A new portable, point-of-care PET scanner offers real-time, cost-effective imaging for interventional procedures, according to a study presented at the SNMMI 2026 Annual Meeting. The scanner has a robotic arm that can position detector panels at arbitrary locations to image any organ of interest," said researcher Yuan-Chuan Tai. Data showed the scanner provided image quality comparable to a conventional reconstruction framework.

A study involving 457 patients found that obesity-related metabolic measures such as stimulated thyroglobulin and serum triglyceride levels may help predict the response to iodine-131 therapy in patients with obesity and differentiated thyroid cancer. The study, presented at the SNMMI's 2026 Annual Meeting, may help improve risk stratification and lead to more individualized treatments for patients.

A theranostic approach targeting the RET biomarker in neuroendocrine prostate cancer was presented at SNMMI's 2026 Annual Meeting. Previous study data was used to select the receptor tyrosine kinase RET for a surface marker, and researchers found that with 68Ga-DOTA-RET-L7 there was high uptake in RET-positive tumors.

A first-in-human study of CD46-targeted immunoPET imaging with 89Zr-DFO-YS5 it was well tolerated and effective in detecting additional lesions in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, when compared with traditional imaging, researchers reported at the SNMMI 2026 Annual Meeting. 89Zr-DFO-YS5 detected 144 osseous sites compared to 99 by bone scan, and 33 soft tissue sites (lymph node, liver, and lungs) compared to 14 by CT.

A study presented at SNMMI's 2026 Annual Meeting found that bariatric surgery can lead to metabolic changes in multiple organs beyond weight loss. The study involved 32 patients who had 18F-FDG PET/CT scans before and a year after surgery. "Molecular imaging may help show how different organs respond after surgery, beyond what can be measured by weight loss or blood tests alone. This work supports the use of whole-body PET/CT as a tool to map organ-level metabolic health," researcher Zeyang Wang said.

Reach more patients and support referring oncologists with ER+ diagnostic insights.

A case report published in Cureus covers a 50-year-old man with chronic alcohol use disorder who developed Korsakoff syndrome after rapid weight loss with tirzepatide therapy. 18F-FDG PET imaging showed initial hypermetabolism in the thalami and brainstem, followed by hypometabolism, suggesting a potential for functional imaging to detect early brain changes in thiamine deficiency-related conditions.

GE HealthCare has submitted its MIM KineticID software for FDA 510(k) clearance. The software is designed for dynamic PET imaging workflows and quantitative kinetic modeling.

A report from the AARP found that the list prices of 25 top brand-name drugs increased an average of 81% after launch in the US, while prices for the same drugs fell an average of 13% across 19 other high-income countries. The report also found that several Medicare-negotiated drugs saw substantial one-time price cuts, suggesting the Inflation Reduction Act may be putting downward pressure on some drug prices.

The Trump administration has issued guidance on Medicaid work requirements taking effect Jan. 1, 2027, exempting pregnant women, parents of young children, veterans with disabilities and those who are medically frail. States will have discretion in determining qualifying medical conditions. Initially, recipients can self-attest to exemptions, but states must verify claims by 2028. Under the requirements, an estimated 5 million people are expected to lose coverage by 2034, primarily because of administrative hurdles.

The Office of Management and Budget has unveiled a proposal to overhaul the management of US research funding, emphasizing political oversight over traditional peer review. This move has drawn criticism from scientists who fear it could lead to political interference in scientific research. The proposal includes maintaining current indirect cost reimbursement rates, which some see as a positive step. Additionally, it aims to restrict foreign collaborations and reduce federal support for publishing costs, potentially shifting financial burdens onto researchers and institutions. The scientific community has 45 days to comment on the proposal, which could significantly alter the landscape of federally funded research.

New SNMMI leadership has taken office during the 2026 Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, California. Meet the new leadership: SNMMI President Heather Jacene, MD, SNMMI President-Elect Gary Ulaner, MD, PhD, and SNMMI Vice President-Elect Jason Lewis, PhD.

New SNMMI-TS leadership takes office New SNMMI-TS leadership has taken office during the 2026 Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, California. Meet the new leadership: SNMMI-TS President Shannon Youngblood, EdD, MSRS, CNMT, RT(CT), and SNMMI-TS President-Elect Sara Johnson, CNMT, RT(N) (CT).