EANM TECHNOLOGIST COMMITTEE
Within the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM), the technologist committee (TC) represents NMTs in Europe. The TC plays an important role in promoting high standards in the daily practice of technologists and in developing education and training. It maintains close links with national and international societies and collaborates with other EANM task groups and committees on wider EANM initiatives. The key aims of the TC are to encourage technologists to join the EANM and, by so doing, broaden their horizons; to promote high standards in education, training, and the daily practice of NMTs in the different countries of Europe; to participate in wider EANM initiatives on education and continuing education; to work with outside organizations (e.g., SNMMI-TS and the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine) to ensure that the technologist’s important role in nuclear medicine is acknowledged and developed; and to promote contacts and exchange of information within and between national associations of technologists in the different European countries.
Technologists’ Program at Annual Congress
Since the TC was formed in 1996, an increasing number of technologists have attended the EANM annual congress. A major achievement of the TC has been the delivery and coordination of a high-standard technologist program in parallel with the main scientific sessions at each EANM annual congress. The technologist program includes continuing education sessions, mini courses, workshops, and oral and poster presentations. At a number of the congresses, the TC has collaborated with other committees in the delivery of joint continuing education sessions for technologists and physicians. The technologists’ interest meeting at the congress is an opportunity for European technologists to exchange information and to review the current and future activities of the TC.
PET/CT Courses at EANM Learning Facility
When the EANM learning facility was created in 2003, the TC was invited to establish PET/CT learning courses for technologists. In 2009, the TC decided to change the format of the PET/CT courses. The existing medium-level course was reformatted into separate basic-level and advanced-level courses. The basic-level course is aimed at technologists with no experience in PET/CT imaging. The course covers topics from basic PET/CT physics and PET tracers to common PET/CT clinical applications. The advanced-level course currently focuses on CT (including basic principles, clinical applications, and quality control), PET/CT quality control, and PET/CT in radiotherapy planning. The content of the technologist courses is reviewed regularly by the TC to reflect advances in the rapidly changing field of hybrid imaging. The project for 2015 is to change the basic course into an online course and to run at EANM facilities 2 different advanced courses to enlarge our educational offerings to technologists.
Technologists’ Guide Series
Since 2004, the TC has produced an annual Technologists’ Guide. Renowned authors with expertise in their field have contributed to each guide. Although the guides were initially produced as a reference point for technologists, they have proved popular with and have benefited all disciplines (medical and scientific) within the field of nuclear medicine. Other EANM committees and outside organizations (e.g., SNMMI-TS) have shown interest in participating as contributors to the Technologists’ Guide.
Central and Eastern European Projects
Initiatives to improve the standards of education and training for technologists in Central and Eastern Europe have been a key focus of the TC. An important milestone for these projects was the “Teach the Teachers” program established by the TC in 2007. Eleven countries registered for the program and fulfilled their duties to organize seminars in their own country (Bulgaria, Bosnia, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Belgium). The EANM with the board of the European School of Nuclear Medicine has been supportive in organizing technologist sessions at European School of Nuclear Medicine seminars in Central and Eastern Europe on a regular basis, and the project is ongoing.
Working Party on Advancing Practice
In October 2009, the TC and SNMMI-TS formed a joint working party to consider advanced and entry-level practice for nuclear medicine radiographers and technologists. The Euro-American working party consisted of 11 people from 5 disciplines and 8 countries. The intention of the working party was to help stimulate debate, on a Euro-American level, about the perceived value of advancing practice within individual European countries and America. A draft was created, and after many consultation exercises all around the world, a final version of the discussion document was reached and published in the September 2011 issue of JNMT. The document was the starting point for further discussions on competencies, with roundtables and the involvement of other scientific and professional societies representing technologists and radiographers.
2015 Annual Congress
The next annual meeting will be at EANM European Congress, to be held in Hamburg, Germany, on October 10–14, 2015.
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF MEDICAL RADIATION TECHNOLOGISTS
The Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT) is the national professional association and certifying body for radiologic, nuclear medicine, and MR imaging technologists and radiation therapists. CAMRT provides leadership on standards for entry-level education and offers a suite of programs and services that advance the profession and the health of Canadians. These include entry to practice and specialty certification, continuing professional development opportunities, publication of member news and professional resources, and professional practice research and advice. CAMRT is the national voice of medical radiation technologists and an effective advocate on the role and contribution of medical radiation technologists in Canadian health system discussions and decisions. CAMRT’s Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, published by Elsevier, is an international, peer-reviewed journal that accepts manuscripts in all fields of diagnostic imaging and radiation therapies, including radiologic technology, MR imaging, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy, and sonography. Founded in 1942, the CAMRT today represents over 12,000 members. Of these, 1,350 are certified as nuclear medicine technologists.
Initiative on Medical Radioisotope Shortage
The CAMRT’s advocacy plan focuses on several key issues that have an impact on its professional community. Currently, the CAMRT is leading an initiative to address the potential for a global shortage of medical radioisotopes in the near future. Our research has shown that the ongoing reliable supply of 99mTc is threatened. According to a recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, “Current global irradiation and processing capacity is predicted to be insufficient over the period analysed for reliable 99Mo/99mTc supply, even with all producers operating under normal conditions…” (http://www.oecd-nea.org/med-radio/reports/sen-hlgmr2014-2.pdf). We are monitoring the situation closely and coordinating ongoing investigation of the situation through dialogue and information sharing with CAMRT members, international colleagues, and other national health-care associations. In addition, the association is currently engaged in discussions with Health Canada, with provincial and territorial government representatives, and with various industry players. Our goal is to stimulate the emergence of mitigation strategies through constant engagement with our members, producers, governments, and other stakeholders.
Outreach on Advanced Practice
CAMRT is also engaged in outreach to create awareness of the potential for advanced practice roles for medical radiation technologists with key stakeholders. Advanced Practice Framework was published in the spring of 2014, and the association is proceeding with the design of an advanced practice certification model for radiation therapists as a first step in implementation. CAMRT has also developed a brief for presentation to the Canadian government’s health committee on its research into international best practices in advanced practice and the potential to adapt these to the Canadian health-care system.
Advocacy on Appropriateness of Imaging
A third issue that forms a pillar of the CAMRT advocacy platform is appropriateness. As a founding member of the Medical Imaging Team (http://www.imagingteam.ca/), CAMRT collaborates with associations representing radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians, sonographers, and medical physicists to advance a better understanding of the complex practices, policies, and protocols behind each image and to promote the highest standard of appropriate imaging with all Canadians. The team also takes an active role in the development and identification of information resources that assist other health-care professionals to select the appropriate tests and that provide patients with the information they need to understand and manage their imaging procedures. The Medical Imaging Team website includes 2 virtual libraries: “Information for Health Care Professionals” (http://www.imagingteam.ca/professionals.html) and “Information for Patients and Their Families” (http://www.imagingteam.ca/patients.html).
2015 Joint Congress
On May 28–30, 2015, the CAMRT is one of 4 organizations hosting “Collaborative Care: Imaging and Treatment—A Joint Congress on Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences,” in Montreal, Quebec. This event offers unprecedented opportunities for bilingual shared learning and networking experiences among radiologists, technologists, and other health-care professions. A strong program track for nuclear medicine technologists is offered in English and French, along with a series of plenary sessions on topical issues. Online registration opens in November 2014 (www.jointcongress.ca).
AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE
The Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine (ANZSNM) is a nonprofit organization with a charter to facilitate improved health outcomes for our community; advance the clinical practice of nuclear medicine in Australia and New Zealand; train individuals for professional practice in all facets of nuclear medicine; provide opportunities for lifelong learning and advancement; foster cooperation between organizations and individuals interested in nuclear medicine; provide opportunities for collegial discussion on all aspects of nuclear medicine, research, and development; and educate the public on the benefits of nuclear medicine techniques at national and regional levels. Our mission is to improve public health by expanding functional imaging using radiopharmaceuticals and radionuclide therapy in Australia and New Zealand with a view to becoming the preeminent organization representing multidisciplinary nuclear medicine professionals in Australia and New Zealand, with international recognition.
Membership and Benefits
The ANZSNM has membership from all professions involved in the practice of nuclear medicine, including nuclear medicine specialists, radiologists, nuclear medicine technologists, physicists, radiochemists, radiopharmacists, nurses, trainees, students, and corporate members. A professional secretariat and general manager oversee the daily activities of the society, with a membership-elected board of directors being responsible for general business. Each craft group is supported by a special interest group that represents the specific interests of its profession, including development of standards and competencies. The largest of these is the technologist special interest group, representing approximately 900 technologist members. This group has been integral in the introduction of a national registration scheme for technologists that includes updates to the scope of practice, a supervised practice program, course accreditation, and continuing professional development. The ANZSNM has a comprehensive continuing professional development program that includes regular continuing education activities at a state level, as well as national, rural, and metropolitan workshops on a variety of topics. The technologist special interest group also works on advanced practice issues, specifically addressing the need for training programs in CT and MR imaging as well as reviewing our existing overseas qualification program to update the exam modules by incorporating advances in hybrid imaging and PET/CT.
Collaboration on Clinical Trials Network
The ANZSNM has collaborated with the Australasian Association of Nuclear Medicine Specialists to form a clinical trials network to support and facilitate the development of research expertise and protocols within Australia and New Zealand. Known as the Australasian Radiopharmaceuticals Trials Network (www.artnet.org.au), it was officially launched during the 2014 annual scientific meeting in Adelaide with the announcement of the membership of the executive board and scientific committee. The network has a charter to promote and facilitate collaborative clinical research utilizing radiopharmaceuticals for imaging and therapy to harmonize imaging protocols for research, support multicenter clinical trials, and promote collaboration in outcomes-based research with radiopharmaceuticals.
Tracer Development and Availability
There have been rapid advances over the last 3 years in the development of new tracers, especially in the area of PET, with 68Ga-labeled tracers being hailed as the new 99mTc for PET. The ANZSNM is increasingly aware of the regulatory obstacles that are preventing ready availability of new tracers and has been working with the Australasian Association of Nuclear Medicine Specialists and government bodies to address this issue, especially in relation to funding and approvals. This will be an important focus for the organization over the next 5 years, and we are actively involved with a current global initiative looking at the international availability of radiopharmaceuticals. As part of this, the society will be increasing relations with patient advocacy groups and working on incorporating a patient stream as part of the annual meeting to educate the public and patients on the role of nuclear medicine in health.
2015 Annual Scientific Meeting
The ANZSNM holds its annual scientific meeting in mid April each year either in Australia or New Zealand. The next meeting will be held in Brisbane, Queensland, April 17–20, with the theme “Wheel of Change” (www.anzsnm2015.com.au). The meeting will be held at the Brisbane Convention Centre, which is a 10-minute walk from the central business district and the Southbank precinct, which have an abundance of cultural activities, dining, entertainment, and shopping attractions. A diverse mix of international and local invited speakers presenting on their area of expertise will contribute to a high-caliber scientific program.
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