The green flag is up, and nuclear medicine and molecular imaging have plenty of fuel in their tank on the 2025 Road to RSNA. As was the case last year (a dedicated track in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging was only established a few years ago), six scientific sessions are dedicated to the field. RSNA’s theme this year, “Imaging the Individual,” is reflected strongly through them all.
Attendees can expect to find research on everything from new PET/CT radiotracers to new uses for standard tracers such as F-18 FDG. In one study, F-18 FDG-PET/CT scans revealed a link between reduced brain metabolism and motor function and survival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We’ve highlighted it below.
With the use of new theranostic drugs rapidly reshaping the field, there also appears to be a focus on identifying their adverse events and whether imaging can predict how patients may respond to treatment rather than how effective they may be. That’s true this year for lutetium-177 prostate-specific membrane antigen-617 (Lu-177 PSMA-617), and we’ve highlighted a few of those sessions also.
In addition, AI features significantly in several sessions. Researchers will present studies on practical applications with ChatGPT for improving workflows as well as on new models for tumor segmentation. These efforts are promising for supporting standardized imaging assessments among patients, which has been a barrier for the field, presenters say.
Finally, in the area of neuroendocrine tumors, teams have validated diagnostic criteria in patients and determined the optimal scan time for F-18 SiTATE PET.
Below is just a sample of the content on offer in scientific sessions. With a few minutes free, for instance, you might want to check out any one of 14 nuclear medicine and molecular imaging scientific poster sessions featuring 28 studies slated throughout the week. For more information on those presentations and other abstracts, see the full RSNA 2025 meeting program.
Sunday, November 30 | 9 a.m.-9:10 a.m. | S1-SSNMMI01-1 | Room S405
In this session, attendees will learn how different chemotherapy regimens affect myocardial accumulation in breast cancer patients, with FDG-PET imaging showing these differences.
Monday, December 1 | 8:00 a.m.-8:10 a.m. | M1-SSNMMI02-1 | Room S501
Gallium-68 (Ga-68) pentixafor PET/CT shows high accuracy in detecting aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs) in patients with primary aldosteronism, according to a study in this scientific session.
Monday, December 1 | 8:10 a.m.-8:20 a.m. | M1-SSNMMI02-4 | Room S501
In this scientific session on novel radiopharmaceuticals, a study suggests that PET/CT imaging with the radiotracer gallium-68 trivehexin offers high sensitivity for detecting hyperfunctioning parathyroid tissue in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT).
Monday, December 1 | 3:30 p.m.-3:40 p.m. | M7-SSNMMI03-4 | Room S501
Bone tumor volume derived from prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT scans is associated with hematologic adverse events among prostate cancer patients undergoing lutetium-177 (Lu-177) PSMA-617 treatment, according to this presentation.
Monday, December 1 | 3:40 p.m.-3:50 p.m. | M7-SSNMMI03-5 | Room S501
Lutetium-177 prostate-specific membrane antigen-617 (Lu-177 PSMA-617) benefits patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), but individual outcomes vary.
Tuesday, December 2 | 5:00 p.m.-5:10 p.m. | T8-SSNMMI04-4 | Room S405
In this session on molecular imaging of the brain, researchers will share how F-18 FDG-PET/CT scans have established a link between reduced brain metabolism and motor function and survival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Wednesday, December 3 | 8:20 a.m.-8:30 a.m. | W1-SSNPM03-3 | S402
In centers that perform about 30 PET/CT scans daily, ChatGPT could save clinicians at least an hour if put to use assigning ICD-10 codes to exam reports, according to a group at Charité University Hospital in Berlin.
Wednesday, December 3 | 8:40 a.m.-8:50 a.m. | W1-SSNMMI05-5 | S405
F-18 silicon-fluoride-acceptor (SiFA)-TATE (SiTATE) is a promising new PET radiotracer for imaging neuroendocrine tumors. Here, a study validates that imaging can be performed 60 minutes after patients are injected, a standard time frame for most tracers.
Wednesday, December 3 | 8:50 a.m.-9:00 a.m. | W1-SSNMMI05-6 | S405
Reliable standards are still lacking in gallium-68 (Ga-68) DOTATOC PET/CT imaging of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs). In this session, a study suggests that criteria named SSTR-RADS 1.0 could fit the bill.
Wednesday, December 3 | 1:40 p.m.-1:50 p.m. | W6-SSNMMI06-2 | S405
In this scientific session on innovations in nuclear medicine, a 3D AI model will be presented that can significantly improve the efficiency of reading whole-body F-18 FDG-PET/CT images by segmenting lesions on baseline scans.
Wednesday, December 3 | 1:50 p.m.-2:00 p.m. | W6-SSNMMI06-3 | S405
Automated, AI-based tumor segmentation using standardized uptake value-based thresholds derived from F-18 FDG-PET/CT scans shows very high correlation with manual whole-body tumor volume assessments, according to a study in this session.
Thursday, December 4 | 2:10 a.m.-2:20 a.m. | R6-SSNMMI08-5 | S405
In this session late in the meeting, a free web-based tool will be discussed that can help stage Hodgkin lymphoma using PET/MRI scans in children. The task is crucial for selecting appropriate therapies.