Reston, VA (August 29, 2025)—In a groundbreaking series of studies published ahead-of-print in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine (JNM), researchers have unveiled a host of advances that promise to reshape the future landscape of nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, and precision theranostics. These developments highlight transformative innovations in PET/CT imaging technologies, novel radiotracers, and therapeutic strategies that together drive forward personalized medicine, offering unmatched precision in diagnosing and treating complex diseases such as cancer and viral infections.
At the forefront of imaging technology, one study delved into the capabilities of continuous bed motion combined with ultrahigh sensitivity in total-body PET/CT scans. This novel approach addresses a critical challenge in nuclear medicine: balancing scan speed and image quality without compromising diagnostic accuracy. Using a combination of phantom models and human patient data, the researchers demonstrated that continuous bed motion allows for more comprehensive whole-body imaging with minimal degradation in recovery coefficients and spatial resolution. This breakthrough not only shortens scan times but also sustains robust correlations in lesion and tissue uptake metrics, paving the way for faster, more reliable clinical workflows in oncologic and inflammatory disease assessment.
Expanding the diagnostic horizon beyond conventional applications, another research team introduced a nanobody-based PET tracer specifically designed to track myeloid cell dynamics during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Utilizing nonhuman primate models, the study revealed an unprecedented ability to visualize immune activation and inflammation in lymphoid organs such as lymph nodes, spleen, and bone marrow—regions often overlooked in traditional pulmonary-focused imaging. This innovative tracer permits real-time monitoring of the complex immune responses underlying COVID-19 progression and recovery, offering novel insight into systemic inflammation and opening avenues for therapeutic intervention and disease staging.
Complementing these technological strides, a novel PET imaging tracer labeled with gallium-68, ⁶⁸Ga-DOTA-MGS5, was evaluated in a pioneering pilot study targeting cholecystokinin 2 (CCK2) receptors. This receptor is overexpressed in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and certain neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). The results showcased compelling lesion detection capabilities and significant radiotracer uptake in MTC and bronchopulmonary NETs, underscoring its potential as a superior diagnostic tool. However, the tracer’s efficacy appeared limited in gastroenteropancreatic NETs, suggesting that receptor heterogeneity across tumor types necessitates further molecular characterization for optimal clinical utility.
Another highly innovative approach was the development of a CD70-specific radiotracer, ⁴⁴Sc-CHX-A″-DTPA-RCCB6, tested primarily in Burkitt lymphoma models. CD70, a surface antigen of the tumor necrosis factor family, is markedly expressed in diverse malignancies and represents a promising target for imaging and therapy. Preclinical evaluations demonstrated the tracer’s strong selective uptake in CD70-expressing tumors while effectively sparing low-expression tissues, indicating high specificity and potential for enhanced disease staging, treatment monitoring, and perhaps even targeted radionuclide therapy. This breakthrough underscores the transformative potential of receptor-driven precision imaging agents in hematologic oncology.
In the realm of therapeutic innovation, the synergistic combination of PSMA-targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy with immunotherapy in prostate cancer was extensively reviewed. While ¹⁷⁷Lu-PSMA-617 has already revolutionized treatment paradigms by markedly improving survival, resistance and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments pose substantial hurdles. The review synthesized emerging preclinical and clinical evidence supporting the addition of immune checkpoint inhibitors to PSMA radiotherapy. By potentially overcoming tumor-induced immune evasion, this combined approach promises to amplify antitumor immunity, prolong clinical responses, and set the stage for next-generation multimodal therapies that harness both radiation and immunologic mechanisms for durable cancer control.
Together, these studies exemplify how advances in molecular imaging and theranostics are refining the precision medicine paradigm. By enabling simultaneous diagnostic evaluation and treatment monitoring tailored to individual molecular signatures, these techniques minimize unnecessary interventions, optimize therapeutic efficacy, and improve patient quality of life. With total-body imaging capable of rapid comprehensive scans, immune cell-specific tracers elucidating systemic disease processes, and receptor-targeted agents enhancing tumor delineation, nuclear medicine stands poised to shift from a diagnostic tool to a cornerstone of personalized oncology and infectious disease management.
The integration of ultrahigh sensitivity detectors with continuous bed motion technology heralds a new era where scan durations can be drastically reduced without sacrificing image fidelity. Such efficiency is critically important not only for patient comfort but also for expanding throughput in busy clinical settings—a pivotal consideration as nuclear medicine moves into more routine applications. Moreover, emerging tracers with nanobody scaffolds illustrate the field’s commitment to leveraging biologic specificity, enabling the imaging of cellular populations and molecular pathways previously inaccessible in vivo.
Notably, the applications span diverse clinical entities, from viral infections to neuroendocrine tumors and hematologic malignancies, highlighting the versatility of PET imaging combined with molecular targeting. The ability to visualize lymphoid organ involvement in infectious diseases like COVID-19 opens doors to understanding post-infection sequelae and tailoring immunomodulatory therapies. Similarly, targeting CCK2 and CD70 receptors spotlights the nuanced biology underpinning tumor heterogeneity, providing insights critical for selecting patients likely to benefit from radiotheranostic interventions.
The reviewed evidence for combining PSMA radiotherapy with immune checkpoint blockade represents a critical shift toward multimodal treatment strategies. It underscores the importance of addressing tumor microenvironment-induced resistance mechanisms to sustain and enhance patient responses. As immune-modulating therapies continue to evolve, pairing them with precisely targeted radiopharmaceuticals may well become the new standard of care for aggressive and recurrent prostate cancers, and potentially other malignancies expressing similar surface markers.
This batch of state-of-the-art research collectively signals the burgeoning impact of molecular imaging and theranostics on clinical practice. It reiterates the necessity of continued innovation in tracer development, imaging hardware, and therapeutic combinations to surmount current limitations and unlock the full potential of personalized nuclear medicine. Through initiatives like those published in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, the scientific community is equipped with critical knowledge propelling the field forward—toward more accurate diagnostics, effective treatments, and ultimately, improved patient outcomes worldwide.
For practitioners, patients, and researchers alike, these advances affirm the transformative promise of precision medicine driven by molecular imaging. As the field evolves, adoption of cutting-edge tracers and the integration of immunotherapy with radiopharmaceuticals are anticipated to become mainstays in oncology and infectious disease care pathways. The collaborative synergy between molecular biology, nuclear physics, and clinical medicine encapsulated in these studies provides a vivid illustration of how interdisciplinary efforts accelerate progress in healthcare innovation.
To explore the full collection of these exciting developments and upcoming research, readers are encouraged to visit The Journal of Nuclear Medicine website and follow the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging’s social media channels for ongoing updates. This suite of novel tools and approaches embodies the proactive spirit of modern medical science, continuously pushing boundaries to better understand and combat complex diseases through personalized, molecularly informed strategies.
Subject of Research: Nuclear medicine and molecular imaging advances focusing on PET/CT imaging, novel radiotracers, and combination therapies in oncology and infectious disease.
Article Title: Advancements in PET/CT Imaging, Novel Radiotracers, and Combined Radiopharmaceutical-Immunotherapeutic Strategies Published in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine
News Publication Date: August 29, 2025
Web References:
- https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.125.270078
- https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.125.269721
- https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.125.269863
- https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.125.269991
- https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.125.270317
Keywords: Molecular imaging, Medical imaging, Positron emission tomography, Theranostics, Radiopharmaceutical therapy, Nanobody tracers, Total-body PET/CT, CD70, CCK2 receptor, PSMA, Immune checkpoint inhibitors, SARS-CoV-2 imaging
