Who is primarily responsible for interpreting nuclear medicine procedures?

• A. Nuclear Medicine Physician
• B. NM Technologist
• C. Health Physicist
• D. Radiation Safety Officer

Answer: (A)

Interpreting nuclear medicine procedures is done by the Nuclear Medicine Physician. These studies rely on radiopharmaceuticals to show functional information about organs, often using advanced imaging like SPECT or PET. The physician has specialized medical training to assess how the radiotracer is taken up by tissues, integrate the imaging results with the patient’s history and symptoms, determine a diagnosis, and provide a formal report with management recommendations. The technologist’s role is to perform the procedure: administer the radiopharmaceutical, acquire and process the images, and ensure safety and quality. Health physicists and the Radiation Safety Officer focus on safety, dose optimization, shielding, and regulatory compliance, not on interpreting the images.