Bital Savir-Baruch, MD, FACNM

Professor
Associate Chair, Clinical Research
Chief, Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics
Program Director, Nuclear Radiology Fellowship

Bital Savir-Baruch, MD, FACNM is Professor of Radiology and Imaging Sciences and Associate Chair of Clinical Research at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson. She also serves as Division Chief of Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics at both the college and Banner-University Medical Center. In addition, Dr. Savir-Baruch leads the institution’s Theranostics practice and directs the Nuclear Radiology Fellowship Program.

Dr. Savir-Baruch earned her medical degree from Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary. She began her postgraduate training as a Nuclear Medicine Research Associate at Emory University, later completing a general surgery internship and residency in nuclear medicine at Emory. She is board-certified in nuclear medicine and nuclear cardiology.

After joining the University of Arizona, Dr. Savir-Baruch established a Theranostics program offering targeted therapies for advanced neuroendocrine and prostate cancers, along with thyroid disease treatments. The program quickly achieved national recognition as an SNMMI Comprehensive Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Center of Excellence.

Under her leadership, the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics provides a full spectrum of imaging services for oncologic and non-oncologic conditions. These services are anchored in cutting-edge clinical protocols, state-of-the-art technology, and a dedicated team of board-certified physicians and technologists committed to delivering exceptional patient care.

A passionate advocate for personalized medicine, Dr. Savir-Baruch is dedicated to improving outcomes through evidence-based, precision healthcare. She fosters interprofessional collaboration, bringing together physicians, technologists, nurses, and referring clinicians to ensure the highest standards of care.

As a clinician, educator, and researcher, she has mentored numerous medical students, residents, and fellows, cultivating excellence in clinical service and academic scholarship. Dr. Savir-Baruch is an active leader within professional societies, including the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) and the American College of Nuclear Medicine (ACNM), where she currently serves as President.

Her research centers on nuclear oncology and theranostics, with a focus on advancing cancer diagnosis and therapy through molecular imaging and precision-based approaches.

View Dr. Savir's Banner web profile here.

Research Interests: 

Nuclear Oncology:

1) New techniques to guide invasive procedures 

2) Research involving 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) Studying multiple strategies aimed at tumor therapy

Degrees
  • MD: Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
Honors and Awards
  • President-Elect, ACNM 2025
  • 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

2024

Fermawi, S., S. Kalarn, C. Sabottke, A. Lowe, T. Buener, and S. Savir-Baruch, "Can Pre-Therapy PSMA PET/CT Scan Predict Response?", Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) Annual Meeting, Toronto, ON, Candada, 06/2024.
Fermawi, S., S. Kalarn, S. C, B. Savir-Baruch, and A. Lowe, "The Use of Advanced Medical Imaging to Augment Receptor-Based Radiopharmaceutical Therapy", Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) Annual Meeting, Toronto, ON, Canada, 06/2024.

2023

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.
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

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.
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.

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.