Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine
The research unit is domiciled in the Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital (OUH) and is engaged in research and development within the speciality of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine. The unit carries out clinical and basic research of high quality in collaboration with hospital departments and centers at OUH, the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), and national and international partners.
Our clinical research widely utilizes apparatus and equipment in use for functional diagnostics and molecular imaging in the daily routine. The research unit holds the following imaging and non-imaging equipment and facilities: five PET/CTs, one PET/MR, four SPECT/CTs, and three gamma cameras as well as two cyclotrons, radiopharmaceutical and radiochemical laboratories.
In these years, the unit focuses on research within the six main areas: PET/MR, Cancer diseases, Brain diseases, Cardiovascular diseases, Special topics and Preclinical research. The vast majority is clinical research performed in patients using clinical tracers such as 18F-FDG, 18F-PSMA-1007, 18F-NaF etc. Our preclinical research group aims, in particular, at developing targeted radioisotope therapy of cancer using primarily Auger-electron-emitting isotopes.
The department has a cellular laboratory for studying cellular uptake and response to diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. In collaboration with the Biomedical Laboratory, SDU, mice and rats are examined in our Preclinical Imaging Core Facility using a dedicated PET/CT/SPECT scanner that is an element of the Danish Molecular Bioimaging Center (DaMBIC) at the SDU.
All research in the department is conducted to improve patient treatment, regardless of whether we study new clinical applications, specific atoms and isotopes, new radiochemical compounds, or cellular behavior and responses to intervention.
Our fields of research have opportunities unmet by any other modalities, as PET/CT and PET/MR allow for tracing molecules in the organism. We expect that our examinations will have a significant impact on patient management and health cost.