“Unlocking the Potential of Nuclear Medicine” ANZSNM Annual Scientific Meeting 21 – 23 May 2021
This conference was a hybrid event with face-to-face sites in each state in Australia and virtual presentations, including International guest speakers. Simone and Meredith submitted a Poster – “Survey of Challenges in Access to Diagnostics and Treatment for Neuroendocrine Tumour (NET) Patients (SCAN) –Australia and New Zealand (Oceania) vs Global Diagnosis of NETs”.
This was accepted, with Meredith presenting an e-presentation overview of the SCAN Oceania Data. SCAN, a survey conducted by the International Neuroendocrine Cancer Alliance (INCA) looked at access across the board to different treatments, diagnostics and also issues with early diagnosis. We are heartened to see that access in Australia to vital Nuclear Medicine including PET scans and PRRT is high and so too is the experience of our specialists.
Meredith attended (in person) the conference at Rydges World Square Sydney. The day commenced with the CEO, Shaun Jenkinson, of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) updating the audience about ANSTO activities, quality processes and improvements and future directions in supply and development. It was a wonderful opportunity to network and work together.
Other highlights of the conference included:
“Experience with COVID-19 in UK”, Prof John Buscombe, British Nuclear Medicine Society, UK
This was a really interesting presentation explaining the management of COVID in the UK and the utilisation of staff, PPE and also the importance of Australian Health Care Professionals in the UK which was of enormous benefit to the UK hospitals staffing. Australians could not leave due to closed borders in Australia and so their work visas were extended and enabled adequate levels of staff to be available.
On day 2 Plenary 1 was Droplet Radiochemistry: new approaches for efficient radiopharmaceutical development and production by Prof Michael van Dam from University of California, Los Angeles. This highlighted the development of equipment to enable de-centralised production – the scale of the equipment is smaller than a regular takeaway coffee cup!
Other sessions were Breast Cancer Imaging modalities, Infection and Inflammation which was a Technologist Syposium and included the impact of COVID on universities and training and also administration of local anaesthetic for sentinel lymphoscintigraphy which significantly reduces pain without reducing detection of lymph nodes.
Click below for the INCA SCAN – Oceania V Global poster and view Merediths overview below.
