Individuals, Facilities and Societies Can Now Pledge to "Image Wisely"

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --The following is being released by The American College of Radiology: 

Image Wisely^®, in collaboration with the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), SNMMI Technologist Section and American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC), has created easily accessible online educational materials to help providers use the lowest radiopharmaceutical dose necessary to perform nuclear medicine exams. Physicians, medical physicists and imaging technologists are encouraged to visit ImageWisely.org to review these important materials and use the information in their clinical practice. 

"This collaborative initiative illustrates the commitment by those in the medical imaging community to ensure that medical protocols keep pace with advancing technology and that we continue to put patient safety and quality of care above all," said James A. Brink, MD, co-chair of Image Wisely.

"Nuclear medicine exams help save and extend lives every day, but opportunities remain to ensure that each patient receives optimal care. I can't urge providers strongly enough to use the materials gathered for this Image Wisely initiative," said M. Elizabeth Oates, MD, chair of the American College of Radiology Nuclear Medicine Commission.

The new Image Wisely nuclear medicine initiative urges nuclear medicine providers to:

• Perform nuclear medicine procedures only when clinically indicated
• Individualize administered doses based on the specific clinical task
• Employ maneuvers to minimize radiation dose
• Familiarize themselves with recommended administered activities

"I strongly encourage nuclear medicine providers to avail themselves of the materials gathered and created for this initiative and to work together with all members of their team to provide the best patient care possible," said Gordon DePuey, MD, FASNC, ASNC representative to Image Wisely. 

"I appeal to all medical physicists involved in nuclear medicine to review, save and share these materials, and engage all nuclear medicine team members to strengthen radiation optimization in their facilities," said Larry Williams, PhD, American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) representative to Image Wisely.

Image Wisely encourages imaging providers to demonstrate to patients that they "image wisely" by earning accreditation from the ACR (or equivalent accrediting organization) and by taking the Image Wisely pledge. There are now three online pledge options:

• Pledge as an individual
• Pledge as a facility
• Pledge as an association

"Radiation dose for all nuclear medicine and molecular imaging procedures should be optimized so that the patient receives the smallest possible amount of radiopharmaceutical

that will provide the appropriate diagnostic information. I ask that nuclear medicine providers take advantage of the important materials offered and that they demonstrate their commitment to patient care by taking the pledge to 'image wisely,'" said Frederic H. Fahey, DSc, FACR, FAAPM, SNMMI president and representative to Image Wisely.

"Medical imaging technologists are vital members of the nuclear medicine team. It is important that they are familiar with the materials gathered and created for this effort, and that they share these resources with others and remind them of their importance by taking the Image Wisely pledge," said Greg Morrison, MA, RT(R), American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) chief operating officer.

Image Wisely is a collaborative initiative of the ACR, the Radiological Society of North America, ASRT and AAPM. The four charter members of Image Wisely represent more than 200,000 physicians, radiologic technologists and medical physicists who play key roles in medical imaging.

SOURCE American College of Radiology