Color—The Essence of Molecular Imaging

This issue introduces the new all-color Journal of Nuclear Medicine. This change allows the generous use of color for highlighting and enhancing the structure and organization of research reports. Most important and critical, it strengthens the communication of research findings obtained through molecular imaging approaches. Color has evolved as a feature that is essential to molecular imaging. I believe findings made by image-based quantitation of biologic processes; by merging function with structure; by integrating individual molecular events, each delineated with different imaging probes; by tissue-staining techniques; and by image-defined cellular and molecular interactions can be communicated appropriately and accurately only through the full use of color. Accordingly, I encourage authors to take advantage of the new all-color Journal of Nuclear Medicine and submit, to an even greater extent, color images. Notably, the change to full color comes at no cost to the authors: all color renditions of images are now entirely free of charge to authors.

The inherent need for an all-color journal has been advocated by the Publications Committee of the Society of Nuclear Medicine. I am deeply indebted to the committee for actively and strongly supporting this change. I believe this change will further advance the role of the journal as a global forum for the exchange of scientific accomplishments in molecular imaging and therapy. An additional recent accomplishment has been open access to journal articles after only 6 mo instead of 12 mo. Expediting open access in order to disseminate new research has helped the public to understand nuclear medicine and molecular imaging and has increased sound practice throughout the medical community.

Our dedication to continuous improvement was recently rewarded when The Journal of Nuclear Medicine was ranked second among 87 imaging publications by the Thomson Reuters Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Journal Citations Report in recognition of exceptional quality and influence as an academic and professional resource. This ranking directly reflects the degree to which a scientific journal is considered an essential and influential resource for clinicians, academics, and other researchers. The Journal of Nuclear Medicine continues to lead the way in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. Now—published in full color—it will become an even more valuable resource to our readership.