SNMTS honors contributions in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging at 57th Annual Meeting

Technologists recognized for outstanding education and service to the nuclear medicine profession

SNM's Technologist Section (SNMTS)-an international scientific and medical organization-recognized the contributions and work to the field of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging during its 57th Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City. Several awards ceremonies were held to recognize the value that SNMTS members play in advancing the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease, cancer and neurological conditions.

"It is a pleasure to honor the contributions made by these talented nuclear medicine technologists," said Kathy Hunt, MS, CNMT, SNMTS president and assistant professor and program chair of nuclear medicine technology, division of allied health at Baptist College of Health Sciences in Memphis, Tenn. "Nuclear medicine is a vital element of today's medical practice, and these award winners embody the dedication and commitment needed to advance our profession within the health care system."

SNMTS Outstanding Educator Award

Norman E. Bolus, CNMT, MPH, was named the 2010 SNMTS Outstanding Educator. The Outstanding Educator Award recognizes an SNMTS member whose contributions and knowledge have advanced and promoted the field of nuclear medicine technology through outstanding work in education. Bolus received $750 and was presented with a plaque.

Bolus is the director of the nuclear medicine technology program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the School of Health Professions, where he is also an assistant professor in the department of clinical and diagnostic sciences. His career in nuclear medicine began in 1989, when he worked as a technologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital's nuclear medicine department. Bolus made the jump to education a few years later and has held several roles as an educator, including teacher's assistant, instructor, assistant professor, clinical coordinator and program director.

Bolus has been involved with SNMTS by serving on many committees, including the Educational Curriculum Guide Task Force, Educators Transition Task Force, NMAA Committee, Student Membership Task Force. This year, he served as chair of the Educators Committee. Recently, Bolus developed a podcast on thallium stress test protocol to provided SNMTS members with a quick refresher on how to use alternative testing for radionuclides that are not available.

Presidential Distinguished Service Award

Danny A. Basso, CNMT, NCT, FSNMTS, manager at Cardiac Imaging of Augusta, Augusta, Ga., was awarded the SNMTS Presidential Distinguished Service Award. This award recognizes an SNMTS member who has demonstrated outstanding service and dedication to the field of nuclear medicine technology. Basso was presented with a plaque.

As chair of the SNMTS Advocacy Committee and a member of the SNM/ACNM Joint Government Relations Committee, Basso has been instrumental in providing SNMTS with support and guidance on issues that affect the regulation, legislation, practice standards and reimbursement of nuclear medicine. Over the past several years, Basso has been involved with SNM and SNMTS in several capacities of leadership, including serving on the SNM House of Delegates and the SNMTS Executive Board. In addition, Basso serves as a director-at-large of the SNM National Council of Representatives and Board of Directors.

Basso belongs to the Southeastern Chapter of SNMTS and recently served as treasurer of SNM's Cardiovascular Council. He has also served as a member of the editorial board for Uptake-the SNMTS newsletter-and a member of the Publications Committee. He also serves as associate editor of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology. Basso is also a past chair of the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board.

SNMTS Fellowship Awards

The following individuals were inducted into the Fellow category. These are members of the SNMTS who have demonstrated leadership and have made a significant contribution to the profession of nuclear medicine technology at the national level. SNMTS selects Fellows based on demonstrating exemplary contributions in the following areas: participation in professional activities, education, professional experience, professional contributions and civic activities.

Fellowships are awarded at the SNMTS Annual Business Meeting each year during SNM's Annual Meeting. SNMTS Fellowship awardees receive a memorial plaque and pin signifying their Fellow status.

Royal T. Davis, CNMT, RT(N), FSNMTS, has been the technical director of the nuclear medicine division at Children's Hospital, Boston, for more than 30 years. He is a graduate of the St. Barnabas School of Nuclear Medicine Technology. He has published 13 peer-reviewed journal articles, five book chapters and has presented abstracts at dozens of international, national and local meetings. He has organized the pediatric technologist teaching sessions at the SNM annual meetings for many years. He has recently coauthored several articles on dose reduction in children and is a member of the dose reduction committee of SNM's Pediatric Council. Davis has also served as a reviewer for the Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology.

Mark Wallenmeyer, MBA, CNMT, RT(N), FSNMTS, is an assistant professor/clinical coordinator for the Nuclear Medicine Imaging Sciences program in the College of Health Related Professions at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and served as the 2008� president of SNMTS. A past president of both the Missouri Valley Chapter of SNMTS and the Southwest Missouri Society of Nuclear Medicine, he has held-and continues to hold-numerous committee appointments. Recently, he was selected as the Missouri Valley Chapter Executive Director and chair of the Transition Task Force for the SNMTS.

Leo A. Nalivaika, MBA, CNMT, RT(N), FSNMTS, is the educational coordinator/clinical instructor in the nuclear medicine technology program at Worcester State College, Worcester, Mass. He is also the senior staff nuclear medicine technologist at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Nalivaika is active within the New England Chapter of SNMTS and has held numerous professional positions, including chief editor of the New England Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology and historian emeritus. He received a bachelor's degree in natural science/nuclear medicine technology from Worcester State College and a master's in business administration from Anna Maria College in Paxton, Mass.

Rebecca A. Sajdak, CNMT, RT(N), FSNMTS, is a senior staff technologist and computer specialist at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill. She is currently a delegate-at-large for the SNMTS National Council of Representatives and served on the Nominating Committee, which oversees the nomination and election process for the organization. She also serves on the Technologist Educators Subcommittee for SNM's Clinical Trials Network. She previously served on the Continuing Education Committee and Bylaws Committee. Sajdak received an associate of science degree from the nuclear medicine program at Triton College, Northlake, Ill., and a Bachelor of Arts from Loyola University in Chicago.

LisaAnn Trembath, MSM, CNMT, CCRA, NCT, FSNMTS, most recently served as manager of medical affairs at Cellectar, a radiopharmaceuticals company in Madison, Wis. Trembath has been active nationally in SNM and SNMTS, and has served as president and chair of the Finance Committee for SNM's Central Chapter SNMTS. She has served as a member of the SNM Brain Imaging Council, the Scientific and Teachings Committee and has chaired the Government Relations Committee. She also served as a member of the Nominating Committee for the Wisconsin Society of Nuclear Medicine Technologists and as a reviewer for the Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology. She currently chairs the Site Orientation Committee for SNM's Clinical Trials Network. She received a bachelor's degree in natural science from Concordia College, St. Paul, Minn., and a master's degree in science of business management from Cardinal Stritch University in Madison. Trembath is a certified nuclear cardiology technologist (NCT) and certified clinical research associate (CCRA).

SNMTS President's Plaque

Cybil J. Nielsen, MBA, CNMT, is the nuclear medicine technology program coordinator for Jefferson Community and Technical College in Louisville, Ky. In recognition of her service as 2009� SNMTS president, she was awarded the SNMTS President's Plaque and gavel.

Nielsen served as the president of the Southeastern Chapter of the SNMTS in 2007-2008 and has held numerous committee appointments. She served as chair of the SNMTS Educator's Task Force and a member of the SNMTS Advanced Practice Task Force. For three consecutive years, she was an SNMTS state health policy liaison. She has also served as co-chair of the SNMTS Entry Level Taskforce and as a member of the SNMTS Awards and Grants Committee. Nielsen received a master's of business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind., and a bachelor of health science in nuclear medicine technology from the University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky.

JNMT Best Papers for 2009

Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology (JNMT) selected the following three research papers to win the "Best Papers for 2009" category. The first-place winner received $500 and a plaque, the second-place winner received $100 and a plaque and the third-place winner received a plaque.

First place:
Tezontl Rosario, Michel C. -llers, Geert Bosmans, Dirk De Ruysscher, Philippe Lambin, and Andre Dekker Phased versus mid-ventilation attenuation corrected respiration correlated PET for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. J Nucl Med Technol. 2009;37:208.

Second place:
Danny Basso, Gregory Passmore, Michael Holman, Ward Rogers, Leslie Walters, Thomas Zecchin, and Jayme Butler Semiqualitative Visual and Quantitative Morphometric Evaluations of Reduced Scan Time and Wide-Beam Reconstruction in Rest-Gated Stress SPECT Myocardial Perfusion Imaging. J Nucl Med Technol. 2009;37:233.

Third place:
Norman E. Bolus, Remo George, Johrnee' Washington and Bradley R. Newcomer PET/MRI: The Blended-Modality Choice of the Future? J Nucl Med Technol. 2009;37:63.