Stories

On 9 November 2016 a large group of well wishers gathered for the dedication of the Dr. Robert Jackson Pediatric Nuclear Medicine Reporting Room at the IWK Health Centre. “Dr. J” is considered the face of nuclear medicine at the IWK, and by extension pediatric nuclear medicine for the Maritimes. As a pediatric radiologist and nuclear medicine physician, he was one of only a handful of dedicated pediatric nuclear physicians in Canada. In 1982 he established the IWK Nuclear Medicine Division, a 2-camera department that did many portable investigations of sick in-patients in the days before widespread CT and ultrasound availability. He established most of the protocols for more contemporary pediatric nuclear medicine studies which are still in use at the IWK today.

Dr. J was renowned for his diagnostic acumen, and was highly respected by radiology and clinical colleagues alike. He was also renowned for his teaching, receiving many teaching awards, providing the pediatric training for many of our current nuclear medicine physicians, and impacting the training of countless nuclear medicine technologists over the years. The dedication of the new pediatric nuclear medicine reporting room to Dr. Jackson honours all of those accomplishments, and provides inspiration to those striving to improve the care of sick children through nuclear medicine for years to come.