A Season of Celebration

This past October the nuclear medicine community raised the flag of professional pride and commitment to celebrate Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Week. It was an opportunity to share with our patients and the public the significant advancements in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. I hope that each of you had the opportunity to join in the celebration and share the great work and opportunities nuclear medicine and molecular imaging can offer.

This final issue of 2023 includes an interesting collection of topics and discussions. The first continuing education (CE) article discusses the recent approval of two anti-amyloid antibodies and the use of amyloid PET imaging to help identify an at-risk population for anti-amyloid therapy to prevent Alzheimer disease symptoms from developing (1). Next, although radionuclide ventriculoperitoneal shunt imaging has been described as a simple procedure, it is not performed routinely in most institutions. To facilitate an accurate diagnostic study, Michael Graham describes patient preparation and imaging as well as several potential pitfalls that can result in misinterpretation or an uninterpretable study (2). A Practical Protocol Tip is included to provide clinical sites with a procedure guideline to successfully perform a ventricular shunt patency procedure (3). Finally, The SNMMI Clinical Trials Network continues its research series with a discussion on the roles that nuclear medicine technologists and other imaging professionals play in an imaging research study (4).

Practical Pointers are designed to share information and experiences with the nuclear medicine community to help improve or enhance diagnostic or therapeutic procedures in the clinical setting. James Crowley shares an unanticipated event following Pluvicto therapy and the subsequent modifications and changes in his clinical site to avoid this challenge in the future (5).

In response to SNMMI’s recently updated statement on ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) lung scan safety, in an Invited Perspective, Sara Johnson reviews the published statement and summarizes how V/Q lung scans can continue to provide an accurate assessment of vascular and airway lung disease when clinical sites adhere to local regulatory and institutional standards and guidelines (6).

From the Educators’ Forum, Wenzler et al. introduce the concept and benefits of ePortfolio in a nuclear medicine technology program that encourages student reflection and engagement (7).

ChatGPT has become a hot topic within the educational community, including nuclear medicine programs. Geoffrey Currie discusses and compares two versions of ChatGPT as they relate to academic integrity and the risk for misuse (8,9).

In her continuing quest to support and develop technologist authors, Mary Beth Farrell presents two important discussions designed to provide new authors with helpful tips and techniques to successfully write a teaching case study for publication and an abstract that gets accepted for presentation at a local, chapter, or national meeting (10,11).

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Kathy S. Thomas, MHA, CNMT, PET, FSNMMI-TS

These are just a few of the topics included in this issue of JNMT. When time allows, take the opportunity to review the additional scientific discussions and teaching case studies.

In closing, I would like to take a moment to thank those who responded to the most recent JNMT Survey. It’s important that the content of JNMT reflects the needs of its readers, and your valuable input helps us to continue providing the most relevant and up-to-date information; so thank you for your thoughts and suggestions to help us meet those needs.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t conclude this year by highlighting and thanking the most important people who assure the continuous quality and integrity of the journal, my associate and consulting editors as well as the tireless SNMMI journals team for their continued support.

JNMT is always looking for new authors and reviewers. If you are interested in sharing your expertise as an author or reviewer, please contact me (ksthomas0412{at}msn.com).

Finally, I wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a safe and happy New Year!