MEDICAL BIOPHYSICS AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE

Professor Emeritus

Atlan, H., M.D., Ph.D[1]

Associate Professor

Chisin, R, M.D.¹, Head of Department

Clinical Associate Professor

Krausz, Y., M.D

Senior Lecturer

Mishani, E., Ph.D 

Lecturer

Bocher, M., M.D

Research Associates

Freedman, N., Ph.D

Karger, H., M.Sc

Lester, H., Ph.D. until 31.12.05

Panet, R., Ph.D. until 31.12.05

Weinstein, A., Ph.D. from 1.10.05

Physicians Participating in Teaching

Klein, M., M.D

Rubinstein, R., M.D

INTRODUCTION

The Department of Medical Biophysics and Nuclear Medicine carries out mainly diagnostic radioisotope imaging in oncology, cardiology, endocrinology, neuropsychiatry, nephrology, gastroenterology, etc. It is equipped with SPECT and PET technology as well as with a gamma camera mounted anatomical X-ray tomography. The PET Center was upgraded in early 2004: a PET/CT with improved PET resolution and sensitivity replaced the earlier PET scanner, increasing clinical patient throughput and providing enhanced diagnostic capability of co-registered metabolic and anatomical imaging. The department provides nuclear medicine consultation to the various departments within the hospital. Research in the department covers topics in clinical nuclear medicine and image processing, including quantitative PET imaging, as well as basic cell biophysics and biomedical computer sciences, with applications to cognitive sciences.

While some research is performed within the department, including with the Cyclotron Unit, work is also done in collaboration with other departments in the hospital, and with other hospital departments, both in Israel and elsewhere. Research collaboration within Hadassah is mainly conducted with the Departments of Oncology, Hematology, Psychiatry, Neurology, Pulmonology, Surgery and Radiology. PET imaging is continuing to provide innovative methodology for these disciplines with an emphasis on:

1) Applications for a wide range of cyclotron-produced PET biomarkers, including 015-water, C11-deprenyl, C11-choline, F18-fluorodopa, for clinical and research uses;

2) Collaboration with the Cyclotron Research Unit including PET imaging using labeled EGFR-TK inhibitors as potential PET tracers;

3) Quantification methodology in PET oncology and neurology studies, using FDG and other tracers.

The Laboratory of Basic Cell Biophysics explores the mechanism of the elevated uptake of lipophilic cations such as MIBI labeled with Tc-99m in cancer cells. This study aims at developing a new class of anticancer drug, and at assessing the level of multidrug resistant (MDR) protein in cancer cells.