Nuclear Medicine Technology week is recognized each year during the first week of October by Allied Health professionals worldwide. This year Keiser University recognizes the future of Nuclear Medicine Technology by expanding its successful nuclear medicine program to the Keiser University-Ft. Lauderdale Campus.
Isabel Breen is the new program director and is looking forward to preparing a new generation of nuclear medicine technologists for the future. Breens background includes over 30 years experience as a registered technologist working in a variety of clinical settings from private cardiology offices to research and academic institutions, including chief technologist at Emory University. Breens educational credentials include an A.S. in Nuclear Medicine Technology, a B.S. in Business Administration and a MPA. Breens background in private practice, clinical education and managed care settings will prepare students for both the technical expertise and the administrative knowledge necessary for future health care professionals.
Nuclear medicine is the combination of medical imaging and patient care with chemistry, physics, mathematics, and computer technology to diagnose and treat disease. Nuclear medicine differs from other imaging modalities with its ability to quantify physiological function as opposed to imaging anatomical structure. Chemical compounds called radiopharmaceuticals are injected into a patient and digital information is transferred to a specialized imaging computer. Along with the images produced, biological data is collected and analyzed to produce a map of a particular organs function. The radiopharmaceuticals are safe and what makes them so effective is the fact that they mimic your normal body functions. Proteins, amino acids and antibodies that your body uses every day are tagged with a small amount of a radioactive element. This enables the clinician to actually “see” the dynamic process of a particular organ or disease rather than an anatomical snapshot.
The National Academy of Sciences has just released the findings of a yearlong study recommending that federal funding be enhanced for basic nuclear medicine/molecular imaging research. The study findings support the contributions to individualized disease management the field of nuclear medicine can offer. “Basic nuclear medicine research will continue to improve patient care through new therapeutic isotopes to cure disease, earlier diagnosis of Alzheimers and cancer, detection of the effectiveness of cancer therapies, development of the next generation of imaging technologies and more.” (McEwan, SNM) The report acknowledges the cost saving benefits that can be realized from utilizing nuclear medicine procedures. The report cites a potential of a $235 million savings in research and drug development costs alone. Nuclear medicine procedures can also be used in tracking the efficacy of a chemotherapy regimen and cancer staging. This information can save a patient from unnecessary surgery and non-responsive chemotherapy regimens.
The findings of this study support Keiser Universitys decision to offer the nuclear medicine curriculum at its Ft. Lauderdale campus. The study supports the fact that nuclear medicine will continue to be a field at the forefront of modern clinical medicine and the need for well trained technologists in the field. The future looks bright for nuclear medicine technologists and a career in nuclear medicine provides a variety of opportunities in outpatient imaging facilities, research centers, community or teaching hospitals and public health institutions. Besides opportunities in medical imaging, career alternatives include educators, department administrators, industry sales representatives or research-and-development specialists.
Breen is looking forward to partnering with nuclear medicine departments in our community to help train and educate the future leaders in our profession.
