Bital Savir-Baruch, MD, FACNM

Professor
Chief, Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics
Fellowship Director, Nuclear Radiology

Bital Savir-Baruch, MD, FACNM (known professionally as Dr. Savir), serves as a Professor of Medical Imaging and the Division Chief of Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics at the Department of Medical Imaging, University of Arizona, Banner University Medical Center in Tucson. In her role, Dr. Savir also acts as the Nuclear Radiology Program Director and leads the Theranostics practice.

Dr. Savir-Baruch received her Doctor of Medicine from Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary. After completing her medical degree, she accepted a Nuclear Medicine Research Associate position at Emory University’s Department of Radiology and Imaging Science. Following her general surgery internship, Dr. Savir-Baruch completed a nuclear medicine residency at Emory University. Dr. Savir-Baruch is board-certified in nuclear medicine and nuclear cardiology.

Shortly after her arrival, she initiated a theranostics practice that offers targeted therapies for patients with advanced neuroendocrine and prostate cancers, alongside treatments for thyroid diseases. This practice swiftly earned recognition as an SNMMI Comprehensive Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Center of Excellence. Under Dr. Savir's leadership, the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics provides a comprehensive range of imaging services to assess both oncological and non-oncological diseases. This is achieved by adhering to the most current protocols, utilizing state-of-the-art imaging equipment, and the expertise of a distinguished team of board-certified nuclear medicine technologists and physicians dedicated to providing superior image quality and diagnostic interpretations, respectively. 

Dr. Savir's professional ethos embraces personalized medicine, aiming to enhance patient outcomes through the application of the latest, evidence-based medical practices. She emphasizes collaboration among a team of talented Nuclear Medicine physicians, Nuclear Radiologists, and technologists, nurses, and referring physicians to achieve the highest quality of care.

As a clinician, educator, and researcher, she has mentored numerous young professionals, including pre-medical and medical students, residents, and postgraduate fellows, fostering a commitment to service excellence in the medical field. An active member of nuclear medicine specialty societies such as the SNMMI and ACNM, Dr. Savir holds various leadership positions and contributes significantly to the field. Her research focuses on Nuclear Oncology and Theranostics, with the goal of improving cancer diagnosis and treatment through molecular science and precision medicine.

View Dr. Savir's Banner web profile here.

Research Interests: 

Nuclear Oncology: 1) New techniques to guide invasive procedures. 2) the role of novel radiotracers and imaging devices in the detection and management of neoplastic diseases such as prostate, breast, brain, and GYN cancers. 3) study of different strategies aimed at tumor therapy.  

Degrees
  • MD: Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
Honors and Awards
  • James Quinn III Award Lecture CCSNNMI Spring Meeting
  • Vice President-Elect, ACNM 2023
  • 2022 Fellow of the American College of Nuclear Medicine
  • Best Clinical Mentor Award, ACNM, 2022
  • President's Award, ACNM, 2022
  • President's Award, ACNM, 2021
  • Tech-President's Award, SNMMI, 2021
  • President's Award, ACNM, 2020
  • Hal O’Brien Rising Star Award, SNMMI, 2019
Internship
  • General Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Residency
  • Nuclear Medicine Residency, Emory University, Atlanta, GA

Select Publications

2023

Andriole, G. L., A. F. Scarsbrook, and B. Savir-Baruch, "Impact of F-fluciclovine PET/CT on plans for androgen deprivation therapy in patients with biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer: data analysis from two prospective clinical trials.", Urol Oncol, vol. 41, issue 6, pp. 293.e1-293.e7, 2023 Jun.
Jani, A. B., G. C. Ravizzini, B. A. Gartrell, B. A. Siegel, P. Twardowski, D. Saltzstein, M. T. Fleming, A. Chau, P. Davis, B. F. Chapin, et al., "Diagnostic Performance and Safety of F-rhPSMA-7.3 Positron Emission Tomography in Men With Suspected Prostate Cancer Recurrence: Results From a Phase 3, Prospective, Multicenter Study (SPOTLIGHT).", J Urol, vol. 210, issue 2, pp. 299-311, 2023 Aug.
Buehner, T. M., M. Liotta, R. K. Potkul, R. H. Wagner, and B. Savir-Baruch, "Initial Experience with the Radiotracer 18F-Fluciclovine PET/CT in Ovarian Cancer.", Mol Imaging Biol, 2023 Feb 08.
Surasi, D. Shilpa, M. Eiber, T. Maurer, M. A. Preston, B. T. Helfand, D. Josephson, A. K. Tewari, D. M. Somford, S. Rais-Bahrami, B. F. Koontz, et al., "Diagnostic Performance and Safety of Positron Emission Tomography with F-rhPSMA-7.3 in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Unfavourable Intermediate- to Very-high-risk Prostate Cancer: Results from a Phase 3, Prospective, Multicentre Study (LIGHTHOUSE).", Eur Urol, vol. 84, issue 4, pp. 361-370, 2023 Oct.
Taylor, A. T., A. K. M. Fazlur Rahman, R. D. Folks, V. Moncayo, B. Savir-Baruch, N. Plaxton, A. Polsani, R. K. Halkar, E. V. Dubovsky, E. V. Garcia, et al., "Computer assisted interpretation of Tc-99m mercaptoacetyltriglycine diuretic scintigraphy enhances resident performance.", Nucl Med Commun, vol. 44, issue 6, pp. 427-433, 2023 Jun 01. PMCID: PMC10171298  PMID: 37038959
Buehner, T. M., M. Liotta, R. K. Potkul, R. H. Wagner, and B. Savir-Baruch, "Initial Experience with the Radiotracer 18F-Fluciclovine PET/CT in Ovarian Cancer.", Mol Imaging Biol, 2023 Feb 08.

2022

Parent, E. E., B. Savir-Baruch, I. W. Gayed, F. Almaguel, B. Chin, A. R. Pantel, E. Armstrong, A. Morley, R. C. Ippisch, and R. Richard Flavell, "JNMT continuing education: Lu PSMA therapy.", J Nucl Med Technol, 2022 Jul 26.
Bulbul, J. El, A. Hashem, D. Grybowski, C. Joyce, E. Rashad, M. S. Gabriel, R. H. Wagner, and B. Savir-Baruch, "Effect of hormonal therapy on F-fluciclovine PET/CT in the detection of prostate cancer recurrence, localization of metastatic disease, and correlation with prostate-specific antigen.", Urol Oncol, vol. 40, issue 8, pp. 379.e9-379.e16, 2022 08.
"ACR-ACNM-ASTRO-SNMMI Practice Parameter for Lutetium-177 (Lu-177) DOTATATE Therapy", American Journal of Clinical Oncology, vol. 45, issue 6, pp. 233-242, 06/2022.
"Appropriate Use Criteria for Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen PET Imaging", Journal of Nuclear Medicine, vol. 63 , pp. 59-68, 01/2022.
Bulbul, J. El, D. Grybowski, P. Lovrec, A. A. Solanki, M. S. Gabriel, R. H. Wagner, and B. Savir-Baruch, "Positivity Rate of [F]Fluciclovine PET/CT in Patients with Suspected Prostate Cancer Recurrence at PSA Levels Below 1 ng/mL.", Mol Imaging Biol, vol. 24, issue 1, pp. 42-49, 2022 02.

2021

Savir-Baruch, B., R. A. Werner, S. P. Rowe, and D. M. Schuster, "PET Imaging for Prostate Cancer.", Radiol Clin North Am, vol. 59, issue 5, pp. 801-811, 2021 Sep.

2020

Lee, J., M. Liotta, TM. Buehner, R. Potkul, P. Lovrec, YS. Kim, R. Wagner, and B. Savir-Baruch, "18F-Fluciclovine PET/CT Use in the Evaluation of Endometrial Cancer", Journal of Nuclear Medicine, vol. 61(supplement 1), pp. 357-357, 2020.
Lee, J., M. Liotta, TM. Buehner, R. Potkul, P. Lovrec, YS. Kim, R. Wagner, and B. Savir-Baruch, "18F-Fluciclovine PET/CT Use in the Evaluation of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer", Journal of Nuclear Medicine, vol. vol. 61(supplement 1),, 2020.

2019

Funmilayo, T., TM. Buehner, R. Potkol, Y. Kucerova, D. Krause, YS. Kim, M. Liotta, A. Winder, R. Wagner, and B. Savir-Baruch, "Feasibility of Fluciclovine PET-CT Imaging of Endometrial, Cervical, and Ovarian Cancers: Preliminary Findings", Journal of Nuclear Medicine, vol. vol. 60 (supplement 1), pp. 558-558, 2019.