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SNMMI 2026 News, Molecular Image of the Year, and New PET Radiotracers
June 4, 2026
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Together with
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“This approach could serve as a platform technology for detecting clots throughout the body and even help to detect stroke or cardiovascular disease. These images show just how powerful molecular imaging can be.”
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Giuseppe Esposito, MD, SNMMI scientific program committee chair, on the 2026 Image of the Year.
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Summer’s coming, and with it a change in the seasons. Subtle Medical is also changing, with a new chief executive and new developments in the company’s AI-powered medical image enhancement technology, which boosts the resolution of MRI, PET, and other modalities. In this edition of The Imaging Wire Show, I talked to new president and CEO Ohad Arazi about his vision for moving the company forward. Give it a watch! – Brian Casey, Managing Editor
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The growing importance of theranostics was on display at this year’s annual meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging in Los Angeles. New data on theranostics agents in development dominated the scientific sessions, while on the diagnostics side a proliferation of new PET radiotracers promises to go beyond FDG.
The selection of SNMMI’s Image of the Year went to South Korean researchers for their work on the radiotracer 18F-GP1 PET/CT to identify acute lower extremity deep vein thrombosis.
- In a study with 46 symptomatic patients, the tracer showed high diagnostic accuracy for detecting clots not only in the thigh but also in the calf, and had a high detection rate of pulmonary embolism occurring together with DVT.
Meanwhile, the Abstract of the Year award was given to a study using PET to link brain metabolism patterns to the effectiveness of treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.
- UCLA researchers performed FDG-PET brain scans on 124 patients being considered for anti-amyloid therapy. Those whose scans suggested Alzheimer’s disease and who got therapy had higher cognitive scores at one year compared to patients whose PET scans didn’t show evidence of Alzheimer’s.
Other SNMMI 2026 highlights included…
- FDG-PET/CT scans showed that patients who got bariatric surgery had metabolic changes across multiple organs that correlated with improved clinical markers.
- A new PET tracer, gallium-68 RCC78, was able to detect clear cell renal cell carcinoma and identified additional metastatic lesions missed by standard imaging.
- A first-in-human study with a novel PET radiotracer, carbon-11 nevanimibe, was presented for imaging patients with overactive adrenal glands.
- In patients with metastatic neuroendocrine tumors, a new type of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy with actinium-225 DOTA-LM3 showed promise.
- PSMA-PET scans showed that prostate cancer patients with just one to five bone metastases had much worse outcomes than patients with no metastases.
- A novel approach with two PET radiotracers during cancer treatment detected both tumor progression and cardiac inflammatory response.
- A novel PET tracer, fluorine-18 OXD-2314, showed promise for detecting chronic traumatic encephalopathy in living patients.
- An AI algorithm using data from pre-therapy PET/CT scans predicted radiation dose in lutetium-177 PSMA treatment for prostate cancer.
The Takeaway
This year’s SNMMI 2026 highlighted the exciting evolution of theranostics, from a niche treatment used mostly when other therapies failed to a major step on the road to personalized medicine – and better patient care.
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Join Sectra at SIIM 2026
Visit Sectra at SIIM 2026 as they showcase their complete enterprise imaging offering with Sectra VNA and award-winning Best-in-KLAS Sectra PACS for radiology, pathology, and cardiology at its core. Book a meeting or drop by at booth #407.
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A Next-Generation Oncology Ecosystem
Quibim launched their next-generation oncology ecosystem platform at RSNA 2025. Find out how QP-Prostate provides a comprehensive, end-to-end management workflow for prostate cancer care, supporting clinicians from the earliest stages of image acquisition through diagnosis, patient management, and follow-up.
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- MRI vs. PET for Prostate Cancer: MRI has been getting most of the attention for working up suspicious prostate cancer, but what about PET? At SNMMI 2026 (#261188-POP03), Italian researchers presented final results from the PROSPECT-BX trial comparing gallium-68-PET to multiparametric MRI in 130 patients with negative biopsies but ongoing suspicion of cancer due to PSA levels or other tests. For detecting clinically significant prostate cancer, PET-generated scores outperformed MRI-based PI-RADS scores in accuracy (92% vs. 83%).
- Music Soothes SPECT/CT Patients: Researchers from Switzerland showed how playing music during SPECT/CT exams helped soothe patients in a technologists’ track presentation at SNMMI 2026 (26114). In a pilot study with 50 patients, technologists played music during exams and then surveyed patients about their experience. In all, 96% reported appreciating the music, and two-thirds reported reduced stress and improved overall comfort. What’s more, 90% underestimated the length of their exam, by an average of 11.5 minutes.
- AI-Based Virtual Blood Flow: In a Sunday talk at SNMMI 2026 (261793), researchers presented an AI-based technique for deriving virtual estimates of quantitative myocardial blood flow and myocardial flow reserve from static PET scans. In tests on 6.8k patients, the model had good AUC values for detecting abnormal MBF and MFR (0.91 and 0.88). The technique makes myocardial flow assessment easier to perform with PET and could expand its use in areas where dynamic PET is too resource-intensive.
- United Imaging’s SNMMI Highlights: Top among the United Imaging highlights at this week’s SNMMI 2026 conference were new offerings in the uMI Panvivo PET/CT family. The line is now available in scalable PET axial fields-of-view from 24 cm to 107 cm, and all recently received FDA clearance, while uMI Panvivo Mobile sports a compact configuration that brings mobile imaging to patients. Other SNMMI highlights include United Imaging’s next generation of the digital uMI Panorama PET/CT family, and the uPMR Zenith PET/MRI system (FDA clearance pending).
- United Imaging Signs Radiopharma Pact with Telix: In other United Imaging news, the company signed an agreement with Telix Pharmaceuticals for R&D into theranostics radiopharmaceuticals. The company will investigate the combination of United Imaging’s scanner technology with Telix’s portfolio of radiopharmaceuticals and clinical protocols, with the goal of establishing better workflows and more consistent protocols. The collaboration will initially focus on Telix’s Pixclara radiopharmaceutical, which is under review at the FDA for diagnosing progressive glioma.
- Radiopharma Group Debuts at SNMMI: Making its SNMMI debut this week was the Radiopharmaceutical Manufacturers and Theranostics Association, a new trade group for developers of diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals that sprang out of MITA’s PET Group in April. Like the MITA PET Group, RMTA is a division of NEMA that lobbies for federal policies affecting radiopharma companies, and is expanding its purview to include the growing theranostics field.
- GE Highlights Growing Theranostics Demand: Meeting growing demand for theranostics was a major focus at GE HealthCare’s exhibit at SNMMI 2026 as the company emphasized its portfolio of radiopharmaceuticals as well as scanners. GE’s StarGuide SPECT/CT and Omni PET/CT scanners were highlights, and the company has adapted its Intelligent Radiation Therapy workflow orchestration for theranostics. GE’s MIM software business highlighted the LesionID Pro software, and recently filed a 510(k) submission for MIM KineticID modeling for expanding access to dynamic PET and quantitative kinetic modeling.
- Cardinal Expands Actinium Production: The radiotracer actinium-225 is gaining prominence for theranostic applications, and at SNMMI 2026 Cardinal Health discussed expanded production of Ac-225 at its facility in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company is adding a high-capacity production line that will enable it to supply more Ac-225 to developers of investigational alpha-emitting therapies for cancers including prostate, neuroendocrine, breast, colon, melanoma, and lymphoma.
- Catalyst MedTech Touts SNMMI Highlights: Catalyst MedTech highlighted the expanded Digirad family of digital gamma cameras at SNMMI 2026, as well as the company’s recent acquisition of X3D (formerly DDD-Diagnostic). Catalyst rebranded X3D’s CardioMD SPECT system as CorCam, and also highlighted the CareMiBrain dedicated PET brain scanner licensed from OncoVision of Spain. The company also highlighted long-term upgrades and support initiatives.
- Lantheus Highlights PET at SNMMI: Lantheus has shifted its focus to PET radiopharmaceuticals since divesting its SPECT radiotracers to SHINE earlier this year, and at SNMMI 2026 the company highlighted research presented on its PET agents. This included a talk on how the Pylarify PSMA-PET piflufolastat fluorine-18 radiotracer impacted management of prostate cancer patients, as well as a talk on the diagnostic performance of 18F-GP1 PET/CT being developed to identify acute deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities.
- Nucs AI Partners with AstraZeneca: Analytics software developer Nucs AI discussed a new partnership with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca at SNMMI 2026. Under the agreement, the companies will work together in developing prediction models for researching PSMA-targeted radiopharmaceuticals for metastatic prostate cancer. Nucs AI will adapt and validate a solution for predicting which patients will respond to therapies such as lutetium-based radiopharmaceuticals.
- SHINE Scores European Approval: On the eve of SNMMI 2026, medical isotope provider SHINE Technologies received regulatory authorization to sell the Ilumira lutetium-177 isotope product in Europe. Ilumira is designed for targeted radioligand therapy and is a non-carrier-added isotope, giving it high radionuclide purity and specific activity. At the SNMMI show SHINE also highlighted its acquisition in January 2026 of Lantheus’ SPECT diagnostic radiotracer business.
- Nuclidium Raises $33M for Radioisotopes: While the company didn’t exhibit at SNMMI 2026, radiopharmaceutical developer Nuclidium announced a $33M Series B funding round the week before the meeting. The company will use the funds to advance its copper-based theranostics portfolio, including NU-101 for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and NU-201 for metastatic breast cancer. Nuclidium will also continue building out its worldwide manufacturing network for diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals.
- Serac Presents Data on SPECT Tracer: U.K. radiopharmaceutical company Serac Healthcare took to the stage at SNMMI 2026 with phase 2 data from a clinical study of its technetium-99m maraciclatide SPECT radiotracer for differentiating active inflammation from fibrosis in patients with interstitial lung disease. In a 15-patient study, U.K. researchers found that those with either of two forms of ILD – idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis – both showed tracer uptake, albeit with subtle differences between the two.
- ITM Features Data from GEP-NETs Study: ITM Isotope Technologies Munich highlighted data from a phase 3 clinical trial of its radiopharmaceutical treatment for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors at SNMMI 2026. In the COMPLETE trial, the company’s ITM-11 lutetium-177 edotreotide agent met its primary endpoint, an improvement in progression-free survival compared to everolimus (24 vs. 14 months). Previous findings showed that ITM-11 delivered targeted radiation to GEP-NETs while keeping radiation exposure to healthy organs below safety thresholds.
- Eckert & Ziegler Partners with Thor: German isotope developer Eckert & Ziegler signed a partnership with Thor Medical of Norway to support the development of lead-212 radiopharmaceuticals through improved supply and manufacturing of the isotope. Pb-212 is an emerging isotope for targeted alpha therapy, and Thor will supply the isotope to Eckert & Ziegler for preclinical R&D.
- Subtle Medical Raises $33M, Taps CEO: Medical image enhancement software company Subtle Medical raised $33M in a Series C financing, and named radiology industry veteran Ohad Arazi as president and CEO. Arazi most recently had a leadership role at Clarius Mobile Health, and also served at Change Healthcare and Zebra Medical Vision. He will spearhead the company’s global expansion with the new funds, and discussed his strategy in a video interview with The Imaging Wire Show. Previous CEO Enhao Gong, PhD, will transition to chief science officer. The funding brings Subtle’s paid-in capital to $86M.
- 4DMedical to Buy contextflow: 4DMedical made a strong move into the European market with an agreement to acquire contextflow, a developer of lung cancer detection software based in Vienna, Austria. In addition to a new geographic market and an existing customer base, 4DMedical gains access to contextflow’s portfolio of AI-based detection and workflow solutions, especially for lung cancer screening, which provide a good complement to 4DMedical’s tools for assessing lung function. Markus Holzer, contextflow’s CEO, will become general manager of 4DMedical Europe.
- Philips Adds AI to Ultrasound Line: Philips received FDA clearance for an upgrade that adds new AI capabilities to its Elite and Affiniti flagship ultrasound scanner lines. The Elevate Plus package includes AI-powered workflow enhancements like automated abdominal measurements to reduce sonographer scanning time by up to 30%. It also allows decision support tools from Koios Medical for classifying breast lesions and thyroid nodules to be used on-cart with Epiq Elite and Affiniti scanners; previously they were only compatible off-cart.
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Radiology Case Report
A man in his 40s presented with a known metastasis within his abdomen. Learn how contrast-enhanced MRI helped to diagnose the extent of his disease.
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Building Bridges Across Imaging Informatics
Visit Medicom at booth #615 at SIIM 2026 to see how their automated workflows move every image to where it needs to go, connecting patients, providers, EHRs, and research teams without manual workarounds. Book your demo today.
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Experience Dynamic Simplicity in Fluoroscopy
Introducing LUMINOS Q.namix R and LUMINOS Q.namix T from Siemens Healthineers – truly multifunctional imaging systems designed to simplify your daily work routines and amplify your capabilities. Learn from your peers what makes LUMINOS Q.namix systems so special.
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- What Makes Imaging AI Actually Work? At SIIM, industry leaders including executives from Rad AI will share what separates successful AI deployments from stalled pilots – across workflow, adoption and real-world impact. Join the conversation. Register for the session.
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- Visit Visage at SIIM 2026: At this year’s SIIM 2026, Visage Imaging will demonstrate its Visage 7 solution operating across the entire Apple ecosystem, including on Apple Silicon-powered workstations with multiple Studio Display XDRs. Book a priority demo today or drop by booth #404-408.
- Purpose-Built for Modern Radiology: MosaicOS from Mosaic Clinical Technologies unites clinical expertise, AI, and advanced workflow tools in one intuitive platform. Find out how it can expand your clinical capacity and speed up turnaround times today.
- 8 Ways Merge Supports Enterprise Imaging Providers: Merge enterprise imaging solutions deliver measurable value to imaging providers through continued innovation, thoughtful design, and flexible deployment. Request a demo today to see them in action.
- KLAS-Leading Enterprise Imaging: Get set to see KLAS-leading enterprise imaging with AGFA HealthCare at SIIM 2026. Discover how their enterprise imaging IT technologies can empower your radiology facility at booth #308-310.
- Imaging Data Should Flow Freely: Break down proprietary silos and connect imaging across your enterprise with a modern, interoperable approach from Mach7 Technologies. Explore their eUnity solution today.
- MRI Solutions for Claustrophobic Patients: Neurological Associates of Long Island had an Alzheimer’s patient who was unable to tolerate MRI due to severe claustrophobia. Read how she completed the scan calmly and without movement thanks to Fujifilm’s Echelon Synergy 1.5T MRI system.
- Shifting the Stage in Lung Cancer Screening: Watch this video from Riverain Technologies to learn how their ClearRead CT solution for lung cancer screening can drive enrollment, earlier detection, and seamless management of incidental findings.
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- Accelerating Care Today for More Tomorrows: GE HealthCare empowers precision care with innovative imaging, patient management solutions, and tailored consulting services for every step of the theranostics pathway. Learn more about theranostics on this page from GE HealthCare.
- AI-Powered Population Health: DeepHealth is assembling radiology’s largest portfolio of AI-enabled radiology solutions for population health. Learn more about their focus and their recent acquisition of Gleamer in this video interview.
- Curiosity, Growth, and the Joys of Radiology: What makes a great radiologist? The residency program? The fellowship pedigree? The hospital name on the badge? Check out the inaugural episode of Medality’s The Joys of Radiology podcast, featuring a conversation between Marc Gosselin, MD, and Gautam Agarwal, MD.
- Connect Imaging Across Every Care Setting: Join Intelerad at SIIM 2026 to learn how you can connect across every care setting, eliminate disks, and accelerate diagnosis with a network clinicians trust. Book a demo today or drop by booth #305.
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- IT Solutions for Radiologist Efficiency: Inefficiencies in reporting are some of the biggest challenges facing radiologists today. Learn how imaging IT solutions from Altamont Software can help radiologists work more efficiently in this Imaging Wire Show video.
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