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The information below is intended to provide general updates and guidance related to COVID-19. Please consult your physician for personalized medical advice.

Patients today have many questions on how the COVID-19 pandemic might affect their healthcare, including their access to safe, effective nuclear medicine and molecular imaging scans and treatments.

SNMMI-member physicians and technologists offer the following general guidelines:

  • If you are experiencing symptoms of illness, whether related to COVID-19 or otherwise, contact your primary care physician or other qualified healthcare provider. Do not allow fear of the virus to prevent you from seeking treatment. Your physician's office will advise you on the safest and most effective way to proceed. Note that this may include “virtual” appointments, visits to satellite facilities, or other procedures designed to limit person-to-person interaction and potential for exposure.
  • Health care facilities are taking steps to reduce the risk of community spread. As a result, most elective procedures as well as many scans and treatments considered to be non-urgent are being rescheduled. If you have a procedure scheduled, your health care provider will advise you as to whether it will take place as scheduled or will be postponed. Do not hesitate to contact your physician to inquire about the urgency of your exam. If your physician indicates that your procedure is necessary, please proceed as advised.
  • Healthcare appointments now include multiple safeguards to protect all patients and staff. For example, you may have your temperature checked and you may be checked for other symptoms of COVID-19 upon arrival, and you may be asked to wait in your car rather than the waiting room until your appointment time. You may be asked to wear a mask while in the facility. In addition, because physicians and staff generally will treat all patients, whether symptomatic or not, as potentially having the virus, they also may wear masks, face shields, or other personal protective equipment. These precautions protect both staff and patients and help prevent spread of the virus.
  • If staff determine that you have symptoms of COVID-19, you may be redirected to testing and evaluation prior to receiving any other treatments. In addition, patients who are confirmed or suspected of having the virus and who require medical treatment for other disease, such as cancer, may be required to take additional precautions while in the facility, such as wearing personal protective equipment and being escorted through the facility to ensure minimal contact with others.
  • Scanners receive a deep “wet” clean after each patient to ensure sanitation and sterilization. In addition, for cases where a patient receiving a scan is confirmed or suspected of having the coronavirus, he or she is asked to wear a mask throughout the appointment, and following the scan, in addition to the “wet” clean, the room may be treated with additional cleaning procedures such as a negative-pressure air cleaning and/or other targeted cleaning procedures.

The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2020 Patient Education Day, was held virtually with events live-streamed on three Saturdays in August. 

Each event featured a General Session offering an overview of nuclear medicine and radiation safety presented by John Sunderland, PhD, Univ of Iowa, followed by breakout sessions specific to disease type.  

This year's event included sessions addressing prostate cancer, neuroendocrine tumors and thyroid cancer.

The events were recorded and can be viewed on the SNMMI YouTube Channel using the links below.

Prostate Cancer Webinar

Neuroendocrine Tumor Webinar

Thyroid Cancer Webinar

You can also find videos of previous sessions by clicking on the "Videos" tab at the top of the page.

The resources below are intended to provide general information related to COVID-19. Please consult your physician for personalized medical advice

SNMMI Patient Advocacy Advisory Board Member COVID-19 Resource Pages

Additional Patient Advocacy Group COVID-19 Resource Pages

The resources below are intended to provide general information related to COVID-19. Please consult your physician for personalized medical advice.

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The CDC offers comprehensive information on the virus, public health guidelines, case tracking within the United States, FAQs, etc.
  • World Health Organization (WHO): WHO offers comprehensive information and a global perspective on the virus.
  • Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): FEMA helps the public distinguish between rumors and facts regarding the response to the coronavirus pandemic.
  • U.S. Department of Labor: The department offers information on the The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which requires certain employers to provide employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19.
  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):  Reopening America: What Patients Should Know About Seeking Healthcare.  As a patient, how do you know when it is safe to return to healthcare facilities, and what should you expect when you do? Ultimately, patients and providers will come together to make the right decision for each patient when addressing their healthcare needs. Recommendations to help guide patients as they consider seeking non-emergency treatment. (6/8/20)
  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): OSHA provides standards, directives and other related information that may apply to worker exposure to COVID-19.
  • U.S. Department of Education: The department offers information and resources for schools and school personnel.
  • Coronavirus.gov: Consolidated information on COVID-19 in the United States provided by site sponsors, The White House, FEMA, CDC and The Department of Homeland Security.

The resources below are intended to provide general information related to COVID-19. Please consult your physician for personalized medical advice.