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In
the most recent revision of the ICANL Standards, which
were published in September 2007, language was added to the
Standards to clarify CME relevant to nuclear medicine. Sections
A1.1.4.1 and A1.3.1.1 of the Standards state that physicians
interpreting nuclear cardiology or nuclear medicine studies
must obtain at least 15 AMA Category I continuing medical education
credits relevant to nuclear medicine every three years.
The
Standards further state that "relevant" to
nuclear medicine includes content that is directly related to
the performance or interpretation of nuclear cardiology, nuclear
imaging or interventions used during nuclear testing (such as
stress testing). This does not include education primarily concerning
echocardiography/ultrasound, MRI, CT, cardiac catheterization,
general medicine, or the treatment of diseases unless related
to the interpretation of nuclear imaging or radionuclide therapies.
Portions
of courses that deal with CT in conjunction with PET imaging
or SPECT imaging are considered relevant, as well as courses
that compare or contrast nuclear imaging against other modalities
such as MRI. A course expounding about the advantages of CTA
alone would not be considered relevant.
In
addition, the Standards previously required that if a
lab was obtaining accreditation in nuclear cardiology, the CME
credits for the physicians had to be relevant to nuclear cardiology.
However, the new Standards state that regardless of whether
the lab is obtaining accreditation in nuclear cardiology, nuclear
medicine or PET, the credits relevant to nuclear medicine in
general are acceptable.
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