ASNC President-Elect Predicts ‘Unprecedented Opportunities for Innovation and Discoveries’

Speaking to a full house at the ASNC2024 Opening Plenary Session, President-elect Panithaya Chareonthaitawee, MD, urged the nuclear cardiology community to get excited about the new adventures emerging throughout the field. “We are on the edge of a new journey in nuclear cardiology,” she predicted, “and the opportunities before us are just as vast as they are exciting and promising.”

In keeping with ASNC tradition, Dr. Chareonthaitawee shared a bit of her background, pointing out lessons learned on a journey that had her leaving Thailand at age 10, crossing continents many times, and eventually landing at the Mayo Clinic, where she became the first director of cardiac PET imaging. Today, she is the director of nuclear cardiology, the education chair, and the diversity co-chair in the Mayo Clinic’s Cardiovascular Medicine Department.

Nuclear Cardiology’s Incredible Journeys

Nuclear cardiology also has been on “many incredible journeys,” Dr. Chareonthaitawee said. “I believe we are now on the brink of another remarkable journey, one filled with unprecedented opportunities for innovation and discoveries with the potential to redefine how we diagnose, treat, and care for our patients.”

‘It Is Time for All of Us to Get Excited!’

From ‘New Adventures in Nuclear Cardiology,’ the ASNC2024 President-elect Address by Panithaya Chareonthaitawee, MD

Dr. Chareonthaitawee outlined numerous current and future nuclear cardiology innovations, highlighting new SPECT and PET radiopharmaceuticals in development, including three F-18 tracers. “All of these developments mark a truly exciting time for our field,” she said “… It is time for all of us to get excited!”

‘There Is Much to Be Done: We Will Do It Together’

Dr. Chareonthaitawee delivered a call to action, pushing for the nuclear cardiology community to share the exciting new developments in nuclear cardiology with their peers throughout medicine while also balancing innovation with responsibility. “We need to ensure good science, be good stewards of our resources, consider the impact of these innovations on our patients, and address access,” she explained. “This dual responsibility means that there is much to be done. … ASNC is on this journey with us, as our partner, our resource, and our advocate.” 

‘Plenty of Work to Go Around’

Dr. Chareonthaitawee defined three key areas to focus on, emphasizing that ASNC will need “more people and more collaboration,” as there will be “plenty of work to go around.”

We need you!” ASNC President-elect Panithaya Chareonthaitawee, MD, told the nuclear cardiology community. From ‘New Adventures in Nuclear Cardiology,’ the ASNC2024 President-elect Address by Panithaya Chareonthaitawee, MD.

You can help by joining ASNC or renewing your membership and encouraging your colleagues to join.  Be on the lookout for new opportunities to help on ASNC committees, task forces, working groups, and initiatives. 

ASNC2024’s Opening Plenary Session is one of 27+ sessions included on ASNC2024 Meeting OnDemand.