June marks an extraordinary time of year for the nuclear medicine community. It’s a time when physicians, scientists, pharmacists, lab professionals, technologists, and commercial representatives gather together to share the latest research and development and their clinical applications at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) Annual Meeting. This year, the SNMMI’s Annual Meeting will be held in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. This four-day event will allow participants to attend state-of-the-art educational programs, network with peers and industry partners, and enjoy the special programs and interactive gatherings that we’ve missed for the last two years.
Whether you’re attending the meeting in person or choosing to attend virtually, be sure to participate in the SNMMI Technologist Section’s (SNMMI-TS) Business Meeting on Monday, June 13, 2022 (4:45-6:00 pm PDT), where we will celebrate the Section’s many accomplishments, announce the winners of the 2022–2023 elections, and present multiple awards including the JNMT Best Paper Awards. Each year, published manuscripts written by technologists as the first author are judged in the following categories: Scientific Papers (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place), Continuing Education, Teaching Case Studies, and Educators’ Forum. You can find a complete list of the JNMT 2021 Best Paper Awardees on the SNMMI website (in the About SNMMI section, Grants, Awards, and Scholarships [https://www.snmmi.org/AboutSNMMI/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=38829]) — and don’t miss the September issue of JNMT, where the best paper awards and photos of the authors will be included. So, once again, my question to you is, “Is your name on that list?” If not, why not consider sharing your expertise by summarizing a clinical research study, writing a continuing education article, highlighting an unusual finding as a teaching case study, or sharing a technique that has resulted in a successful outcome in the classroom … and maybe next year we’ll see your name on JNMT’s 2022 Best Paper awards! Don’t know where to start? Need some assistance with an idea for a publication in JNMT? Help is available! General publication information can be found on the JNMT website at https://tech.snmjournals.org/authors. For individual help, please contact me at ksthomas0412{at}msn.com.
You will find a diverse selection of continuing education articles in this issue, including an interesting discussion on the biology of cancer and PET imaging (1); the final article in the PET/MRI series (2); part II in the SNMMI Clinical Trials Network research series for technologists (3); and the latest procedure guideline on molecular breast imaging (4).
The Practical Protocol Tip (PPT), Small Bowel and Colon Transit, summarizes small bowel and colon transit study using single-isotope liquid gastric emptying with small bowel and colon follow-through (5). As always, the PPT is designed to be clipped from the JNMT to update your Policy and Procedure Manual.
In the Educators’ Forum, a survey of educators summarizes the trends and changes in nuclear medicine technology (NMT) programs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic (6). On the basis of approval of new diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, the group concluded that the field of NMT looks bright but entry-level practice will require a revision of curriculum content and the need for increased use of virtual interaction formats.
Another innovative educational technique for NMT programs created during the COVID-19 pandemic and practiced at the University of Newcastle, Australia, demonstrates the use of videos as an “alternative clinical portfolio” to assist NMT students in developing the required skills necessary in the clinical setting (7).
Artificial intelligence (AI) in imaging technology continues to gain momentum and acceptance. A fascinating discussion is included regarding using AI in thyroid scintigraphy as a second reader to minimize errors and increase confidence (8).
When reading time is available, explore the many interesting scientific manuscripts, radiation safety discussions, and teaching case studies included, or perhaps earn a few more of those much-needed continuing education credits.
Kathy S. Thomas, MHA, CNMT, PET, FSNMMI-TS
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