The Importance of Training, Accreditation and Guidelines for The Practice of Theranostics: The Australian Perspective

Abstract

Theranostics is a burgeoning development in nuclear medicine which is being rapidly implemented worldwide. There is an increasing need to provide a multidisciplinary framework to the practice of theranostics, to ensure that patients receive this treatment in a safe manner and are provided with security in the knowledge that the health practitioners providing the service are adequately trained. Nuclear medicine experts in Australia have taken the initiative to produce a set of Theranostic guidelines relevant to Australian medical practice. These guidelines encompass specialist qualifications, patient care, radiopharmaceutical production, radiation safety and dosimetry. We propose these guidelines could be adapted for other countries, and promote standards of practice leading to optimal clinical outcomes for patients receiving theranostic treatments.