The symposium addressed current developments, challenges, and various solution methods in the field of nuclear medicine, focusing on state-of-the-art treatment techniques for diagnosing and treating various diseases through a multidisciplinary approach. The event comprised five sessions and drew significant interest from academics, healthcare professionals, and students.
Prof. Dr. Nuri Arslan, Head of the Nuclear Medicine Department at Near East University, shared insights into their pioneering diagnostic and treatment methods in nuclear medicine in Northern Cyprus. Expressing his joy at hosting the first-ever “Northern Cyprus Nuclear Medicine Symposium,” Prof. Dr. Nuri Arslan highlighted the exchange of experiences and ideas among physicians and colleagues from different countries, describing it as an enlightening symposium.
The symposium’s first session, opened by Prof. Dr. Gamze Mocan, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, and Prof. Dr. Müfit C. Yenen, Chief Physician of Near East University Hospital, provided historical perspectives on nuclear medicine in Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Northern Cyprus. The session also covered current treatment methods, including information on the rapidly expanding “theranostic” approach, a targeted radioisotope diagnostic and therapy method, applied both globally and in Turkey and Northern Cyprus.
The second session delved into the production and operation models of radioactive drugs used in PET-CT, particularly emphasizing their crucial role in the diagnosis stage of diseases. The importance of pre-clinical studies using experimental animals and the development of target-specific radiopharmaceuticals were also key topics.
The third and fourth sessions focused on the diagnosis and target-specific nuclear treatments for prostate, primary and metastatic liver cancers, and neuroendocrine tumors.
Emphasizing the importance of target-specific personalized nuclear treatments, the symposium concluded by discussing systemic radiopharmaceutical treatment methods for cancer patients with widespread bone metastases, despite using multiple drugs, to alleviate pain and enhance their quality of life.
