RSNA hosts the world's largest annual radiology meeting, publishes two highly respected peer-reviewed journals, offers opportunities to earn CME, and provides research and education grants to young investigators.

The GetInsideHealth team will be there from November 25th 2011 to cover the sessions and attend workshops. GetInsideHealth will interview speakers and provide you with the latest insights because you can’t be everywhere at the same time but you can GetInsideHealth.

RSNA 2011: MR-guided radiofrequency ablation effective in hepatocellular carcinoma

Both technical and clinical success was very encouraging in a study of MR-guided radiofrequency (RF) ablation in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

RSNA 2011: No imaging facility remains state-of-the-art for long

The importance of flexibility cannot be overestimated in the design of imaging facilities, according to a team of experienced radiologists recounting their successes and failures.

RSNA 2011: Substantial miss rates in mammography may be unavoidable cognitive function

Confirming cognitive evaluations performed in other fields, a study testing the effect of low and high prevalence on the ability of radiologists to detect cancers on mammograms confirmed that miss rates go up as prevalence rates goes down.

Video: RSNA 2011: CT angiography considered successful triage tool for unexplained chest pain

CT angiography, a powerful tool for visualizing atherosclerosis, is being used as a screening tool in an emergency room for low to medium risk patients who might otherwise be held for overnight observation.

RSNA 2011: Surprising recall rates after mammography suggest changes needed

For women receiving a baseline mammogram, the average recall rate at a centre with 8 radiologists was 28% and ranged up to 60%. Although this rate surprised the authors of the study, they believe that it may indicate a problem common to many centres.

RSNA 2011: Failure to match detector to breast size leads to increased radiation dose

Matching breast size to the appropriate detector size is important, according to an evaluation of mammography screening results at a single institution over a 6-week period. In this study of 864 women undergoing mammography, data were gathered on breast size, detector size, number of views obtained, and mean glandular dose (MGD) of radiation per breast.

RSNA 2011: In cirrhotic patients, MRI and CT provide equivalent sensitivity for carcinoma

Identifying hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis is challenging. A review of 186 studies published over the past 10 years that compared imaging modalities for this indication found that MRI, when compared to CT or ultrasound (US), has the highest per-lesion sensitivity but the difference between MRI and CT did not reach statistical significance.

Video: RSNA 2011: Linear non-threshold hypothesis is inappropriate to calculate low radiation risk

The linear non-threshold (LNT) hypothesis has been used in occupational settings as a prudent approach for risk estimation from radiation exposure. However, an expert in low-dose radiation exposure argues that this approach is inappropriate for the same purpose in medical imaging.

Video: RSNA 2011: Subjective experience may limit quality improvements with iterative reconstruction

Iterative reconstruction has been an important way to improve image quality while reducing radiation dose, but a study conducted in Germany has found a discrepancy between objective and subjective measures of quality.

Video: RSNA 2011: CT angiography moving into new applications even as it becomes safer

During a keynote address during the opening session, an expert in CT angiography explained that this technology has come of age in the management of vascular disease. However, he also explained why the applications of this technology are likely to expand substantially over the next five years.

Video: RSNA 2011: Rapid technological innovations challenge radiologists to keep pace

The acquisition of new information in the field of radiology, like essentially any other scientific discipline, is progressive, but the speed of that acquisition has been accelerating over several decades.

Video: RSNA 2011: 3D echo is not superior to 2D echo for measuring left atrial volume

A study has been unable to demonstrate that 3D transthoracic echocardiography is superior to 2D echo for assessing left atrial (LA) volume, an important prognostic indicator for a variety of cardiac diseases.

RSNA 2011: Iterative reconstruction of low-dose CT angiography reduces radiation dose >50%

The premise that iterative reconstruction of CT scans can reduce radiation dose without diminishing image quality routine screening programs has been supported by a controlled study with more than 100 patients undergoing CT angiography.

RSNA 2011: Practical considerations in lung cancer screening: Interpreting the NLST

The recent publication of the results of the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) (N Engl J Med 2011;365:395-409) have provided important data about the value of CT screening in high risk patients, but radiologists now have to determine how the findings should be applied to clinical practice.

Video: RSNA 2011: MRA road mapping greatly facilitates uterine fibroid embolization

Relative to contrast angiography, a technique that employs real-time fusion of a patient’s previous scan, whether acquired with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR), with a live fluoroscopy stream allows the interventionist to streamline uterine fibroid embolization.

Video: RSNA 2011: U.S. state mandates ultrasound breast cancer screening for dense tissue

One of the 50 states in the U.S. has made it mandatory for health insurance plans to reimburse ultrasound breast cancer screening for women with dense tissue who had a negative mammography.

Video: RSNA 2011: APT MR imaging provides accurate detection of cancer without contrast

Amide proton transfer (APT) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has demonstrated value in the diagnosis of brain cancers, but new work suggests that it can be employed more broadly.

RSNA 2011: Linear non-threshold risk of low dose radiation debate settled

A formal debate about the ability of the linear non-threshold (LNT) hypothesis to accurately predict risk for cancer from medical imaging examinations assembled formidable experts on both sides of the issue.

Video: RSNA 2011: Ultrasound breast cancer screening found to be operator dependent

New data from the ACRIN (American College of Radiology Imaging Network) 6666 study indicate that operator error accounts for missed cancers in about the same proportion of women screened with ultrasound (US) as those screened with mammography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Video: RSNA 2011: New Personal Dosimeter Permits Real-Time Monitoring of Radiation Exposure

The increasing emphasis on lowering radiation doses during diagnostic and interventional imaging has relevance to safety for both the patient and physician. A new dosimeter device that is worn by the physician has relevance to both.

Video: RSNA 2011: Virtual Hysterosalpingography with CT Scanning Emerges as New Standard

In assessing abnormalities of the female reproductive tract, computed tomography virtual hysterosalpingography (CT-VHSG) is credited with being highly accurate, very safe, and well accepted by patients.

RSNA 2011: Diffusion-weighted imaging allows differentiation of endometriosis from cysts

On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), endometriosis can be difficult to distinguish from haemorrhagic cysts because they can both show hyperintensity of T1 weighted images and hypointensity on T2 weighted images.