SPECT/CT is spectacular!
Gopinath Gnanasegaran, chair of the BIR Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging special interest group, explains why you should find out more about combined single-photon emission CT (SPECT) and CT technology at our exciting event on 24 February 2014.
Nuclear medicine imaging techniques such as planar and SPECT provides valuable functional/metabolic information. However, it is often challenging to accurately localise and characterise the pathology/site of abnormality. CT provides anatomical information; therefore, an ideal approach is to combine SPECT and CT technology, which could provide accurate functional and structural information. However, currently there is limited evidence, but this is evolving for the use of SPECT/CT routinely.
There are several studies evaluating the role of SPECT/CT in oncological and non-oncological scenarios. In general, SPECT/CT has been shown to provide clinically useful/significant information, altering patient management in most cases. Therefore, we believe that SPECT/CT will be routinely performed in most departments as a one-stop imaging modality in the near future; currently, the user group is expanding worldwide. The aim of this SPECT/CT course is to highlight potential SPECT/CT applications and guide referring clinicians and imaging specialists (radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians) to use SPECT/CT appropriately. The previous two BIR SPECT/CT meetings in 2012 and 2013 were a huge success (and sold-out events), which encouraged us to make this an annual event. In 2014, the third SPECT/CT course is organised as a joint event with the British Nuclear Medicine Society (BNMS).
The SPECT/CT symposium will comprehensively cover all major topics, such as physics, malignant bone disease, orthopaedics, infection, musculoskeletal CT and MRI for SPECT/CT users, SPECT/CT reporting and oncology. A distinguished faculty of clinicians and scientists who are currently using SPECT/CT systems will address these topics.
The meeting will be useful for radiologists/nuclear medicine physicians, radiographers, clinical practitioners and nuclear medicine trainees.
Top experts in the field will explore:
• The principles and clinical evidence of SPECT/CT in different sites/pathologies
• SPECT/CT in Orthopaediacs
• Reporting SPECT/CT scans
Dr Gopinath Gnanasegaran, MD, FRCP
Chair: BIR Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging Committee
Chair: BNMS Education Committee
Consultant Physician in Nuclear Medicine
Department of Nuclear Medicine
St Thomas’ Hospital
