The core focus of research at the Nuclear Medicine Department of UZ Brussel is on the development and clinical validation of new Radiopharmaceuticals and on digital image processing techniques for Emission Tomography (PET and SPECT). The primary objective is to develop new, and improve existing quantitative diagnostic imaging techniques which use radioactive tracers. Inherently, this research is highly multidisciplinary. Its main fields of clinical application are to be found around Brain Imaging, Nuclear Oncology and Nuclear Cardiology.
There is continuity in the research, from pre-clinical fundamental and applied research to patient care. In 2004, the Laboratory for In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging of the Free University of Brussels was erected thanks to seed finance for heavy equipment. This Centre groups various imaging modalities for animal testing (Micro SPECT, Micro CT, Ultrasound and In Vivo Bioluminescence), in conjunction with a Unit for the development of Marked Probes. Currently about 15 researchers are involved in collaborative projects with other laboratories of the Medicine and Pharmacy Faculty at the Free University of Brussels, and beyond. Several research projects target, among others, the In-Vivo Visualisation of Cell Migration, Functional Cardiac Imaging, the Use of Marked Nanobodies for the In Vivo Characterisation of Tumours.