International Conference on Clinical PET and Molecular Nuclear Medicine (IPET 2011)

The International Atomic Energy Agency is organizing its second international conference on “Clinical PET and Molecular Nuclear Medicine (IPET 2011)” following the successful IPET conference held in 2007 in Bangkok – Thailand. Medical imaging technologies have undergone rapid growth over the past two decades. Today, imaging is at a crossroad, with molecular targeted imaging agents expected to broadly expand the capabilities of conventional anatomical imaging methods.

Functional radionuclide imaging and positron emission tomography (PET) provide excellent opportunities to follow the pathology in individual patients and therefore provide a means for tailored clinical management. These also provide the means to assess the response to treatment in a safe and non-invasive manner. Changes at molecular and cellular levels provide vital clues for evaluating the effectiveness of chosen clinical treatment plans. This information is expected to have a major impact on understanding disease, disease detection, individualised treatment, and drug development.

Recently, considerable attention has been drawn to nuclear medicine with the visualization of biochemical processes in vivo such as PET studies with ¹⁸F-FDG in many different organs and in cancerous tissues. With the arrival of PET/CT systems there is a new era of accurate mapping of disease processes. Today, ¹⁸F-FDG is the most useful PET tracer for the detection, staging, treatment planning and management of cancer. There is mounting evidence for its competitive advantage over conventional techniques in major medical areas including oncology, cardiology, and neurology.

There is a very significant growth in the installation of cyclotrons and with a few exceptions, these new cyclotrons cater for the production of radionuclides for medical application. Research into other ¹⁸F labelled molecules including peptides and agents for tracking gene therapy has resulted in new radiopharmaceuticals such as ¹⁸F-FLT, ¹⁸F-FET etc. The quest for newer and more specific ¹⁸F labelled radiopharmaceuticals keeps PET chemists busy all over the world. Other short-lived PET radionuclides such as ¹¹C, ¹³N and ¹⁵O, despite the logistical disadvantage of their short half lives, are increasingly used in neurology and in new pharmaceutical developments. The short half life of most of these radioisotopes makes it essential that the process is automated from irradiation to the dispensing stage so that the final radiopharmaceuticals are in compliance with the approved guidelines of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). There is a need to evolve appropriate guidelines for short shelf life radiopharmaceuticals.

Objective of the CONFERENCE

The conference will cover developments in the entire spectrum of activities related to molecular nuclear medicine. This conference will have the following objectives:

To evaluate the current status of clinical PET, molecular nuclear medicine and related radiopharmacology with emphasis in cancer;
To reflect on challenges of establishing PET in emerging countries;
To deliver supporting “know how” via CME (Continuing Medical Education) programmes in the field of rapidly growing molecular imaging, including education activities ;
To improve performance of clinical practice through Read With Experts sessions (RWE) and workshops
To interact with the user group (nuclear physicians, radiologists, technologists, radiographers, radiopharmacists, radiochemists, medical physicists and other scientists working in all aspects of molecular nuclear medicine) and bring them the most important information in the field;
To exchange information on the current advances in the field among leading clinical scientists from developed and developing countries;
To identify future challenges and directions.
List of topics

The IAEA welcomes high quality contributions in all aspects of PET and molecular nuclear medicine services. Recognising that many Members States are still in the planning stage of acquiring clinical PET, these countries can positively contribute with papers on applications using SPECT, SPECT/CT in oncology and cardiology. Both academic and practice based papers under the umbrella of the following topics will be welcomed:

Member State experience with PET and newer applications in Molecular Nuclear Medicine;
Applications of PET and SPECT with emphasis in Oncology, Neurology, Cardiology and Infection;
Cancer management and treatment planning with PET;
Cyclotrons and generators for PET tracers;
Radiopharmaceutical, GMP production and Quality Assurance;
PET in translational research;
PET and SPECT physics, instrumentation and data analysis;
Quality Systems, Quality Control, Quality Assurance and Audits in Nuclear Medicine Practice;
Radiation protection for personnel and dose reduction for patients;
Training and Education in PET and Molecular Nuclear Medicine

For more information and registration follow this link

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