RESTON, Va.A newly released, comprehensive survey identifies clear support for SNMTS initiatives that will enable individual nuclear medicine technologistsand the professionto grow and thrive.

From education to training, certification, credentialing and embracing new technologies, the Technologist Section is preparing individuals and the profession for the future, noted SNMTS President D. Scott Holbrook, who represents nearly 8,000 nuclear medicine technologists who are employed in hospitals, universities, medical clinics and research centers across the United States and abroad. The results of this survey support the direction SNMTS is leading in determining how nuclear medicine technologists of today may broaden their scope to become the imaging specialists or molecular imaging technologists of tomorrow, he added.

The study, Nuclear Medicine Technologists in the United States: Findings From a 2005 Survey, shows that nuclear medicine technologists are keenly aware of how quickly the profession is changing, indicating that the introduction of new imaging technologies results in changing responsibilities. The report notes some coming trends, including the evolution of medical imaging, the increasing importance of fusion imaging technologies and the shift of nuclear medicine practice toward cardiologists, oncologists and other specialists. By conducting this survey, SNMTS learned more about the thoughts, opinions and challenges of technologists so its leaders can continue to make informed decisions and better meet current and future needs, said Holbrook.


The study indicates that major transformations in nuclear medicine are very likely and offers recommendations for the profession and individual practitioners. Those in the nuclear medicine profession must pursue licensure in all states to serve the needs and protect the safety of the public; promote standardized, legislated legal scope of practice for technologists; augment the knowledge base and skill sets to include fusion imaging with the latest technologies; track closely the work of scientists and industry on new imaging technologies and adjust educational programs as needed; work to increase the number of certified technologists in all states in this country; and provide opportunities for those interested to extend their professional education to the graduate levelall efforts supported by SNMTS.

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