The Physics, Instrumentation and Data Sciences Council (PIDSC) is composed of Society members who have an interest in medical physics, nuclear instrumentation, and data analysisand their applications in therapeutic, diagnostic or investigational nuclear medicine.

PIDSC's mission is to promote the dissemination of knowledge and the advancement of medical physics, nuclear instrumentation, and data analysis and their applications for diagnosis and treatment in nuclear medicine to its members and to the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging as a whole. The objectives of the Council to carry out the mission are:

1. To promote effective use of medical physics, nuclear instrumentation, and data analysis in the diagnostic, therapeutic, and investigational applications of nuclear medicine, including molecular imaging initiatives;
2. To provide a forum for the members of the Society of Nuclear Medicine who have an interest in medical physics, nuclear instrumentation, and data analysis;
3. To provide members of the Society of Nuclear Medicine with a source of information on medical physics, nuclear instrumentation, and data analysis.

It is a great honor and privilege to serve as the President of the Physics, Instrumentation and Data Sciences Council (PIDSC), where I consider my home academic community since being a PhD student in 2003. I would like to recognize and thank the council leadership and board members in the past few years during the pandemic for their hard work to keep the council activities moving in the virtual era. As we are returning to the in person setting, I am excited and look forward to engaging with the council members and community to move PIDSC forward.

We are witnessing many exciting new technical developments in our field recently, such as artificial intelligence (AI), long axial FOV PET, and radionuclide therapy. Accordingly, PIDSC is supporting various initiatives to meet the needs of various new directions, such as SNMMI’s AI Task-Force and PET Raw Data Standardization working group. The PIDSC members have unique technical expertise that are the foundation of innovative growth of nuclear medicine.

The CE sessions organized by PIDSC were well received in the SNMMI Annual and Mid-Winter meetings. As the planning for the 2023 Mid-Winter and Annual meetings are underway, I encourage all PIDSC members to consider participating and engaging in the CE session planning. You will hear from PIDSC regarding the announcements of calling for CE session proposals.

Whether you are a scientist or engineer looking for a community of peers for discussion and ideas, a physician with insight and interest in applications of imaging techniques, a technologist trying to better utilize your facility’s imaging systems, or a trainee who is interested in emerging technologies, the PIDSC is a council that needs your expertise and which can also be of value to you. Please join us today. If you have any ideas and suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact me or one of the PIDSC board members.

Chi Liu, PhD
President, PIDSC

Useful Web Links and Resources

Tracy Lynn Faber Memorial Award 

The Tracy Lynn Faber Memorial Award is given each year to support advancement of women in medical imaging sciences. The Award is given either to an individual (woman or man) who has promoted significantly advancement of women in medical imaging sciences, or to a woman in early- or mid-career who has made one or more significant contributions to medical imaging sciences. Most often the award will be given to a woman in the second category; as it is hoped that recognition of a significant contribution or contributions of such an awardee will advance meaningfully the career of the awardee.

Learn more about the Tracy Lynn Faber Award.

The Ed Hoffman Memorial Award

The highest award of SNMMI's Physics, Instrumentation and Data Sciences Council was created to honor the memory of Professor Edward J. Hoffman.  It recognizes scientists in the field of nuclear medicine for their service and dedication to research and development of nuclear medicine instrumentation and to educating and training the next generation of scientists.  The award is presented during the Ed Hoffman Memorial CE lecture at the SNMMI Annual Meeting, during the where the winner gives the lecture.

Learn more about the Ed Hoffman Award.

ERF PIDSC Young Investigator Awards Symposium

SNMMI symposium and competition, in association with the Physics, Instrumentation and Data Sciences Council, for the best scientific abstracts on computer and instrumentation nuclear medicine.

Learn more about the ERF PIDSC Young Investigator Award

The Society recognizes the need for sub-specialty interests/expertise within the field of nuclear medicine and moleuclar imaging. Councils provide the expertise, professional networking and educational programs for nuclear medicine professionals in respective areas and serve as a resource for development and implementation of Society policies.

Council membership is voluntary. Councils adhere to Society Bylaws and policies, while operating under its own Operating Procedures, as approved by the House of Delegates, and its own business plan and budget, as approved by the SNMMI Board of Directors.

This section provides the following council specific information.

PIDSC Board of Directors
PIDSC Operating Procedures
PIDSC Business Plan
PPIDSC Council Reports to the House of Delegates 
PIDSC Past Presidents

How to Become a Member
Membership in the Physics, Instrumentation and Data Sciences Council is limited to members of the SNMMI. Membership can be attained by indicating the desire to join during the annual renewal of the SNMMI membership or by filing an application with the Secretary of the council.

Payment of Dues
Membership in the PIDSC requires payment of dues in the amount of $15/year. Dues are paid to SNMMI and will be due on October 1st of each year. Join this council

Benefits of Membership

Membership makes you a part of a professional group within the SNMMI that:

Provides continuing education for professionals in technical areas relating to nuclear medicine and molecular imaging (e.g. advanced instrumentation, data processing, image reconstruction, quantitation, assessment, etc.) through sponsored symposia and continuing education courses. Each year the PIDSC puts on a Categorical Seminar or symposia, and Continuing Education Courses on topics of interest to professionals in medical physics.

Provides a forum and a mechanism for discussion and dissemination of information relating to computer and instrumentation aspects. PIDSC members receive periodic Newsletters and electronic mailings containing information on professional activities, government issues, and a host of other topics. Members will soon have access to PIDSC Web pages, which will contain timely and archived information relating to a variety of topics in computer and instrumentation.

Provides expertise in medical physics, instrumentation and data sciences to SNMMI leadership and to groups outside of SNMMI seeking such expertise. The PIDSC has representation in a number of governance groups within SNMMI, including the Committee on Councils and the House of Delegates.

Learn more about the specific benefits the PIDSC  has to offer by emailing memberinfo@snmmi.org