specificity of up to 90% for detecting primary tumors in PCa. The radiolabeled androgen agonist, fluorine-18 (18F)-fluoro-5α-dihydrotestosterone (FDHT), has demonstrated 98% true-positive rate in predicting lesions on positron emission tomography (PET) scans of mCRPC patients. On the other hand, the synthetic amino acid analog 18F-fluciclovine demonstrated a lesion detection rate of 84% for PSA levels at or above 5, and 62.5% for PSA levels ranging from 0.7 to less than 1. This review concludes with future directions on the paradigm of multi-tracer and dual-targeting strategies, which can effectively address challenges associated with PCa tumor heterogeneity and facilitate personalized approaches in theranostics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging)
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