Established on May 30, 1960, the Department of Nuclear Medicine at Seoul National University Hospital consists of medical departments, such as the in vivo (imaging) laboratory, in vitro (specimen) laboratory, pediatric nuclear medicine laboratory, and tumor nuclear medicine laboratory (PET center), along with research and administrative teams. Including six professors specializing in nuclear medicine, and three professors specializing in radiopharmaceuticals, nuclear medicine physics, and molecular imaging, there are a total of 100 employees. Among them are visiting professors, research professors, clinical instructors, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, radiologists, clinical pathologists, administrative staff, and researchers. Under the motto of "Harmony and Cooperation, Creativity and Challenge, and Global Leadership," radioactive isotopes are applied to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and consultation, education, and research are actively in progress.
The Department of Nuclear Medicine employs state-of-the-art equipment, such as 3 PET/CT, 1 PET/MRI, and 10 gamma cameras to annually perform 50,000 imaging tests, 700,000 specimen tests using radioimmunoassay, and 1,000 cases of treatment using radioisotopes. In particular, it has gained world-class achievements in research areas. In addition to the clinical research in nuclear medicine. It has achieved academic excellence by performing a wide range of research from basic to clinical studies in such areas as nuclear science, molecular imaging, and nuclear medicine-based fusion research, and publishes 30 to 40 papers annually in SCI-listed international journals.
Recognized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in May 2005 for its world-class excellence in research and treatment, the department was designated as the only nuclear medicine and molecular imaging cooperation center in the field of nuclear medicine in the world. The Department of Nuclear Medicine also hosted the 9th World Federation of Nuclear Medicine Congress (WFNMB) in 2006, and is leading the development of nuclear medicine globally, including hosting the World Congress in 2019. In the 2010s, we are leading the world's best nuclear medicine practice through the introduction, application, and research of new treatment areas as well as quantitative aspects due to the rapid increase in tests and treatments. For the development of nuclear medicine in developing countries, the International Go Changsoon Fellowship has been playing a global leading role in nuclear medicine since 2010. We are also leading domestic and international clinical trials for diagnosis and treatment with targeted radiopharmaceuticals, and in 2019, we performed the first treatment of ruthenium for neuroendocrine tumors with targeted radiotherapy in Korea, playing a leading role in both treatment and research. In addition, as a developing field, we are also striving to pioneer new areas of treatment by introducing new radiopharmaceuticals. Based on these historic achievements, he continues to strive for the development of nuclear medicine at Seoul National University Hospital and nationally and internationally.
-Education: Training clinical instructors, medical residents, staff, students, and clinical trainees
-Research: Development of various radiopharmaceuticals and diagnosis/treatment methods
-Consultation/treatment: Treatment of thyroid disease through radioactive iodine and targeted raionuclide therapy for intractable cancers
-Tests: Gamma camera imaging, PET, and various radioimmunoassay methods