Since summer 2020, the clinic for nuclear medicine has been operating a SPECT/CT gamma camera of the latest generation, which complements the existing PET/CT with another hybrid device. In collaboration with the IAAC and the IOMC of the Friedrich Schiller University, new PET/CT radio-diagnostics have been developed and tested. For years, there has been a focus on the development and optimization of multimodal imaging approaches.

apl. Prof. Dr. Martin Freesmeyer
Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena

Nuclear Medicine

Research projects

In-Ovo imaging of embryonated eggs of large ratites - evaluation of an alternative to classical animal testing

Principal investigators: Dr. Thomas Winkens, apl. Prof. Dr. Martin Freesmeyer
DFG 2020-2023

The use of embryonated chicken eggs to avoid mammalian testing is well established in preclinical research, but requires dedicated infrastructure (small animal imaging) for nuclear medicine applications and has limitations with high energy positron emitters. Transfer of the model to larger objects allows in-ovo imaging on existing human medical scanners. The suitability of embryonated ostrich eggs has been investigated in principle, with future work to develop techniques for egg shell preparation, vascular puncture, vitality monitoring, and immobilization using anesthetic gases for embryonated ostrich, nandu, and emu eggs, and to optimize parameters for PET/CT.

Development of novel PET tracers for the hepatobiliary Imaging

Principal investigator: Dr. Julia Greiser
2012-2024

DAZA-based 68Ga-radiodiagnostics exhibiting hepatobiliary pharmacokinetics were established in a preclinical in-ovo-model, using ostrich embryos. In order to enable clinical application patent licenses were transferred to a Jena-based company experienced in the preparation of active pharmaceutical ingredients. This cooperation will result in the GMP-certified precursor for the radiopharmaceutical production of the diagnostic.

Selective Intraarterial Radiotherapy with poly-L-lactic acid microspheres

Evaluation of renal and intestinal radioactivity excretion after therapy planning and after SIRT procedures

Principal investigators: PD Dr. Robert Drescher, Christian Kühnel

TERUMO Europe NV, Leuven, Belgium 2019-2022

After treatment with radioactive substances, patients have to stay at a ward connected to a sewage collection system, to prevent the release of radioactivity to the environment. Regarding radioemoblization (SIRT), it was postulated that the excretion of radioactivity is very low, because it is bound to microspheres remaining in liver capillaries. Knowledge about radioactive excretion is of great importance, also in view of the radiation protection of staff and the risk of contaminations. If radioactivity excretion after application of QuiremSpheres© confirmed to be marginal, patients after SIRT may be cared for on "normal" wards.

Ultrasound guidance of magnetized standard needles in fine-needle cytology of thyroid nodules

Principal investigator: Dr. Philipp Seifert
2017 - 2022

False-negative cytology findings decrease the diagnostic accuracy of fine-needle aspiration of thyroid nodules. Sterile polarization of commercially available needles enables their detection by magnetic field sensors of the ultrasound probe of a dedicated needle guidance system. Needle position and angle as well as trajectory line are visualized in-plane and out-of-plane superimposed to the sonogram in real time (augmented reality). Small knots in unfavorable positions can be safely punctured.

Applications of a segmental minimal-activity PET/CT protocol

Principal investigator: Dr. Falk Gühne
2016 - 2022

Specific diagnostic issues can be solved by partial body PET/CT examinations. A dedicated protocol enables to reduce radiation exposure below 1 mSv. This study aims at the technical optimization and the clinical establishment as a replacement or supplement to standard PET/CT.

Further projects

Sensor-navigated real-time fusion of nuclear medicine 3D- tomographic images with ultrasound

Principal investigator: apl. Prof. Dr. Martin Freesmeyer

2014-2020
Prospective investigation of the relationship between renal function and effective half-life in the context of radioiodine therapy of thyroid cancer (Retention study)

Principal investigator: Dr. Falk Gühne

2014-2022
3D sonography in thyroid diagnosis: introduction and validation

Principal investigator: Dr. Thomas Winkens

2014 - 2019
Radiation protection in intravenously administered radionuclide therapies

Principal investigator: Christian Kühnel

2019 - 2020
Ex Vivo Evaluation of Residual Activity and Infusion Dynamics in a Commercially Available Yttrium-90 Resin Microsphere Administration System

Principal investigator: PD Dr. Robert Drescher

2019 - 2020

Selected Publications

Drescher R, Kuhnel C, Seifert P, Guhne F, Freesmeyer M. Renal and Intestinal Excretion of (90)Y and (166)Ho After Transarterial Radioembolization of Liver Tumors. AJR American journal of roentgenology. 2020;214(5):1158-64.
Winkens T, Seifert P, Hollenbach C, Kühnel C, Gühne F, Freesmeyer M. The FUSION iENA Study: Comparison of I-124-PET/US Fusion Imaging with Conventional Diagnostics for the Functional Assessment of Thyroid Nodules by Multiple Observers. Nuklearmedizin. 2019 Dec;58(6):434-442. doi: 10.1055/a-1031-9832.
Freesmeyer M, Winkens T, Weissenrieder L, Kühnel C, Gühne F, Schenke S, Drescher R, Seifert P. Fusion iENA Scholar Study: Sensor-Navigated I-124-PET/US Fusion Imaging versus Conventional Diagnostics for Retrospective Functional Assessment of Thyroid Nodules by Medical Students. Sensors (Basel). 2020 Jun 17;20(12):3409.
Seifert P, Winkens T, Kuhnel C, Guhne F, Freesmeyer M. I-124-PET/US Fusion Imaging in Comparison to Conventional Diagnostics and Tc-99m Pertechnetate SPECT/US Fusion Imaging for the Function Assessment of Thyroid Nodules. Ultrasound in medicine & biology. 2019;45(9):2298-308.
Guhne F, Drescher R, Seifert P, Freesmeyer M. Minimal-activity PET/CT for efficacy control after SIRT (MAPECSI) - clinical implementation of a resource-saving, liver-focused protocol. Nuklearmedizin. 2019;58(5):363-70.
Greiser J, Weigand W, Freesmeyer M. Metal-Based Complexes as Pharmaceuticals for Molecular Imaging of the Liver. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2019;12(3).
Kuhnel C, Winkens T, Niksch T, Greiser J, Schrott S, Drescher R, Freesmeyer M. Design and practical evaluation of a shielded application system for intravenously administered radionuclide therapies. Nuklearmedizin. 2020;59(4):323-31.

Outstanding achievements

Dr. Julia Greiser was awarded the prize for application-oriented theses with high transfer potential in the LIFE profile line of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena in 2019.

For the implementation of a blended learning concept, the teaching team of the Clinic of Nuclear Medicine, together with radiology collegues, was awarded the Janus Cornarius teaching prize by the Student Council of Medicine.

A Patent: New DAZA chelators as ligands in liver imaging (DE102017129405A1) has been granted for Prof. Dr. Martin Freesmeyer and Dr. Julia Greiser.