Molecular imaging with PET and SPECT

Date/Time
Date(s) - 11/15/2010
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Dr. David Gilland (Nuclear Science)

Nuclear medicine imaging—including positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)—is routinely used for the diagnosis and assessment of a wide range of diseases including coronary artery disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.  Technological improvements in the hardware and software of these imaging modalities are allowing the visualization and quantification of the molecular processes that underlie these diseases.  Dr. Gilland’s research at the University of Florida has been directed at developing novel PET and SPECT devices and associated software algorithms to expand the effectiveness of these molecular imaging methods.  An example of this work includes the first mobile, combined PET-SPECT camera.  This talk will provide an overview of these research efforts following an introduction of the basic principles of PET and SPECT imaging.