Nuclear Medicine Experts Address Research Fragmentation
Research silos and inconsistent trial designs are delaying the adoption of new imaging technologies like PSMA-PET.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Nuclear
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Should medical research prioritize large-scale collaboration over smaller independent studies to better improve patient care?
At the European Association of Nuclear Medicine meeting, Roslyn Francis highlighted how fragmented research practices impede progress in the field. Experts argue that inconsistent study designs currently hinder the accumulation of evidence necessary for broader clinical adoption.
Why it matters
Fragmented research results in smaller, less definitive studies that fail to provide the rigorous evidence needed for practice changes. Improving collaboration and standardizing clinical trial methodologies are essential to accelerating patient access to advanced diagnostic tools.
The RANO PET working group reviewed 25 amino acid PET imaging studies, finding only one prospective multicenter trial. In contrast, the successful proPSMA trial utilized 10 clinical sites to evaluate 302 men.
The players
Roslyn Francis
Roslyn Francis is a specialist who addressed the European Association of Nuclear Medicine regarding current structural inefficiencies in medical imaging research.
European Association of Nuclear Medicine
The European Association of Nuclear Medicine is a professional society that hosts international meetings to advance standards and research in nuclear diagnostics.
RANO PET working group
The RANO PET working group is a scientific committee dedicated to establishing standardized assessment criteria for PET imaging in patients with brain tumors.
The details
The proPSMA trial serves as a model for collaborative success, requiring integrated efforts across oncology, urology, and nuclear medicine to achieve regulatory approval. In contrast, many smaller studies lack the multicenter scale needed to support universal clinical practice changes.
Timeline
2020: ProPSMA trial results published in The Lancet.
2024: RANO PET working group published recommendations.
2025: Nuclear medicine societies signed camera credentialing agreement.
October 20, 2026: Roslyn Francis presented at EANM meeting.
The Big Picture
This effort follows a pattern set by the proPSMA trial, which demonstrated how large-scale, multidisciplinary cooperation leads to clinical adoption. It signals a paradigm shift toward centralized study protocols to replace the current reliance on fragmented pilot data.
Addressing research fragmentation could lead to faster approval and wider availability of life-saving diagnostic scans for patients. Standardized trials ensure that the imaging technology patients receive is backed by the most reliable clinical data.
The takeaway
Improving research collaboration can significantly reduce the time between a new discovery and its implementation in standard medical care. Patients and clinicians should advocate for unified trial standards that prioritize multicenter participation over smaller, isolated studies.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments in the field by visiting the Nuclear section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by AuntMinnie.
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Should medical research prioritize large-scale collaboration over smaller independent studies to better improve patient care?
