[NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND MOLECULAR IMAGING: FROM BASIC SCIENCE TO THE FRONT IN INNOVATIVE IMAGING AND TREATMENT]

In recent years, nuclear medicine has become a diverse and central profession that influences the diagnosis and treatment of patients with diseases from all fields of medicine. Imaging through nuclear medicine is a significant step in the process of making therapeutic decisions and evaluating patients with malignancy, infectious or inflammatory process, heart problems, neurological disorders and more. The advantages of diagnostic methods from the field of nuclear medicine arise from their non-invasiveness and from the possibility of providing functional and metabolic information at a very early stage during the course of the disease. In the last two decades, hybrid imaging devices, PET-CT (positron emission tomography (PET)-computed tomography (CT)) and then SPECT-CT (single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) - computed tomography (CT)) and PET-MRI (positron emission tomography (PET)- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) have been developed. Thereby, the field has undergone a major revolution accompanied by a significant increase in the volume of scans thanks to the improved diagnostic accuracy possible with the latest imaging devices. Recently, another breakthrough has occurred with the successful implementation of a unique method of treatment in nuclear medicine, Theranostics. This is just the beginning. More accurate and faster digital imaging devices have been developed with the ability to reduce patient exposure to radiation, state-of-the-art molecular imaging markers have been developed and new theranostics medications are being developed. Along with the development of artificial intelligence tools, further significant changes are expected to take place in this high-tech field. The main purpose of the review is to provide a source of information to the reading public, even if they are unfamiliar with the subject, for innovations in this field and demonstrating the role of nuclear medicine in diagnosing a number of diseases and planning personalised medical treatment for patients with a view on nuclear medicine in Israel.