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.

Robert S. Miyaoka, PhD

I am honored to have been elected to serve as president of the Physics, Instrumentation and Data Sciences Council. Thank you for this opportunity. I would like to thank those that have served before me. Your governance and continued service is greatly appreciated. I would also like to welcome the new members to the PIDSC board and thank the members continuing to serve. I look forward to working with all of you to help PIDSC continue to thrive.

After a few years of virtual meetings and last year’s hybrid meeting with limited in person attendance, it was great to be able to meet in person with so many friends and colleagues at this year’s Annual Meeting. Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging is growing as a medical discipline and PIDS is an important component of many of the most exciting technological advancements. It was inspiring to see the image quality of the first human brain images from the systems funded by the BRAIN Initiative. It is also exciting to witness the continued advancements in artificial intelligence, radionuclide therapy, and PET and SPECT instrumentation.

One of the main roles of the PIDSC is to organize CE sessions for the Annual and Mid-Winter meetings. PIDSC organized six CE sessions at the recently completed Annual meeting and all were well received. Planning for CE sessions is an ongoing process, and we are going to start identifying topics for Categorical and CE sessions for next year’s meeting soon. If you would like to be involved in participating in or organizing a CE session, please keep an eye out for the PIDSC announcement calling for CE session proposals.

PIDSC members are also helping to lead the SNMMI’s AI Task-Force and PET Raw Data Standardization working group. We will be starting work on a guidelines paper for Lu-177 imaging, especially with new ring-based CZT SPECT/CT cameras. If you have interest in being part of this effort, please reach out to myself or another PIDSC board member.

PIDSC is sponsoring two webinars in Fall 2023. The first, “Tutorial for Simulation and Reconstruction in Nuclear Medicine Imaging”, will happened on September 26^th.  The second, “A Career Panel with Women Leaders”, will occur on September 28^th. Again, please keep an eye out for the announcements of each of these webinars.

Finally, PIDSC is a community where scientists, physicians and technologists can engage together for the advancement of science, medicine, and individual’s careers. Anyone interested in physics, instrumentation and the data sciences are encouraged to join SNMMI and PIDSC. Membership is free to all trainees, so please encourage your trainees to become SNMMI and PIDSC members.

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