HealthManagement, Volume 10 - Issue 3, 2010

Dear readers,

This edition focuses primarily on the topic of hybrid imaging. This merits particular attention as it goes through somewhat of a revolution just presently, following the collaboration of both the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) and European Society of Radiology (ESR) in solving the question of not only who will perform what aspects of hybrid imaging and nuclear medicine in the future, but more importantly, how will we train young professionals and students so that they can arrive at a point of specialised knowledge in the field.

Previous efforts by these societies have taken steps on the road to divining who is performing what types of studies in the field, and in what numbers, with the goal of streamlining and improving efficiency in training for multimodality imaging and facilitating the performance and interpretation of combined crosssectional imaging. Eventually, it is to be hoped that a database will be created that serves the EANM and the ESR jointly for the future benefit of both specialties.

Augmenting this coverage of current efforts in the field regarding professional organisation, is an excellent and incisive paper from expert, Prof. Gustav von Schulthess, who shares with us his ideas for choosing and investing in hybrid imaging technology in a clinical environment. Given the investigation of novel modalities such as PET/MR, this article is certainly timely and informative in assisting those wondering what will make the most clinically and financially effective purchase at the moment. As well as this, we report on an innovative project funded by the European Commission that aims to merge the dual imaging modalities of PET and MR in one unit. Supported by Philips Healthcare, this initiative should shed light in time to come on ways in which PET/MR could see the light of day. Coordinated and contributed to by President of the EANM, and Editorial Board Member here at IMAGING Management, Prof. Wolfram Knapp, this cover story aims at deciphering the future of the specialty.

Finally, I would like to draw your attention to a healthcare economics based paper written by Jane Adam, who writes on behalf of the National Institute for Health & Excellence (NICE) on how they are divining the cost effectiveness and value for money of certain medical therapies and particularly, within the field of radiology. A consultant radiologist herself, Dr. Adam provides certain useful algorithms for assessing the effectiveness of one treatment over another. She also makes the important point that cost-effectiveness analysis is something radiology managers need more and more to know about and implement, as the spotlight falls on the utility of high cost radiology services.

I greatly hope you will enjoy reading the contents of the journal. If you wish to send your opinions and feedback regarding any of the articles within, please do so by emailing our Managing Editor at [email protected]

 

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