From the June 2015 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
PET took off when it was combined with CT and the hybrid finally produced what the radiologist needed — hard tissue images that, when combined with the PET image, took away the “fuzzy” image problem for the radiologist. Once again nuclear medicine stood by passively as radiology and oncology acquired PET/CT and employed it in freestanding clinics and in hospitals. It was a hit, but not for nuclear medicine.
PET/CT brought a new term to diagnostic imaging, molecular imaging. Unfortunately, and most likely due to the lead-from-behind strategy, others had already grabbed the moniker, setting up their own organizations. One group formed in the U.S. and the other in Europe, to take advantage of the interest molecular imaging was generating. The two groups saw the benefit of coordinating efforts. They developed their own journal and combined resources to form the World Molecular Imaging Society.
Several years after the formation of the World Molecular Imaging Society, the SNM thought it time to consider a name change and became the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, the SNMMI. My observation is that the lackluster annual growth of nuclear medicine suggests that the rebranding didn’t work as well as hoped.
What are the leadership issues facing nuclear medicine today? Today all of health care is faced with huge obstacles brought about by changing demographics, anemic economic results, and health care reform created by the passage of the ACA. Leading from behind will not help the nuclear medicine community to find its spot in this changing marketplace.
For the nuclear medicine specialty to secure a larger place in diagnostic imaging, a strategy change is required. No longer should nuclear medicine professionals lead from behind, acting as a cheering squad for others who take the first steps to solve problems that confront the entire nuclear medicine community.
The SNMMI, through its counsels and members, with their formidable experience in the use of radiopharmaceuticals for molecular imaging and radionuclide therapy, must take a leadership, trailblazing position in the diagnostic community if they wish to have a voice in the future of diagnostic imaging. With education, credentials and viable, cost-effective clinical solutions, the nuclear medicine community can lead the way to the diagnostic imaging and therapy management solutions demanded by a fast-paced and changing diagnostic imaging marketplace.
If the lead-from-behind strategy isn’t altered and replaced with a trailblazing strategy I predict the function of nuclear medicine will be absorbed and included with imaging modalities in radiology. The ability to deal with the complexity of the nuclear medicine process will be lost to cost-cutting, leaving the other modalities to fill the void. This would be a disservice to the nuclear medicine community and more importantly to the larger patient population.
PATTI MCLEAN
There are several companies leading the way
June 25, 2015 03:44
SHINE Medical Technologies will have its construction permit to build a Mo-99 facility in Janesville WI, hopefully by the end of the year. NorthStar Radioisotopes is in the process of FDA approval (at least 3 years behind SHINE). Both Midwest companies. There are many other companies about 5 years behind SHINE that are attempting to fill the void that NRU will produce.
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