During the year 2000, I was completing my PET Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. At that time, I was fortunate to be involved with the evolution of the first combined PET/CT systems. I remember the first case, and many subsequent cases, where the fused PET/CT images provided additional information that could not be appreciated on CT or PET alone. Five years later - today, as combined PET/CT scanners are becoming more ubiquitous in the medical community, it is evident that fusion imaging is increasing in utilization, and quickly becoming the imaging "standard of care" for oncology.

As the industry promotes PET/CT, utilization by radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians will increase. But because PET/CT requires unique interpretive skills of both radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians, new resources are needed to improve these interpretation skills. In addition, referring physicians need access to these resources to improve optimal utilization of PET and PET/CT. Specific PET/CT education for the interpreting physicians, referring physicians and all ancillary personnel involved with the modality, is crucial to its success.

Depending on a physician's background and specialty he or she may find themselves limited in their knowledge and training to be able to interpret both modalities. Yet, finding that the training for PET/CT interpretation requires either one's personal desire to increase their knowledge, or the training may be driven in the near future by proposed recommendations from the ACR / SNM. These recommendations will likely require a specific number of CME hours and supervised scan interpretation with an approved PET/CT interpreting physician.

It is my goal as the WebMedEd Course Instructor for PET and PET/CT in Oncology to provide you with quality, pertinent and relative educational information that will assist you in building a successful PET imaging practice. In addition one will find support for the necessary training to be confident in interpreting both the PET and CT portions of a combined PET/CT study. The educational content found within the PET & PET/CT Oncology Section is developed for the radiologist, nuclear medicine physician, technologist, nurse and other ancillary personnel involved with PET/CT imaging.

There are many ways to obtain CME/CE credits; the goal of WebMedEd.com is to provide a virtual and unique quality educational experience through web-based interactive activities. The specific material found in each CME/CE course focuses on interactive educational content that combines several teaching modalities, such as short video lectures, interactive case data sets, and case examples with quizzes, printable summaries and instant grading of completed courses.

In addition to the web-based learning experience, the trainee will be offered the opportunity to participate in a variety of physician preceptorship training seminars. Upon participating in any of the WebMedEd.com educational activities, one will find that the multimedia, multi-modality learning experience not only provides information relative to PET and PET/CT, but also increases one's knowledge of how to apply this information to their clinical practice, thus optimizing and mastering their skills.

Sincerely,
Todd Blodgett, MD