Mirja Christine Nolff

SGV Meeting 2026 · Scientific Programme

CHUV, Lausanne

• 24 November 2026 · 14:40PET4Pet's – Research for both ends of the leash
  Abstract

  Targeted and precision medicine are transforming oncology by enabling diagnostics and therapies tailored to the biological characteristics of individual patients. However, a major challenge in translational cancer research remains the gap between experimental development systems and the complexity of naturally occurring disease. While large animal models such as pigs or sheep are valuable, their use is often limited by high costs and ethical considerations. At the same time, companion animals with spontaneous cancers represent an underutilized opportunity for translational research that may benefit both veterinary and human medicine. PET4PETs is an interdisciplinary Swiss initiative that combines expertise in medical physics, radiochemistry, veterinary oncology, and clinical imaging to establish advanced PET/CT imaging in dogs with naturally occurring cancer. In human oncology, PET/CT is an essential tool for staging metastatic disease and guiding targeted therapies. However, access to PET imaging in veterinary medicine remains extremely limited, despite the high prevalence of cancer in dogs and the translational relevance of these patients.

  A key animal welfare aspect of the project is that PET imaging is integrated into clinically indicated diagnostic procedures already performed under general anesthesia. Adding a PET scan to a standard CT examination only minimally increases procedure time and risk while potentially improving staging accuracy and treatment planning for the individual animal. This approach avoids unnecessary interventions in healthy laboratory animals and instead focuses on patients that may directly benefit from improved diagnostics. The consortium builds on successful proof-of-concept studies and aims to develop dedicated PET technology optimized for veterinary applications, alongside novel radiotracers for future translational use. PET4PETs demonstrates how naturally occurring disease models in companion animals can reduce reliance on experimental animal studies while advancing precision oncology and improving clinical care across species.