Annual Spring Meeting Addressed
Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine
Policy From Many Directions

By Rebecca A. Sajdak, BA, CNMT
Immediate Past President
Central Chapter Technologist Section

The Spring Meeting of the Central Chapter of the Society of Nuclear Medicine was held in Indianapolis, Indiana and was hosted by James Fletcher, MD, Edward Wroblewski, MA, DABNM, and Paul Reaume, CNMT, ARRT (R,N). Attendees were treated to state of the art lectures discussing molecular imaging for patients with a variety of different cancers as well as diseases of the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. There was information on various software-based techniques in assessment of brain images-relative to visual assessment, and relative to each other. Cardiac lectures spoke of upcoming tracers and new work being done with cardiac attenuation on the new SPECT/CT cameras.

Attendees at the Spring Meeting enjoy visiting
with exhibitors. The exhibitors sponsored raffle
prizes for the meeting including two iPod Nanos
and two $200 American Express Gift Checks.

Program Chair James W. Fletcher, MD presents
crystal plaque to Timothy R. Degrado, PhD for
giving the James Quinn Lecture.

Technologist Section President-Elect Paul J.
Reaume presents crystal plaque to Timothy G. Turkington, PhD, for giving the Mark Groch
Lecture.

Experts in their respective fields discussed cutting edge technology that is still in the research phase. There is a new PET/Mammography system under development, new work being done with optical imaging, and state of the art imaging technologies used for pre-clinical small animal research.

Our national office President of the Technologist Section, Valerie Cronin, brought the chapter updated information on the CARE act, which, if passed, would require states and health programs such as Medicare to adopt minimum standards for anyone who works with ionizing radiation. Valerie spoke about the new initiatives at the national level entailing the creation of a Nuclear Medicine Practitioner’s degree as a pathway for a technologist desiring to further their careers with a Master’s degree. There is also a parallel initiative to change the entry-level requirement for Nuclear Medicine Technologists to a baccalaureate degree. Due to the expanding duties and increasing amount of knowledge required of today’s technologists, it is suggested that the amount of time required to complete the components for degree in nuclear medicine technology would be equal to four years of college.

There were several outstanding proffered papers given by technologists, residents and students which were judged and the winners awarded cash prizes. The list of winner is included elsewhere in this newsletter. These were the best of many abstracts submitted to our judges who had a difficult time deciding what to select for presentation, because the abstracts this year were exceptional. If you would like to submit an abstract or are aware of a resident, technologist or student who would like to submit an abstract for upcoming meetings, keep an eye on the website for the notice for submission. There is always a procedure or technique that a technologist may use which could help other technologists. Please come share your expertise!

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