CHAPTER 2. HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
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—Diagnosis, differentiation and decision making.
A problem arises in reconciling the views of cardiologists who wish to
practice nuclear medicine solely in the form of nuclear cardiology and those of
nuclear medicine specialists who feel that unless a cardiologist has received full
training in nuclear medicine, he or she should not be permitted to practise
nuclear cardiology. Conversely, cardiologists regard the nuclear medicine practi
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tioner undertaking cardiological investigations, particularly stress testing of
patients at risk, as having neither adequate cardiological training nor the under
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standing necessary to perform such studies safely and interpret their results
appropriately in the light of echo cardiographic and angiographic findings.
The nuclear medicine community is keen that cardiologists learn nuclear
medicine techniques, understand their benefits for patients with cardiac disease
and increase the application of these techniques among the population at risk.
On the other hand, the nuclear cardiologist can be regarded as a serious
competitor to the nuclear medicine physician. There is no simple solution to this
problem. In the United States of America (USA) a cardiologist can practise
nuclear cardiology after a three month training period in nuclear medicine. In
Europe, a cardiologist can receive certification to practise nuclear cardiology
only after a full four years of training in nuclear medicine.
Qualifications
A special committee should be responsible for issuing certificates to those
who complete the training and pass the examination. Practical aspects should
play an important role in the examination.
2.1.4.2. Endocrinology
The concept
Nuclear endocrinology is a specialization within nuclear medicine in which
nuclear medicine techniques are utilized for diagnostic and therapeutic
purposes for patients with abnormal hormone secretion. Only doctors with
certification in nuclear medicine are qualified to enrol for such courses. Trainees
will focus on the mandatory, optional and preferential techniques and methods
in nuclear endocrinology, as well as their related quality assurance aspects.
The most traditional, and one of the most rewarding, aspects of nuclear
medicine is the comprehensive management of the patient with thyroid overac
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tivity and the patient with thyroid cancer.