Participants in the RSNA 2005 included more than 65.000. For six days (Sunday November 27- Friday December 2) thousands of Radiologists and Industry professionals from all over the world met at the Congress Center McCormick Place, Chicago Illinois.
View of Chicago Skyline from McCormick Place
The educational activities included Plenary sessions, including an Image Interpretation Session and Physics and Financial Seminars, Interventional Oncology Symposium, 299 Refresher Courses on cutting edge topics, a Digital Mammography Training and Self-Assessment Workshop, 1600 Scientific Papers in 16 Subspecialties,, 460 Posters in Electronic Format, 1200 Education Exhibits, InfoRad exhibits, and Hands on Workshops.
A large space was devoted to educational exhibits.
Even larger the technical exhibition space was cause for awe, a
beehive of activity demonstrating the latest technical developments.
This year the Technical Exhibition boasted a record 700 leading manufacturers suppliers and developers of medical software and hardware, showcasing an impressive variety of the newest applications and equipment.
From the Greek standpoint, about 150 Greek colleagues participated. Professor Nick Gourtsoyannis participated with a lecture at a Refresher Course με θέμα "Small Bowel Imaging: State of the Art-Capsule Enteroscopy versus Radiography, CT and MR Imaging", Assistant Professor of Radiology Nick Kelekisparticipated at a How-to Workshop with the subject of "MR Imaging of the Cardiovascular System: How We Do It" and Assistant Professor Giannis Damilakis with a lecture at a Refresher Course με θέμα "Radiation Exposure and Your Professional Life: Facts and Controversies" . Radiologists Athanasios Chalazonitis from Athens, Greece participated with several education exhibits one of which, on the topic of Hysterosaplingography was honored with a RSNA education Exhibit Certificate of Merit.
Dr Chalazonitis in front of his education exhibit on Hysterosalpingography
Stergios Prapavesis and his coworkers participated with two electronic education exhibits:
2003 CS-e Primary Category: Breast Secondary Category: Ultrasound
DVD-ROM-based Multimedia Teaching File on Breast Ultrasonography and the Breast Ultrasound-guided Interventional Procedures
S Prapavesis, MD, Thessaloniki, GREECE; T Gatzulis; B D Fornage, MD; A Palko, MD, PhD; C F Weismann, MD; P S Zoumpoulis, MD, PhD
LEARNING OBJECTIVES Learn how to perform breast ultrasound examinations and to distinguish benign from malignant breast lesions using ultrasound morphological criteria Study a wide variety of clinical cases Learn step by step the appropriate management of breast lesions and the technique of breast US- guided biopsies in suspicious lesions ABSTRACT Purpose: Create a comprehensive DVD-ROM teaching file on Breast Ultrasound ( BU ) and on the Ultrasound-Guided Breast interventional Procedures. Materials and Methods: A special software interface was developed to allow study of text and of a large number of images and video data interconnected through extensive hyperlinks. The project has been programmed in Macromedia Director and also uses a V12 Database engine. The interface was developed during a 9-month period of testing and interaction between ultrasound experts and the software programmers. 120 sections of text, more than 2000 ultrasound Mammography images, 200 video clips and 51 surgically proven cases illustrating the gamut of breast pathology were integrated in this interactive teaching file Results: The user-friendly interface allows the reader free navigation through hyperlinks linking text, images and videos Conclusion: Our teaching file presents an ideal environment for study and self-assessment
This exhibit (Εducation Exhibit 2003CS-e) was installed in two computers allowing visitors to try the multimedia project hands-on in real time.
Last moments’ fine tuning by Themistokles Gatzoulis before the Congress
The second Education Exhibit (InfoRad Exhibit 9211ED-i) concerned the Software application Ultrasound Trainer the team has developed after an original idea by Stergios Prapavesis, allowing the effortless creation of Multiple Choice Tests from preexisting video clips of ultrasound or other medical procedure clips by instructors or academic teachers.
Primary Category: 9200 - Education Secondary Category: Education
Development of an Interactive Instructive and Skill-assessing Software Application Integrating Video Data from Various Medical Imaging Modalities and Relevant Commentary or Multiple Choice Questions
S Prapavesis, MD, Thessaloniki, GREECE; T Gatzoulis; C Makridis, MD,PHD; I Natsiopoulos, MD; P S Zoumpoulis, MD, PhD; G Kyropoulos, MD (info@breast-ultrasound.com)
LEARNING OBJECTIVES A specially developed software application allows either instruction by viewing of video data with commentary or skill assessment using multiple choice questions The application can be easily used by instructors to create their own educational sessions and assessment tests It can be integrated in teaching files as a self-asssessment tool ABSTRACT Purpose: A specially designed software program was developed allowing instruction and assessment of trainees in imaging modalities producing real time video data Materials and Methods: The program has been developed in Macromedia Director, using the V12 database and 3ivX video codec and extensive programmmer doctor interaction An original interface with a minimum of ergonomically designed controls was designed to allow trainees to concentrate on the diagnostic problems illustrated. Various viewing modes have been developed allowing trainees to work in instruction mode with helpful commentary or in self assessment mode with questions. An easily operable administrator interface allows instructors without programming skills to create their own educational sessions and assessment tests using their own case material Results: The program has been tested with success in a large hospital surgical clinic. It proved a useful tool for resident training and assessment.
Our educational project on Breast Ultrasonography and the US guided Interventional Techniques was honored with a "RSNA Education Exhibit Certificate of Merit" to the utmost joy of the authors.
We shared this rewarding moment with two essential coworkers, multimedia developer Themistokles Gatzoulis of Limebyte co, Thessaloniki, Greece who was escorting us on this trip and with Professor Bruno Fornage of MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston Texas USA.
Immediately after the honorary award
with Professor Bruno Fornage
Following the award, and as a follow-up of earlier contacts we were able to negotiate the effective timetable and the terms for publishing the Breast US DVD ROM with one of the most distinguished international medical publishing houses, for worldwide distribution.
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Visiting the technical exhibition we had the opportunity to discuss the future developments with representatives of the major ultrasound manufacturers and to see demonstrations of the most recent high–end Ultrasound equipment. Following talks with executives of Philips, we set a foundation for future cooperation with the manufacturer of the Ultrasound Scanner we finally chose to work with, the Philips iu22. This cooperation we hope will allow us to bring to our practice the most recent technologies and to implement new innovative applications successfully.
We also discussed with industry suppliers future implementation of VΑGB- Vacuum Assisted Guided Biopsy (Mammotome) in our practice under stereotactic and ultrasound guidance. Following a separate agreement, our Breast Diagnosis Center will participate in beta testing of software of 3D data reconstruction in cooperation with the Medical Informatics Department of the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
We found the Hands On Computer Seminars organized by Apple that we attended extremely helpful and informative. After years of absence Apple returned dynamically to the RSNA with extremely important medical software like the Open Source program OSIRIX based on the MacOs X. This freeware program was the epicenter for a number of educational exhibits describing its integration in a low-cost PACS system. Amazing 3D- reconstructions from CT-Scan data using software developed by the Medical Informatics Lab of the University of Calgary at the Apple workshop
Tired, but satisfied, we embarked on the lengthy trip home! Success is sweet, but sweeter still are the faces of your family's members, after a week away from home!
We wish Happy Holidays to all! Our warmest Thanks go to all those who contributed to this successful trip!
Stergios Prapavesis
