title: Anniversary paper: nuclear medicine: fifty years and still counting.
abstract: The history, present status, and possible future of nuclear medicine are presented. Beginning with development of the rectilinear scanner and gamma camera, evolution to the present forms of hybrid technology such as single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography/CT is described. Both imaging and therapy are considered and the recent improvements in dose estimation using hybrid technologies are discussed. Future developments listed include novel radiopharmaceuticals created using short chains of nucleic acids and varieties of nanostructures. Patient-specific radiotherapy is an eventual outcome of this work. Possible application to proving the targeting of potential chemotherapeutics is also indicated.
authors.affiliation: Radiology Division, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California 91010, USA. lwilliams@coh.org
authors.forename: Lawrence E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D003201:Computers; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D015233:Models, Statistical; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D017785:Photons; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012588:Scintillation Counting; D012984:Software; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D009696:Nucleic Acids; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18