Baptist Health Sciences University recently added a new dual-head GE HealthCare NM 830 gamma camera and five Xeleris V processing workstations to its Nuclear Medicine Technology lab. The investment significantly enhances clinical-grade training for students and is part of an upgraded Nuclear Medicine classroom.
“Our new lab gives students hands-on experience with the same leading-edge technology used in today’s clinical setting,” said Program Chair of Nuclear Medicine Technology Donna Mars. “The lab helps students build skills, confidence and critical thinking as they prepare to become entry-level nuclear medicine technologists.”
A gamma camera is a specialized imaging system used in nuclear medicine to visualize how organs function at the cellular level. After a small amount of radioactive tracer is administered to a patient, the camera detects the emitted energy and converts it into detailed diagnostic images that help physicians assess organ function, detect disease and guide treatment decisions.
Xeleris V is advanced imaging software used to analyze, reconstruct and display data acquired from the gamma camera. The five dedicated workstations are networked to a central server, giving students hands-on experience with the same powerful clinical imaging platform used in hospitals nationwide.
The upgraded lab also features a dedicated radionuclide therapy station, giving students the opportunity to practice therapeutic procedures used in nuclear medicine and gain experience with targeted internal radiation therapy.
For years, the Nuclear Medicine Technology lab operated in the Annex building, where space was limited. The opportunity for growth came when Baptist University acquired 20 S. Dudley, now known as the Collaboration Building. After renovations, the reimagined space features a dedicated classroom, a spacious laboratory, a new hot lab for safe handling of radiopharmaceuticals, a debriefing room and expanded storage.
Several Baptist Memorial Nuclear Medicine departments donated equipment to help upgrade the lab’s clinical technology. This partnership helps ensure students are learning on equipment aligned with today’s professional practice standards.
Further enhancements were made possible through grant funding from the Blue Healer Student Success Center, which provided a venipuncture training arm, replacement phantom components and materials for a simulation radionuclide therapy station.
Support from Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation — through the Dr. John Rockett Nuclear Medicine Fund — also made possible the purchase of a Co-57 flood source, an essential tool for verifying gamma camera performance and ensuring optimal image quality.
The Nuclear Medicine classroom is also equipped with updated instructional technology to support dynamic teaching, clear content sharing and hybrid learning. The space creates a more engaging environment for students and faculty by improving audio, video and presentation capabilities for both in-person and remote instruction.
