Unlocking the Mysteries of PET Radiopharmacy Operations

Our History

Our People
The founder of CycloSmith is David Smith, he has worked in healthcare since 1978, starting out as a teen working as a housekeeper in a 120 bed hospital in his hometown. He obtained a degree in Biomedical Equipment Technology in 1984 and began his career at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC. (Now Medstar).Through his position in the Biomedical Engineering Department, he initiated his experience in molecular imaging supporting SPECT imaging scanners in 1987. In 1991 after discussing opportunities with a world reknow Heath Physicist (Dr. Fred Fahey), he took a position as a support engineer with Siemens Medical installing and maintaining Siemens RDS-112/RDS-111 Cyclotrons and was a primary support engineer for two academic institutes, Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC and Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston Salem, NC. He had the opportunity to travel supporting operations from Massachusetts General Hospital to Emory University. In 1995 he left Siemens to take a position as a Clinical Engineer supporting operations within the PET Center of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. At the time of its opening, the PET Center was the largest facility dedicated to PET with over 12,000 sqft of space. During his tenure there he was involved in many published studies dealing with either the radiochemical synthesis of novel PET ligands or the subsequent imaging of those compounds in both animals and humans. His training also included maintaining and troubleshooting PET imagers from Siemens, GE or Concorde Microsystems in addition to 1.5T MRI systems from GE. In 2001 he left the hospital for a position with GE Healthcare as a high level support engineer responsible for new system installation, training and optimization of TRACERlab Radiochemistry systems, their 16.5 MeV cyclotrons, and other associated services.
While intending to always challenge himself and expand his experience in the field of Positron Emission Tomography radiolabeling chemistries, cyclotron operations and imaging applications, he took a position with UPPI (largest group consortium of independently owned nuclear pharmacies), as GM of technical operations in UPPI-PET. His next career step took him to IBA Molecular as Director of Technical Services for their Americas operations. All of which lead to formation of CycloSmith. Thirty years of technical support surrounding medical imaging culimanates into an experience  unsurpassed in the industry.
Our Company
Forming CycloSmith in 2009 as he was contracted to support the operations of independent commercial cyclotron facilities within the membership of United Pharmacy Partners Incorporated, UPPI. Provided services to Precision Nuclear of Johnson City, TN, Shertech Pharmacy of Duncan, SC, Essential Isotopes of Columbia, MO, Valley Nuclear of McAllen, TX, Cyclotope of Houston, TX, UCSF of San Francisco, CA, and Positron of Denver, CO. Also collaborating with Biotech and Triad Isotopes while they were members of UPPI. CycloSmith maintains close communication with GE Healthcare, Siemens Medical, IBA, Eckert Ziegler, Rotem, BioScan, Raytest, Neptis, LabLogic and various other analytical device and service providers. We have been involved with advancing the utilization of Bruce Technologies targetry for GE, IBA, and Siemens RDS-111 cyclotrons. We have moved and re-commisioned four cyclotrons and prepare to move our fifth unit.
Our Partners
CycloSmith is the Americas representative for ORA Neptis products. We handle all aspects of installation, validation, service, and support for their products. CycloSmith has continued to particpate in forums with the FDA, ISPE, various state agencies and industry organizations such as SNMMI, ASNC, and APHA.