SNMMI Keeps “Eye on the Patient” at 2023 Annual Meeting

June 28, 2023

Reston, VA (July 28, 2023)—The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) hosted nearly 8,000 physicians, technologists, pharmacists, laboratory professionals, scientists and others at its 2023 Annual Meeting, themed “Eye on the Patient,” held in Chicago, Illinois.

“This year’s meeting offered attendees world-class scientific research, education, and exhibits as well as one-of-a-kind networking opportunities that will ultimately help us serve our patients better,” said Helen Nadel, MD, FRCPC, newly elected SNMMI president. “It was our best-attended meeting in recent years, and the energy and excitement among attendees were palpable.”

The event was filled with excitement, thanks to cutting-edge research presented in the sessions, but that wasn't all. Attendees played with adorable puppies at the P.E.T. Center, and the Knowledge Bowl, held in a new arena-style room, drew a lively crowd. India, the Annual Meeting Highlight Country, captivated meeting attendees with dancers and delicious food; the “Eye on U” sessions, centered around personal health, were engaging and enjoyable. The Exhibit Hall, completely sold out this year, showcased a variety of new and cutting-edge equipment, including some that launched at the event.

The SNMMI Knowledge Bowl drew participants as well as an enthusiastic group of spectators—standing room only!

More than 130 continuing education and scientific sessions were offered at the meeting, covering the most recent research in the areas of cardiology, neurology, oncology, and others. The Annual Meeting Science Pavilion (formerly poster hall) included nearly 800 posters, and the exhibit hall housed 211 exhibitors.

In addition to the election of Nadel as SNMMI president, the 2023-24 leadership team was installed during the meeting. Cathy Sue Cutler, PhD, FSNMMI, was named as president-elect, and Jean-Luc C. Urbain, MD, PhD, FASNC, as vice president-elect. SNMMI Technologist Section officers for 2023-24 are Dmitry Beyder, CNMT, MPA, as president and Julie Dawn Bolin, MS, CNMT, as president-elect.

SNMMI presented numerous awards at the meeting. Nizar A. Mullani, BS, received Georg Charles de Hevesy Nuclear Pioneer Award, and Henry VanBrocklin, PhD, received the Paul C. Aebersold Award for Outstanding Achievement in Basic Nuclear Medicine Science. Peter J. H. Scott, PhD, FACNM, received the Sam Gambhir Trailblazer Award and Umar Mahmood, MD, PhD, was named the first recipient of the Minoshima-Pappas Transformational Leadership Award. Ten new Fellows were also recognized by SNMMI during the meeting. See the full list of awards.

The SNMMI Image of the Year—a grouping of images that depict a first-in-human evaluation of the novel theranostic pair ⁶⁸Ga-DOTA-5G / ¹⁷⁷Lu-DOTA-ABM-5G—was announced during the Monday plenary; the image was created by Julie L. Sutcliffe, PhD, and colleagues for their abstract “First-in-human study of the theranostic pair [⁶⁸Ga]Ga DOTA-5G and [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu DOTA-ABM-5G in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.” The Abstract of the Year was awarded to Neeta Pandit-Taskar, MD, and colleagues for their study “Individualized dosing for high-dose targeted radiation of hematopoietic cells with Iomab-B (I131-apamistamab) prior to HCT in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (R/R AML): Safety and efficacy results from the pivotal phase 3 SIERRA trial.”

At the Sunday plenary, Henry N. Wagner, Jr., MD, Lectureship Speaker David A. Mankoff, MD, PhD, Matthew J. Wilson Professor of Research Radiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, spoke about "Bringing Molecular Imaging Science to Breast Cancer Patients: Physics and Chemistry Meet Biology." At Monday’s plenary, Hal Anger Lectureship speaker Taiga Yamaya, PhD, Deputy Director, Department of Advanced Nuclear Medicine Sciences, Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology spoke about “Application-Specific PET Systems Expanding the Potential of Nuclear Medicine.” At the Henry N. Wagner, Jr. Highlights Symposium, the scientific highlights of the Annual Meeting were presented in the context of modern molecular medicine.

SNMMI’s 2024 Annual Meeting will take place June 8-11 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. For more information about the Annual Meeting, visit www.snmmi.org/am.

Watch daily coverage on SNMMI TV with anchor Dina Bair:

Day 1:  Interview with Wagner Lecturer David Mankoff on "Bringing Molecular Imaging Science to Breast Cancer Patients"; session coverage with Michael Farwell, MD (Molecular Imaging of Immunotherapy Response); SNMMI Incoming President Helen Nadel, MD

Day 2: Session coverage with Mausam Kalita (quantifying neuroinflammation); Anger Lecturer Taiga Yamaya, PhD (Application-Specific PET Systems Expanding the Potential of Nuclear Medicine); Neurology Highlights Speaker Rich Carson, PhD; exhibitor Siemens Healthineers

Day 3: Patient story, Alan Held; Image of the Year Award Winner Julie Sutcliffe, PhD, FSNMMI; Oncology Highlights Speaker Delphine Chen, MD; exhibitor Siemens Healthineers; General Nuclear Medicine Highlights Speaker Twyla Bartel, DO, FACNM, FSNMMI; Cardiovascular Highlights Speaker James Thackeray, PhD; session coverage with Geoffrey Johnson, MD, PhD (targeted imaging of melanoma)

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About the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) is an international scientific and medical organization dedicated to advancing nuclear medicine and molecular imaging—vital elements of precision medicine that allow diagnosis and treatment to be tailored to individual patients in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.

SNMMI’s members set the standard for molecular imaging and nuclear medicine practice by creating guidelines, sharing information through journals and meetings and leading advocacy on key issues that affect molecular imaging and therapy research and practice. For more information, visit www.snmmi.org.