This December 2022 issue marks my fifth year as JNMT editor. In my first December editorial, I took readers on a walk down memory lane to highlight the successes achieved in my first year. We launched new sections in JNMT, including the Educators’ Forum, Practical Protocol Tips, Brief Communications, increased CE offerings, and the JNMT Twitter Club. Although the JNMT Twitter Club met with limited success, the other new sections remain strong today. Thanks to the fantastic work of Mary Beth Farrell, CE Associate Editor, and the expertise shared by my associate and consulting editors as mentors and authors, JNMT has published at least 12 continuing education (CE) articles in each of the past 5 years. In that same period, many new authors took advantage of our “Help is available” offer and successfully published educational or scientific manuscripts in JNMT. Additionally, the Educators’ Forum continues to support the vital work of our educators; the Practical Protocol Tips provide clinical technologists with concise imaging or therapeutic protocols that can be easily incorporated into a department’s procedure manual; and JNMT content continues to explore and identify new opportunities to support the rapid and ever-changing world of nuclear medicine technology today. It’s important to note, however, that these successes were possible only through the continuous help and support of my associate and consulting editors, as well as the patience and continued guidance of Susan Alexander, Paulette McGee, Mark Sumimoto, and Susan Nath, SNMMI’s journals team, and Caroline Krystek and Jane Kamm in the Education Department.
Kathy S. Thomas, MHA, CNMT, PET, FSNMMI-TS
As we look forward to 2023 and beyond, it’s time to re-measure JNMT’s content with the needs of the professional community. Does JNMT meet your professional needs? In the coming months, a new survey will be developed; and yes, I know, no one likes surveys! However, without your input, the growth and development of JNMT content is a “best guess” that it is meeting your needs. So please, when you receive your survey, take a few moments to answer the questions and, most importantly, be honest and frank. What works? What is no longer relevant? What could be added to (or deleted from) JNMT to meet your professional needs? With your help and input, JNMT content will continue to grow with the rapidly changing technology in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging.
This issue offers a wide diversity of CE articles. The Clinical Trials Network returns with an informative discussion on the use of imaging agents in developing and approving therapeutic drugs (1). The adage “to err is human” extends to every medical setting where the complexity of providing medical care can result in unexpected and sometimes catastrophic events that require a careful review and assessment to avoid similar occurrences in the future. The discussion on root cause analysis provides one example of a systematic approach to pinpoint the cause of a sentinel or near-miss safety event (2). The final CE offering explores the role of diuretic renal scintigraphy to differentiate obstructive and nonobstructive hydronephrosis (3). A diuretic renography Practical Protocol Tip follows the CE, which can be used to update or can be incorporated into the department’s procedure manual (4).
Three discussions on brain imaging are offered in this issue. Sugiura et al. provide statistical data on the influence of minimum count in brain perfusion SPECT in phantom and clinical studies (5); Kong et al. review 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT in the diagnosis of recurrent meningioma (6); and Djekidel presents the use of a subtraction technique using 18F-FDG PET in medically refractory epilepsy (7).
The Educators’ Forum returns with two practical discussions. Currie and Currie introduce the concept of emotional intelligence as it relates to better patient care and improved well-being of healthcare professionals (8), and Patchoros and Tursi-Wenzler explore the use of Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT) compliance forms in building program efficiencies (9).
Additional scientific manuscripts and teaching case studies offer a diverse variety of topics to provide helpful information and techniques that can be useful in the clinical setting.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t step up on my soapbox once again to solicit new authors and reviewers for JNMT. So many potential authors are reluctant to share their expertise because they don’t know how—but how many times have you heard me say, “Help is available!”? If you would like to share scientific information or develop an educational offering but don’t know where to start, please get in touch with me! And the quality of JNMT relies on the volunteer efforts of its reviewers. If you would like to share your expertise by becoming a reviewer, please contact me at ksthomas0412{at}msn.com!
Finally, I would like to wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a very happy and healthy New Year!
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