TY - JOUR ID - 6972 TI - Nuclear Medicine in the Philippines: A Glance at the Past, a Gaze at the Present, and a Glimpse of the Future JO - Asia Oceania Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Biology JA - AOJNMB LA - en SN - 2322-5718 AU - Bautista, Patricia AU - San Luis, Jr., Teofilo AD - Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines AD - Past President, Philippine Society of Nuclear Medicine; Former Dean, St. Luke’s College of Medicine – William H. Quasha Memorial; Former Dean, Asian School of Nuclear Medicine Y1 - 2016 PY - 2016 VL - 4 IS - 2 SP - 113 EP - 118 KW - Nuclear Medicine KW - Philippines KW - History DO - 10.7508/aojnmb.2016.02.009 N2 - While the introduction of radioactive tracers in the study of metabolic pathways has been well-documented in clinical thyroidology as early as 1924, the widespread utilization in other clinical specialties has been hampered by slow developments in radiation-detecting devices and in the production of appropriate radiopharmaceuticals, in addition tothe morbid fear of radiation. In the Philippines, the first radioisotope laboratory was established in 1956. Ten years later, the Philippine Society of Nuclear Medicine was formed. Through the years, challenges were overcome, foundations were laid down, growth was encouraged, friendships with other organizations were built, adjustments were made, and rules were enforced. To date, there are approximately 58 nuclear medicine centers randomly distributed from north to south ofthe Philippines, 7 accredited nuclear medicine training institutions, 95 board-certified nuclear medicine physicians (a few of whom are also internationally recognized), and a regionally-indexed Philippine Journal of Nuclear Medicine. Qualifying examinations for technologists were also recently instated. International relations are constantly strengthenedby sending trainees abroad and accepting foreign trainees here, as well as participating in conferences and other endeavors. While the cost of putting up nuclear medicine centers in the Philippines is still prohibitive, it should not pose too much of a constraint as there are foreign and local parties willing to help. With appropriate instrumentation, targetingradiopharmaceuticals and trained human resources, nuclear medicine can indeed contribute much to health care delivery. UR - https://aojnmb.mums.ac.ir/article_6972.html L1 - https://aojnmb.mums.ac.ir/article_6972_9efb817d5ce83da671a36569db5acc93.pdf ER -