May 2026

ONCOLOGY

THERANOSTICS PROVIDES A UNIQUE APPROACH TO MULTIDISCIPLINARY ONCOLOGY CARE

Theranostics is an emerging precision medicine platform that combines diagnostic molecular imaging and targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy using the same molecular target. It allows clinicians to precisely identify and treat tumors with a single, highly specific pathway.
  
At the heart of theranostics is a multidisciplinary collaboration between medical oncology, radiation oncology and radiology.
 
“In just a few years, theranostics has transformed cancer care into precision medicine, allowing for detection of specific tumor cells both earlier and more accurately,” says Ryan J. Avery, MD, chief of Nuclear Medicine. “However, it also provides the distinct advantage of being able to simply infuse a theranostics agent to locally destroy cancer cells with targeted radiation while minimizing exposure to normal cells.”
 
Innovation That Makes an Impact
While molecular imaging has been offered at Northwestern Medicine for decades, radiopharmaceutical therapy began in 2017 with clinical trials at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
 
Since its inception, comprehensive theranostics care has been scaled across our health system, with over 1,600 clinical therapy doses administered. This fiscal year, Northwestern Medicine is on track to administer nearly 50% more doses than fiscal year 2025.
 
Expansion and Growth
Plans to expand are underway, starting with Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in FY27.
 
At Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the Theranostics Center of Excellence is planned to open in March 2027. It will include whole-body PET/CT, PET/MRI and SPECT/CT imaging, plus five private radiopharmaceutical therapy rooms.
 
Design is also underway at Northwestern Medicine St. George Cancer Institute in Orland Park. Slated to open in FY30, this site will include:
  • 18,000 square feet for advanced imaging
  • Two PET/CTs and one SPECT/CT
  • Four private radiopharmaceutical therapy rooms
  • The first Northwestern Medicine cyclotron for radiopharmaceutical production and research

​Where Comprehensive Theranostics Care Is Available
  • Northwestern Memorial Hospital
  • Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital
  • Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital
  • Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital
  • Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center Warrenville

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