NUCLEAR MEDICINE / PET
The Vanderbilt University Hospital include five state-of-the-art gamma cameras, all of which are dual-head single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) systems; two of these possess an integrated X-ray CT system for SPECT attenuation correction and fusion for anatomical localization. Another is an integrated SPECT/CT combining a dual-head SPECT gamma camera and a state-of-the-art multi-detector CT unit allowing the performance of CT angiography. In addition, there are two dual-head SPECT gamma cameras at the Vanderbilt Page-Campbell Heart Institute and one at The Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.
The nuclear medicine division also includes positron emission tomography (PET). PET is an imaging modality, which allows direct evaluation of the metabolic rate of organs in the normal and various pathological states. PET has become an established procedure for the evaluation of neurologic, cardiovascular, and oncologic disorders. The PET center is equipped with a cyclotron and a state-of-the art integrated PET/CT system combining a dedicated full ring PET tomograph and a multi-detector CT unit. The cyclotron has been operated commercially for distribution of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) since the mid-nineties. Combined PET/CT and SPECT/CT devices provide both the metabolic information from PET or SPECT and the anatomic information from CT in a single examination; the information obtained by SPECT/CT and PET/CT has been shown to be more accurate than either alone.
The facilities include a well-equipped radiopharmacy and in vitro laboratory, a PET radiopharmacy and radiochemistry laboratories. The radiochemistry laboratories have recently expanded facilities and staff for the development of new SPECT and PET radiopharmaceuticals.
The Radiology Department has a comprehensive integrated computer network and PACS system with numerous viewing stations.
The affiliated Veterans Administration Medical Center is contiguous with the University campus and includes five gamma cameras, all of which have SPECT capabilities.
The nuclear medicine faculty include Martin P. Sandler, Chairman of the Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Dominique Delbeke, M.D., Ph.D., Director of Nuclear Medicine and the PET Center, Reza Habibian, M.D., Director of Clinical Medicine and Ultrasound at the Nashville VA Medical Center, and William H. Martin, M.D., Co-Director of Nuclear Cardiology and Director of the Nuclear Medicine Training Program; all faculty members are board-certified in nuclear medicine, and two are certified in nuclear cardiology. These Nuclear Medicine Program is supported by James A. Patton, PhD., Director of Nuclear Medicine Physics, Robert M. Kessler, M.D, Director of PET research; Jeffrey A. Clanton, MS, D.Ph., Director of the Nuclear and PET Pharmacies; Todd Peterson, PhD, Director of small animal imaging research; Aaron B. Brill, MD, PhD, Research Professor of Radiology and Physics; and Michael G. Stabin, PhD, Health physics and Radiation Dosimetry.
All nuclear medicine faculty members are leaders in their field with extensive publications in multiple areas including but not limited to PET and PET/CT and SPECT and SPECT/CT in the evaluation of neurologic, cardiovascular and oncologic disorders. Numerous research programs are ongoing in the Division of Nuclear Medicine, as well as collaboration with other Divisions in the Department of Radiology and the Vanderbilt Institute of Imaging Sciences.
The residency training program in Nuclear Medicine has three residency positions and there is also a nuclear medicine technologist training program. There are more than fifteen nuclear medicine clinical conferences monthly as well as numerous collaborative clinical and research conferences complemented by an extensive nuclear medicine library with teaching files and computerized instruction.
