TECHNOLOGISTS NEWS

SNMTS PRESENTS AWARDS, ELECTS NEW OFFICERS AT SNM'S 57TH ANNUAL MEETING

More than 5,700 technologists, physicians, researchers, and other nuclear medicine professionals gathered at SNM's 57th annual meeting, held June 5–9 in Salt Lake City, Utah. SNM leadership and researchers made international headlines and raised awareness about the importance of ensuring that critical nuclear medicine tests and procedures continue in light of the medical isotope crisis. As always, the 2010 annual meeting presented the latest cutting-edge research in advancing molecular imaging and provided opportunities for continuing education. During the meeting, SNMTS inducted new officers, who will serve through June 2011. SNMTS also recognized several technologists for their outstanding contributions to molecular imaging, nuclear medicine, and SNMTS.

2010–2011 SNMTS Officers

Kathy Hunt, MS, CNMT, of Memphis, Tennessee, assistant professor and program chair of nuclear medicine technology, Division of Allied Health at Baptist College of Health Sciences, was elected as 2010–2011 president of SNMTS during the society's annual meeting.

Kathy Hunt

“It is essential that nuclear medicine technologists continue to expand their knowledge and skills beyond what was needed in the past and look with a clear focus toward the future,” Hunt said. “That is why one of my initiatives as president of SNMTS is to support the educational needs of nuclear medicine technology students and practicing technologists.”

Hunt says that as president, she will promote a strong science foundation in the nuclear medicine technology curriculum. “The roles and responsibilities of nuclear medicine technologists will continue to change as the demand for hybrid imaging and molecular imaging increases,” Hunt added. “SNMTS will continue to advocate for its members in order to secure the future of nuclear medicine technologists.”

Also during the annual meeting, SNMTS announced the election of Ann Marie Alessi, BS, CNMT, NCT, RT (N), a product sales manager of nuclear medicine at Biodex Medical Systems, Inc., Shirley, New York, as the 2010–2011 president-elect.

Ann Marie Alessi

“People tell me that at this point in my career, I should sit back and let the youngsters do the work,” Alessi said. “But when you are as passionate about a career as I am, you just can't sit on the sidelines and watch.”

Alessi plans to continue to work diligently to ensure the passage of H.R. 3652—the Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility, and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (CARE) Bill. She will also focus on individual state regulations for nuclear medicine technologists performing examinations with PET/CT and SPECT/CT cameras. She plans to gain support for the American Medical Isotopes Production Act to promote the production of ⁹⁹Mo in the United States and phase out the use of highly enriched uranium for the production of medical isotopes.

Kathleen Krisak, CNMT, RT(N), FSNMTS, from the New England chapter, was elected to the office of SNMTS secretary, and April Mann, CNMT, NCT, RT(N), FSNMTS, also from the New England chapter, was elected to the finance committee. Two directors at large were elected: Nancy McDonald, CNMT, and Anthony J. Sicignano, BS, CNMT, RT(N), from the central and New England chapters, respectively.

SNMTS Outstanding Educator Award

Norman E. Bolus, MPH, CNMT, was named the 2010 SNMTS outstanding educator. The award recognizes an SNMTS member whose contributions and knowledge have advanced and promoted the field of nuclear medicine technology through outstanding work in education. Bolus received $750 and was presented with a plaque.

Norman Bolus and Cybil Nielsen

Bolus is the director of the Nuclear Medicine Technology Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama, in the School of Health Professions, where he is also an assistant professor in the Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences. His career in nuclear medicine began in 1989, when he worked as a technologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital's Nuclear Medicine Department. Bolus made the jump to education a few years later and has held several roles as an educator, including teacher's assistant, instructor, assistant professor, clinical coordinator, and program director.

Bolus has been involved with SNMTS by serving on many committees, including the educational curriculum guide task force, educators transition task force, nuclear medicine advanced associate committee, and student membership task force. This year, he served as chair of the educators committee. Recently, Bolus developed a podcast on thallium stress test protocol to provide SNMTS members with a quick refresher on how to use alternative testing for radionuclides that are not available.

Presidential Distinguished Service Award

Danny A. Basso, CNMT, NCT, FSNMTS, manager at Cardiac Imaging of Augusta, Augusta, Georgia, was awarded the SNMTS presidential distinguished service award. This award recognizes an SNMTS member who has demonstrated outstanding service and dedication to the field of nuclear medicine technology. Basso was presented with a plaque.

Danny Basso and Cybil Nielsen

As chair of the SNMTS advocacy committee and a member of the SNM/ACNM joint government relations committee, Basso has been instrumental in providing SNMTS with support and guidance on issues that affect the regulation, legislation, practice standards, and reimbursement of nuclear medicine. Over the past several years, Basso has been involved with SNM and SNMTS in several capacities of leadership, including serving on the SNM house of delegates and the SNMTS executive board. In addition, Basso serves as a director at large of the SNM national council of representatives and board of directors.

Basso belongs to the southeastern chapter of SNMTS and recently served as treasurer of SNM's cardiovascular council. He has served as a member of the editorial board for Uptake—the SNMTS newsletter—and of the publications committee. He also serves as associate editor of the JNMT. Basso is a past chair of NMTCB.

SNMTS Fellowship Awards

The following individuals were inducted into the fellow category. These are members of SNMTS who have demonstrated leadership and have made a significant contribution to the profession of nuclear medicine technology at the national level. SNMTS selects fellows based on demonstrating exemplary contributions in the following areas: participation in professional activities, education, professional experience, professional contributions, and civic activities.

Fellowships are awarded at the SNMTS annual business meeting each year during SNM's annual meeting. SNMTS fellowship awardees receive a memorial plaque and a pin signifying their fellow status.

Royal T. Davis, CNMT, RT(N), FSNMTS, has been the technical director of the Nuclear Medicine Division at Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, for more than 30 years. He is a graduate of the St. Barnabas School of Nuclear Medicine Technology. He has published 13 peer-reviewed journal articles and 5 book chapters and has presented abstracts at dozens of international, national, and local meetings. He has organized the pediatric technologist teaching sessions at the SNM annual meetings for many years. He recently coauthored several articles on dose reduction in children and is a member of the dose reduction committee of the SNM pediatric council. Davis has also served as a reviewer for the JNMT.

Royal Davis and Cybil Nielsen

Mark Wallenmeyer, MBA, CNMT, RT(N), FSNMTS, is an assistant professor/clinical coordinator for the Nuclear Medicine Imaging Sciences Program in the College of Health Related Professions at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas, and served as the 2008–2009 president of SNMTS. A past president of both the Missouri Valley chapter of SNMTS and the Southwest Missouri Society of Nuclear Medicine, he has held—and continues to hold—numerous committee appointments. Recently, he was selected as the Missouri Valley chapter executive director and chair of the transition task force for SNMTS.

Mark Wallenmeyer and Cybil Nielsen

Leo A. Nalivaika, MBA, CNMT, RT(N), FSNMTS, is the educational coordinator/clinical instructor in the Nuclear Medicine Technology Program at Worcester State College, Worcester, Massachusetts. He is also the senior staff nuclear medicine technologist at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Nalivaika is active within the New England chapter of SNMTS and has held numerous professional positions, including chief editor of the New England Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology and historian emeritus. He received a bachelor's degree in natural science/nuclear medicine technology from Worcester State College and a master's in business administration from Anna Maria College in Paxton, Massachusetts.

Leo Nalivaika and Cybil Nielsen

Rebecca A. Sajdak, CNMT, RT(N), FSNMTS, is a senior staff technologist and computer specialist at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois. She is currently a delegate at large for the SNMTS national council of representatives and served on the nominating committee, which oversees the nomination and election process for the organization. She also serves on the technologist educators subcommittee for the SNM Clinical Trials Network. She previously served on the continuing education committee and bylaws committee. Sajdak received an associate of science degree from the nuclear medicine program at Triton College, Northlake, Illinois, and a bachelor of arts from Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois.

Rebecca Sajdak and Cybil Nielsen

LisaAnn Trembath, MSM, CNMT, CCRA, NCT, FSNMTS, most recently served as manager of medical affairs at Cellectar, a radiopharmaceuticals company in Madison, Wisconsin. Trembath has been active nationally in SNM and SNMTS and has served as president and chair of the finance committee for the central chapter of SNMTS. She has served as a member of the SNM brain imaging council and the scientific and teaching sessions committee and has chaired the government relations committee. She also served as a member of the nominating committee for the Wisconsin Society of Nuclear Medicine Technologists and as a reviewer for the JNMT. She currently chairs the site orientation committee for the SNM Clinical Trials Network. She received a bachelor's degree in natural science from Concordia College, St. Paul, Minnesota, and a master's degree in the science of business management from Cardinal Stritch University in Madison. Trembath is a certified nuclear cardiology technologist and certified clinical research associate.

LisaAnn Trembath and Cybil Nielsen

SNMTS President's Plaque

Cybil J. Nielsen, MBA, CNMT, is the nuclear medicine technology program coordinator for Jefferson Community and Technical College in Louisville, Kentucky. In recognition of her service as 2009–2010 SNMTS president, she was awarded the SNMTS president's plaque and gavel.

Cybil Nielsen and Kathy Hunt

Nielsen served as the president of the southeastern chapter of SNMTS in 2007–2008 and has held numerous committee appointments. She served as chair of the SNMTS educator's task force and a member of the SNMTS advanced practice task force. For 3 consecutive years, she was an SNMTS state health policy liaison. She has also served as cochair of the SNMTS entry-level taskforce and as a member of the SNMTS awards and grants committee. Nielsen received a master's of business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana, and a bachelor of health science in nuclear medicine technology from the University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky.

JNMT Best Papers for 2009

The JNMT selected the following 3 research papers to win the “Best Papers for 2009” category. The first-place winner received $500 and a plaque, the second-place winner received $100 and a plaque, and the third-place winner received a plaque. The lead authors and their colleagues were recognized at a ceremony held during SNMTS's annual business meeting.

First Place

Tezontl Rosario, Michel C. Öllers, Geert Bosmans, Dirk De Ruysscher, Philippe Lambin, and Andre Dekker. “Phased versus midventilation attenuation-corrected respiration-correlated PET for patients with non–small cell lung cancer.” J Nucl Med Technol. 2009;37:208–214.

Tezontl Rosario

Second Place

Danny Basso, Gregory Passmore, Michael Holman, Ward Rogers, Leslie Walters, Thomas Zecchin, and Jayme Butler. “Semiqualitative visual and quantitative morphometric evaluations of reduced scan time and wide-beam reconstruction in rest–gated stress SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging.” J Nucl Med Technol. 2009;37:233–239.

JNMT Editor Frances Neagley and Danny Basso

Third Place

Norman E. Bolus, Remo George, Johrnee’ Washington, and Bradley R. Newcomer. “PET/MRI: the blended-modality choice of the future?” J Nucl Med Technol. 2009;37:63–71.

JNMT Editor Frances Neagley and Norman Bolus

SNMTS Abstract Award Winners 2010

NUCLEAR MEDICINE TECHNOLOGIST STUDENT CATEGORY WINNERS