Tech Section President Message

Tina Buehner, MS, CNMT, RT(N)(CT)
2015-16 CCSNMMI-TS President 

This past February I attended the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Mid-Winter meeting in Palm Springs, California.  While it was a nice break to escape the blankets of snow and cold that covered most of the Midwest at that time, there was plenty of snow welcoming me back to Chicago upon my return.  Still, it was a nice escape if even just briefly.  I always look forward to attending SNNMI meetings because it gives me an opportunity to see what is happening with our colleagues throughout the United States.  Most of the time, the challenges that are faced across the country mirror many of the same concerns we find right here in our own backyards; CMS reduction of payments , procedural decline, depressed job market, the need for domestic isotope production, and the ever-evolving role of the Nuclear Medicine Technologist.

The changing role and increasing responsibilities of the NMT has been a topic of discussion for some time now.  In January 2013, The PET scope of practice was approved at the Mid-Winter meeting which was held in New Orleans, Louisiana.  The PET scope of practice was created to define clinical performance standards for the education and training of Technologists who are qualified to perform PET procedures.  These include CNMTs (both NMTCB and ARRT), as well as Radiologic Technologists and Radiation Therapy Technologists who have qualified and passed the respective certification exams offered by ARRT or the CAMRT, and who have successfully completed the PET specialty exam offered by the NMTCB.  The scope of practice is divided into the categories of patient care, instrumentation/quality control, diagnostic procedures, adjunctive medications, PET radiopharmaceuticals, and radiation safety. The clinical performance standards provide a basis for establishing knowledge in each one of these areas.  

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The Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board to Develop Entry-Level Computed Tomography (CT) Credential

The NMTCB is developing a new entry-level certification exam for computed tomography (CT). The NMTCB (CT) credential will be considered an extension of the entry-level nuclear medicine exam and is designed to establish the competency of a nuclear medicine technologist to perform CT procedures. This examination is planned for delivery in 2014.

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New and Improved Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging

October 18-19, 2014

Kalahari Resort and Convention Center
Sandusky, OH  

Interested in exhibiting or sponsoring?  Click here to view/download the Exhibitor Information packet. 

March 28-29, 2015

JNM Update

Editor-in-Chief, The Journal of Nuclear Medicine

In January of 2012, it was a great honor for me to become Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, whichis the educational flagship of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.  Its main mission is to disseminate scientific information to all members of the Society and the medical community at large in a concerted effort to advance the field of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging.  JNM was ranked the top nuclear medicine journal worldwide, according to data released in the 2012 Journal Citation Reports� published by Thomson Reuters.  JNM -- a peer-reviewed, monthly publication -- earned an impact factor of 5.774.

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The Central Chapter Continuing Education Committee chaired by Christopher Jacobs  is scheduling a series of Road Shows in 2013 

The Road Shows will be held in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and Ohio. Would you be interested in hosting a 2014 Road Show?  Email us at [email protected]!

The topics and learning objectives are as follows:

Course Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the program, attendees should be able to:

• Review electrocardiogram interpretations
• Discuss important considerations in patient care
• Review the Quality Assurance and Accreditation process
• Indentify methods of Imaging Gently and Imaging Wisely

Topics are:

• Reading Between the Lines: EKG Interpretation
• Patient Care 101
• Quality Assurance and Accreditation
• ALARA in The Era of Hybrid Imaging

JNMT Update

Norman E. Bolus, MSPH, MPH, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS

Editor-in-Chief, The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology

Beginning in July of 2011, I began a transition into the role as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology (JNMT). I officially took over from Frances Neagley on January 1st, 2012. The JNMT is the sister journal of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine (JNM) and is published quarterly. The JNM and the JNMT share resources, reviewers and support staff for both journals, this helps streamline the process of managing the journals for the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

It has been a great experience learning the process of being the Editor-in-Chief and being in charge of driving the main journal for Nuclear Medicine Technologists in our field. Coming into this role I had many goals and I am working on several of them as time goes on. One goal was to start having 2 CE offerings in each quarterly journal. While I have had some difficulty getting this accomplished, my new Continuing Education editor, Amy Brady, and I have come up with a plan going forward that this should not be a problem. If you have an idea for a CE article or would like to write one please let me or her know.

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