ICE Magazine November 2022

BANNER IMAGING

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PACS/IT/AI

The best outcome is when art and science work together.

COVER STORY

Medical imaging modalities and the patient-specific information they provide continue to be increasingly integrated in nearly every aspect of medicine, from diagnostic applications to treatment planning to surgical interventions.

RISING STAR

Angie Meyer, ARRT, ODH, is the radiology manager at University Hospitals Geneva/ Conneaut Medical Center.

IMAGING NEWS

Catch up on the latest news from around the diagnostic imaging world.

PRODUCT FOCUS

Manufacturers share information about pediatric imaging devices.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

More importance must be placed on developing solid workplace relationships to attract and retain quality employees.

MATT WOODS

FOCUS

Matt Woods, MSHA , RT(R)(MR), is the imaging director at Colleton Medical Center. He holds a Master of Science in Health Care Management from Trident University International.

Prior to joining Colleton Medical Center, Woods served as practice director for Radiology Partners in Ottumwa, Iowa, where he led and implemented several successful projects positively impacting patient care.

“We are excited to welcome Matt to the Colleton Medical Cen ter team,” says Dayton Strader, vice president of operations. “Matt has already proven to be a motivated leader with a firm understanding of imaging opera tions and management.”

In his role as the director of imaging, Woods provides coordi nated leadership of the imaging

unit including CT scans, X-rays, lung cancer screenings, ultra sounds, MRI, nuclear medicine, and mammograms.

Like many in the diagnostic imaging field, Woods career began after some first-hand experience.

“I knew I wanted to go into health care, but I didn’t know what area. My mom who is a nurse was able to get me a job shadowing opportunity and I was hooked,” Woods explains.

It is a decision he does not regret.

“I love helping patients and helping staff in their career and growth in the profession,” Woods says when asked why he loves his job.

When prompted, Woods says that his greatest accomplish ment is earning his MSHA and becoming a director of radiolo gy. It is a role he takes seriously and one he uses to help advance

Matt Woods is the imaging director at Colleton Medical Center.

his colleagues.

“I am a lead from the front indi vidual. I want people to be able to grow. I work with them on their goals and how to best take care of pa tients,” Woods says.

It is an approach that he him self has benefitted from during his career.

“My mentor, Chris Jones, was someone I started with on a week

MATT WOODS

end shift as an X-ray student. He grew in leadership and helped me grow in how I handled myself and critically thinking through projects or staffing,” Woods says. “He would allow me to lead projects and report out. He was also available to me even after we both moved in differ ent paths in our careers. Larry Dry, who was my last vice president at my previous employer, was a great

mentor in teaching me how to pres ent to senior executives at a hospital and how to work with physicians –especially radiologists.”

Woods and his wife, Heidi, have two children Ethan, 13, and Makena, 11. When not at work, he says that he enjoys playing golf and cheering for his kids at their various sporting events.

•

MSHA RT(R)(MR), Imaging Director at Colleton Medical Center

1. What is the last book you read? “The Calling: Why Healthcare is So Special” by Quint Studer

2. Favorite movie? “The Shawshank Redemption”

3. What is something most of your coworkers don’t know about you? I am a Bigfoot enthusiast.

4. Who are your mentors? Chris Jones and Larry Dry.

5. What is one thing you do every morning to start your day? Drink a cup of coffee and plan my day.

6. Best advice you ever received? To make your bed in the morning. When you do this, you have already accomplished the first task of the day. The speech by Admiral William H. McRaven.

7. Who has had the biggest influence on your life? My mom and dad. They taught me to work hard and have compassion for others.

8. What would your superpower be? To fly

9. What are your hobbies? Watching my kids sporting events and golf.

10. What is your perfect meal? Ribeye with baked potato and asparagus.

Matt Woods loves his job and the opportunity to help others achieve success.

Rad idea

BY MARIO PISTILLI

NEXT LEVEL RECOGNITION STRATEGIES

It seems that leaders are always searching and hunting for ways to recognize staff and the usual methods (rounding, sending a card, saying thank you) are getting a little stale.

I wrote a previous article (New Approaches to Employee Recognition July 1, 2020) with some other innovative ideas to recognize staff that are still effective, but in the last two years I have added some new tricks to the bag. I also have found that expanding my recognition to include peers and staff in other departments has been a great way to promote an organization wide culture of recognition and I will include some of those strategies as well.

• Take some pictures of your team members and use them as your virtual background. I have been doing this and get many positive comments from other leaders. It’s also a great chance for me to brag about a team member or group.

• Use an electronic greeting card service. I use bluemountain.com which has a wide variety of electronic messages you can send, and some can even be personalized with a name. The other thing I love about it is that you can attach a wide variety of gift card options if you want to include a small gift as well.

• Use your internal messaging platform (if your institution has one) to send out thank you messages or uplifting messages to others. For example, we use Microsoft Teams in our organization, and I will send a random mes sage to one of my team members, a colleague, or some one from another team that say things like, “I appreciate you,” “You rock,” “Thanks,” or sometimes just “Have a nice day.” You can send GIFs or emojis through this app.

• Send a random note of appreciation or the previously

mentioned e-cards to another department or a colleague in your organization that just says, “I really appreciate that [insert great thing they did here]”.

• Send random gifts of chocolate to people or groups. Amazon can truly be a great tool. It doesn’t have to be something expensive and most people love chocolate.

• Elicit others to help. I will sometimes ask one of the phy sicians to recognize a staff member or my vice president. If asked directly, they have been very helpful in talking to and thanking staff for a specific thing. I have always found that recognizing a specific action is more power ful. For example, if I hear that a tech worked a double, I will ask one of the radiologists to call or message them a thank you for working extra and that it is really appreci ated.

• Pick a random time to drop off some coffees in one of your areas.

• Don’t forget about the admins throughout your organi zation. Take some time to thanks a colleague’s admin or a C-suites admin. Get them a coffee or a drink every so often or send a note of appreciation. Admins can get lots of things done in an organization and often go unrecog nized.

The key is that you vary your recognition methods and also that you are consistent. Buying pizza every time a department is busy is just not enough anymore. It needs to become part of your routine to promote a culture of gratitude and recognition. •

Share your RAD IDEA via an email to editor@mdpublishing.com.

Mario Pistilli, FACHE, CRA, is the director of imaging services at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

RISING

ANGIE MEYER

Angie Meyer, ARRT, ODH, is the radiology manager at University Hospitals Geneva/ Conneaut Medical Center. After earning a bachelor’s degree Meyer found herself back in her hometown. ICE recently found out more about this rising star in the imaging field.

Q: WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?

A: I grew up five minutes from UH Geneva Medical Center in the city of Geneva, Ohio. It is a small town with a very close community. We are well known for our wineries and Geneva on the Lake.

Q: WHERE DID YOU RECEIVE YOUR IMAGING TRAINING/ EDUCATION?

A: I attended Lakeland Community College and obtained my Associate in Science in 2002. I attended Clarion Uni versity and obtained my Bachelors in Science in 2019.

Q: HOW DID YOU FIRST DECIDE TO START WORKING IN IMAGING?

A: I volunteered at Geneva Medical Center when I was 16 years old. I rotated through all of the departments and my favorite department was radiology. I thought it was very interesting to look at the images.

Angie Meyer found her dream job aftershe volunteered at Geneva Medical Center as a teenager.

Q: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO GET INTO THIS FIELD?

A: I wanted to learn how to use the X-ray machines and take images of patients to help to diagnose their medical conditions.

Q: WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR POSITION?

A: I like driving to work every day knowing that I am going to support my team and help to provide great care for our patients.

Q: WHAT INTERESTS YOU THE MOST ABOUT THE IMAGING FIELD?

A: The ever-changing technology. When I started we had to develop our film in the darkroom and now we can take a portable image that appears on the screen in seconds.

Q: WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN YOUR FIELD THUS FAR?

A: My greatest accomplishment would be that I keep learning and doing more for the organization. At University Hospitals, I was given a great opportunity to advance in my career. I started out as a full-time radiographer, was trained in CT, became the clinical instructor for local colleges, and then was promoted to lead tech, chief tech, supervisor and manager.

Q: WHAT GOALS DO YOU HAVE FOR YOURSELF IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS?

A: I would like to focus on taking the certified radiolo gy administrator exam in the next year. •

FUN FACTS

FAVORITE HOBBY:

Swimming, taking long walks

FAVORITE FOOD: Pizza, spaghetti, anything Italian

FAVORITE VACATION SPOT:

Anywhere that has good food, a pool and is close to the beach.

SOMETHING YOUR CO-WORKERS DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU: I started my career working in the cafeteria at UH.

WES HARDEN, DIRECTOR OF IMAGING SERVICES, LEXINGTON MEDICAL CENTER

a pineapple plant can take more than two years to bear fruit from a single cultivation.

Fen is the director of imaging services for the 580-bed Lexington Medical Center in West Columbia, South Carolina. On the weekends, however, Harden makes the lengthy commute to his Florida home, not only to visit his family, but to tend his pineapple crop.

The veteran medical imaging professional has always had an abiding love of the outdoors. As a child, he spent long summers tending to his mother’s half-acre vegetable garden. In his 50s, Harden took up hunting, mostly for the moments of enjoyment listening to the forest awaken at dawn. But it wasn’t until he attempted to cultivate his own pineapple patch that Harden found himself really recon necting to the earth in a novel way.

“I’m an outside guy, so when I’m not at work, I’m trying to find something to do that’s outside,” he said. “I started with one store-bought pineapple, cut the top off it, and buried it.”

“I just decided, ‘I want to see if I can grow one myself,’ he said. “It actually worked! So one after another, I plant ed two or three a year from the ones we’ve grown.”

Pineapples are a fairly easy fruit to grow, provided you have the right climate for it – and a great deal of patience. Their ideal environments range from 64 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, with a minimum winter temperature of 61. Although the shrub itself is fairly low-maintenance,

“Some of them, after they produce, won’t produce pineapple, but will produce buds that produce pineap ples,” Harden said. “I trim off the old stems; after a while, they get a little root-bound in the pot. I’ll take them out and put them in new pots and move things around a little bit.”

Harden’s 36 shrub plots can vary in fruit production –last year, they yielded 26 pineapples, the year before that, 31 – based on any number of factors, from weather to plant health to intrusion of disease or pests. But when it all comes together, the results can be impressive. Harden loves to share the pineapples he grows, and often brings them into work to deliver to coworkers. He enjoys seeing the reactions when they taste a fruit that’s often fresher, with a broader depth of flavor, than the kind they can buy in a store.

“I’ll still eat a couple handfuls a year, but I enjoy giving them away and telling people about them as much as I do eating them,” Harden said. “If you think about pineap ples that you get in the store, they’re probably harvested two to three months prior. Mine stay on the vine up until you’re ready to eat them.”

“They’re brightly colored yellow because I leave them on there, and they’re so sweet; sweeter than any pineap ple that you’ve ever tasted,” he said. “I’ve done nothing special other than leave it on the vine until it’s ready to eat. You lose so much in that transportation.”

Pineapples have long been considered an international

symbol of hospitality; in bygone years, they were regarded as a symbol of wealth, owing to the expense required to cultivate and transport them globally, with hosts in the 1700s displaying pineapples as art objects at dinner parties until they rotted away. Harden’s pineapples are nothing so precious as that, but he delights in sharing them with friends, some of whom have begun to reciprocate.

“We gave away a pineapple plant to one of my wife’s cowork ers, and she returned the favor recently,” Harden said. “When it produces fruit, the inside of the fruit, instead of being yellow, is supposed to be red. I’ve never seen a pineapple that’s red on the inside.”

When Harden’s not busy cultivating pineapples, he also en joys tinkering with home improvement projects. His woodwork ing skills resulted in bedframes for his kids and his dog; his inter est in tiling helped Harden transform a shower tub into a walk-in shower, with the help of YouTube tutorials and six weekends’ worth of labor. Next on the docket is a plan to create a kitchen on his patio, beginning next spring.

“I do enjoy other crafty things,” Harden said; “I like to find little things to keep me busy. To me, it’s definitely about balance. Five days a week I’m at work, but on the weekend, it’s about family, and it’s about getting your headspace correct; giving you something that forces you to take your mind off work.”

“You can’t be thinking about work when you’re running the table saw or cutting tile,” he said. “You’ve got to be focused on the task at hand. Family’s equally important in that mixture. If you’re focused on one thing, the other is not getting that atten tion. It’s finding the ability to bring focus back to those things; you hope at the end of your life you’ve got equal parts family, fun and work.”

Harden said he expects his balance will be recalculated in a few more years, after he steps away from his career in imaging. His wife of 33 years, Tracy, has begun raising her own herbs and peppers alongside them in the garden, and the couple are par ents to 24-year-old twins who are at the outset of their profes sional lives.

Whether it’s pineapples or home improvement, however, Harden knows there’ll be something he enjoys spending his time doing at the end of his years of work. He also volunteers his time with the Association for Medical Imaging Management (AHRA), and believes in supporting health care radiology administrators as they progress into the kinds of roles he’s filled in the past nearly 35 years of his professional life.

“I’m part of the AHRA, and we definitely believe in growing the next generation,” Harden said. “I’ve got a few more years to work. I enjoy what I do, and enjoy the other things outside of work. When I retire, I’ll have something to do.” •

“It’s finding the ability to bring focus back to those things; you hope at the end of your life you’ve got equal parts family, fun and work.”

MedWrench is a product focused support network where medical professionals, purchasing administrators, manufacturers, dealers and industry experts can provide opinions, share ideas, and gather relevant information on medical technology and equipment. We want to say thank you for all of our users over the years. MedWrench wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for our users!

NEW MILESTONES IN DEVELOPMENT OF FIRST SPECTRAL DETECTOR ANGIO CT SOLUTION

Royal Philips has announced new milestones in the de velopment of the world’s first spectral detector angio CT solution – Philips Spectral Angio CT suite – bringing the company’s breakthrough spectral CT imaging tech nology into an integrated hybrid angio CT suite. By combining its award-winning Spectral CT 7500 system and its image guided therapy system – Azurion with FlexArm – in a fully integrated interventional suite solu tion, Philips aims to give physicians immediate access to these two key imaging modalities in a single room, enabling innovation in minimally invasive procedures in areas such as oncology, stroke and trauma care.

Philips recently announced a new clinical part ner and highlighted clinical studies that focus on the added value of using spectral CT imaging technology during interventional procedures.

Leiden University Medical Center (Leiden, the Neth

erlands) has joined Philips’ global network of clinical partners to investigate how its spectral detector angio CT solution could potentially offer new treatment op portunities and improve patient care.

“We are excited to co-create an innovation that could play a defining role in improving patient care in the space of interventional oncology,” said Mark Burg mans, MD, head of interventional radiology at Leiden University Medical Center. “Adding spectral CT imaging to the interventional suite will enable us to offer new treatment opportunities, avoid moving patients from one imaging suite to another, and offer the unique ben efits of spectral CT information when you need it.”

Other leading clinical institutes that Philips is work ing with on this innovation are Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN, U.S.) and Baptist Health’s Miami Cardiac & Vascu lar Institute (Miami, FL, U.S.). •

SAMSUNG INTRODUCES NEW ULTRASOUND SYSTEM

Boston Imaging, the United States headquarters of Sam sung digital radiography and ultrasound business, recently introduced the V7. In a press release, the V7 is described as “a cutting-edge ultrasound system that provides a wide range of clinical applications that enhance both the patient and user experience.” The V7 recently received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for commercial use.

“There is a continued demand on imaging professionals to deliver high-quality results in an efficient amount of time, without compromising patient care,” said David Legg, vice president, head of Boston Imaging. “We’re proud to help ad dress this by supplying one more solution that helps make clinical assessments effortless and treatment precise.”

Crystal Architecture is the core of the V7’s enhanced image clarity and penetration and is built upon the combi nation of innovative beamforming (CrystalBeam), sophisti cated image processing (CrystalLive) and advanced S-Vue Single Crystal Transducers to produce clear, uniform and high-resolution images, according to the release.

Samsung continuously works to provide health care professionals with innovative solutions made to conquer diverse and challenging cases. To help assist, the V7 is equipped with a range of Intelligent Assist features to be used in general imaging and women’s health ultrasound cases, including:

• 2D Follicle: An automated measurement tool that pro vides information about the status of follicles during gynecology examinations by identifying and measur ing follicle size based on the 2D image.

• AutoIMT: A screening tool to analyze a patient’s po tential risk for cardiovascular disease.

• S-Shearwave Imaging: A tool that provides quantita tive non-invasive assessment and documentation of tissue stiffness for clinical applications including breast and liver.

• UterineAssist: An artificial intelligence technology that automatically measures the size and shape of the uterus, assisting in detecting signs of uterine-related abnormalities.

• E-Cervix: An innovative elastography technology that provides an efficient semi-quantitative assessment of cervical canal stiffness.

In addition to enhancing image clarity and accuracy, the V7 design has been reengineered, keeping workflow, performance and functionality top of mind. Tools such as EzExam+ and EzCompare may transform the ultrasound examination experience through the minimization of steps and keystrokes. The V7 also exhibits a step forward in Sam sung’s efforts toward a greener tomorrow, by applying an eco-friendly resin cover to the air vent exterior cover and re usable Eco Paper Packaging composed of recycled paper. •

PHILIPS FOUNDATION, RAD-AID INTERNATIONAL EMBARK ON PARTNERSHIP

Philips Foundation, with its mission to provide access to qual ity health care for 100 million people a year in underserved communities by 2030, together with Philips and RAD-AID International, has announced a multi-year cross-continental partnership to promote access to diagnostic ultrasound services in 10 countries.

RAD-AID International, a U.S.-based non-profit organi zation, will leverage the virtual care capabilities of Philips ultrasound solutions to provide a highly scalable, remote “train-the-trainer” model to improve access to diagnostic and point-of-care ultrasound through curriculum-based educa tion and clinical hands-on teaching. With these solutions, ultrasound experts, such as radiologists and sonographers, can communicate with training program participants thou sands of kilometers away via voice, video and text messages, view the ultrasound images taken in real time, and remotely demonstrate equipment settings during guided ultrasound exams if necessary.

“By adopting a ‘train-the-trainer’ model, first-generation health care workers can contribute to the education of the next generation of ultrasound practitioners,” said Daniel J. Mollura, president and CEO of RAD-AID International. “This innovative and ambitious initiative has a remarkable reach, and is both sustainable and scalable. We at RAD-AID look forward to working with the Philips Foundation in the coming years to improve the lives of millions of people through re al-time ultrasound education and remote support.”

“Despite the well-known benefits of early detection and timely treatment, diagnostic imaging is not available in many rural and remote areas where resources are scarce,” said Mar got Cooijmans, director of the Philips Foundation. “Through this collaboration with RAD-AID International, who provide a

high quality of service delivery, we can offer equipment and enable remote training in 10 underserved areas, with a clear focus on increasing the number of patients who benefit from remote access to professional radiologists. Enhancing tech nology to improve health care for underserved populations defines this collaboration and is at the heart of our mission.”

Philips Foundation, Philips and RAD-AID International all have a track record of improving access to ultrasound by training local health workers. For example, in recent years, Philips Foundation has developed several innovative models to address various gaps in access to ultrasound solutions. To gether with health care experts, non-governmental organiza tions, and social entrepreneurs, it has pioneered task-sharing models and explored aspects such as delivery, referral, and income models to enable access to ultrasound for prena tal care. Philips innovates in connected care solutions that support health care systems and improve access to care for millions of people across the world. The company has set up tele-ultrasound programs that link specialists around the globe with local physicians in underserved communities to train them and enable them to provide potentially life-saving ultrasound scans to pregnant women.

This multi-year initiative aims to reach around 50 million people across Africa, Asia, North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean, including Ethiopia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Kenya, Laos, Nepal, Malawi, Tanzania, and the U.S. During the project’s initial phase, RAD-AID International is deploying the model in the first five high-impact regional sites.

Learnings from phase-one deployment will help Philips Foundation and RAD-AID International co-create new edu cational strategies for second-phase deployment. •

EDUCATION TAKES CENTER STAGE AT ICE 2023

The annual Imaging Conference and Expo is set for Febru ary 17-19, 2023, at the Renaissance Nashville in Music City, U.S.A.

The annual Imaging Conference & Expo is a can’t-miss event for imaging professionals to network with colleagues, obtain continuing education credits and learn about the latest solutions via a top-flight exhibit hall. ICE 2023 is free for all hospital employees, students and active members of the military.

Along with an exclusive ICE18 leadership summit, ICE 2023 features a jam-packed schedule. Educational oppor tunities include the option to add a CRES Study Group and Prep Class in addition to the free continuing education sessions.

Continuing education is taking center stage with subject matter experts sharing insights on a variety of topics in cluding contrast injectors, leadership, career development, image improvement, IVR systems, CT, staffing, regulatory inspections, cybersecurity and more.

The keynote address is a can’t miss session with some

thing for everyone.

Brian Parsley, principal at The Constance Group, will present “Mastering Strategic Communication.”

Imagine if you could build more meaningful relationships personally and professionally. This program leverages a modeling approach that allows you to deal with life’s op portunities and challenges and blends personal and profes sional perspectives to maximize outcomes. You’ll uncover practical and actionable strategies that’ll deliver results in the real world now. This program has been described as the study of what works to build rapport and significantly improve the results you achieve, by helping your co-workers improve their ability to understand how others think and master their own communication.

All attendees and exhibitors are invited to the exhibit hall grand opening welcome reception, keynote address and the finale party! •

For more information, including discounted room rates, visit AttendICE.com and sign up for the newsletter.

TRAINED RADIOGRAPHERS MAY BE A SOLUTION FOR THE RADIOLOGIST SHORTAGE

When double reading screening mammograms, radiogra phers (technologists) trained for the task perform as well as radiologists in key areas, according to a study published in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

Double reading, the process of interpreting a radiologi cal image with two or more sets of eyes, is the standard of care throughout Europe and it has been shown to improve cancer detection rates while simultaneously keeping recall rates low. The National Health Service Breast Screening Pro gram (NHSBSP) in the United Kingdom (U.K.) has over 80 screening centers in England, where over 2 million women are screened annually.

To mitigate the strains put on the health care system due to increased workload and radiologist shortages, the NHSBSP has been utilizing non-radiologists as part of double reading since the 1990s. While the traditional role of radiographers is to perform the mammogram, the NHSBSP recruits radiographers who undergo extensive additional postgraduate training to interpret the mammograms. They also participate in the same quality assurance standards as radiologists.

“With the production of reliable individual reader perfor mance data in recent years, it has been possible to produce a robust comparison of the performance of our radiologist and non-radiologist readers in England,” said study lead au thor Yan Chen, Ph.D., associate professor of cancer screen ing at the University of Nottingham School of Medicine in the U.K.

For this study, researchers analyzed a year’s worth of performance data collected from 224 radiologists and 177 radiographers from the NHSBSP. Readers who also took part in the External Quality Assurance (EQA) scheme known as the Personal Performance in Mammographic Screening (PERFORMS) were eligible for this study, and they also gave consent for their individual real-life breast screening performance data to be accessed from the Breast Screening Information System.

Performance metrics that were analyzed were cancer detection rate, recall rate — the percentage of patients

called back for follow-up testing — and positive predictive value of recall based on biopsy-proven pathological findings. Positive predictive value reflects the percentage of cancers found among exams for which biopsy was recommended or performed.

Each metric was analyzed according to the reader pro fession, years of experience and any interaction between them using analysis of variance. Analysis of variance is a sta tistical formula used to compare variances across the means (or average) of different groups.

Researchers found no significant difference in the perfor mance of readers from either professional group. The cancer detection rate for radiologists was 7.84 per 1,000 examina tions, while the cancer detection rate for radiographers was 7.53 per 1,000 examinations. Additionally, the average recall rate for radiologists and radiographers was 5% and 5.2%, respectively. The final performance metric, positive predic tive value of recall, also showed no variation. The positive predictive value of recall was 17.1% for radiologists and 16.1% for radiographers.

“It has been really gratifying to show that there was little difference in the performance of readers from either professional group when we looked at the key breast cancer screening performance metrics of cancer detection rates, recall rates and positive predictive value of recall,” said co author Jonathan J. James, FRCR, consultant radiologist and director of education and training at the Nottingham Breast Institute at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The results of this study also showed that reading perfor mance was based on the years of experience of the readers. This suggests that appropriate focused training, participa tion in EQA schemes like PERFORMS, and experience are all factors that contribute to the performance of a reader, rather than simply having a medical degree and the broad radiology education undertaken by all radiologists.

“Many countries are experiencing a shortage of radiolo gists, and this is compounded by increasing demands and growing screening backlogs,” Chen said. “The outcomes of this study may lead screening programs in other countries to consider the use of physician extenders in breast imaging.” •

RSNA 2022 SHOWCASES LATEST TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADVANCING PATIENT CARE

The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) has announced technical exhibits highlights for its 108th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting (RSNA 2022) held in Chicago at McCormick Place, Nov. 27-Dec. 1.

As the world’s largest annual medical imaging forum, RSNA 2022: Empowering Patients and Partners in Care provides attendees with a standout exhibition floor, featuring the latest medical imaging technologies in CT, MRI, artificial intelligence (AI), 3D printing and more.

“RSNA 2022 will be the top event of the year to learn what’s new in the field of medical imaging,” said John P. Jaworski, C.E.M., RSNA assistant executive director of meetings and exhibition services. “With over 600 exhibitors confirmed, including 87 first-time exhibitors, RSNA 2022 will be even larger than last year’s meeting. Attendees will be able to see, touch and experience new products and solu tions, as well as network with experts from across the globe. Those who cannot join us in Chicago can engage with RSNA exhibitors via RSNA 2022 Virtual Access.”

RSNA 2022 features a wealth of industry programming throughout the week, including corporate symposiums, Lunch & Learns, virtual industry and product presentations, vendor workshops, Innovation Theater and AI Theater pre sentations.

In the South Hall, the RSNA AI Showcase, sponsored by AIRS Medical and Bayer Calantic Digital Solutions, features more than 90 companies and covers 35,800 square feet. The AI Showcase Theater will feature 36 industry presenta tions throughout the week.

RSNA presentations in the AI Theater will begin on Sun day, Nov. 27, with RSNA’s Quantitative Imaging Biomarkers Alliance (QIBA) and AI. On Monday, Nov. 28, RSNA will hold a special presentation to recognize the winners of the RSNA Cervical Spine Fracture AI Challenge. On Tuesday, Nov. 29, there will be a presentation by editorial board members from Radiology: Artificial Intelligence. The RSNA Imaging AI

Certificate Program takes the stage on Wednesday, Nov. 30.

The South Hall will also have the Imaging AI in Practice (IAIP) demonstration, which will highlight new AI technolo gies and integration standards needed to embed AI into the diagnostic radiology workflow. The interactive exhibit will enable attendees to determine what is possible, identify the right questions to ask, and learn how to introduce and scale AI into their radiology practices.

Using real-world clinical scenarios involving both emer gent and long-term care, 19 vendors with 30 products will walk RSNA 2022 meeting attendees through the exhibit to see AI tools and health information technology standards in action. Demonstrations will follow the radiology workflow from ordering of the imaging exam through reporting and follow-up.

The Innovation Theater will also be in the South Hall with industry presentations Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. On Tuesday from 4 to 5 p.m., the Innova tion Theater will host a presentation on the Medical Imaging Data Resource Center (MIDRC). MIDRC is a multi-institu tional collaborative initiative driven by the medical imaging community and is aimed at accelerating the transfer of knowledge and innovation in the current COVID-19 pandem ic and beyond.

Four additional showcases are in high demand and already sold out: 3D Printing and Mixed Reality Showcase, First-Time Exhibitor Pavilion, Educators Row and Recruiters Row.

New this year, RSNA 2022 will host “Last Call in the Ex hibit Halls” on Wednesday, Nov. 30, from 2 to 4 p.m. During this free social event, participating exhibitors will be serving refreshments at their booths, as attendees take one last walk around the technical exhibits to network and celebrate a successful RSNA 2022.

The Technical Exhibits will be open Sunday, Nov. 27, through Wednesday, Nov. 30, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. •

For more information, visit RSNA.org.

PRESENTER SHARES ADVICE FOR WOMEN IN IMAGING, HTM

STAFF REPORT

The ICE webinar “Navigating Challenges

Faced by Women in Biomed and Imaging” was presented by Independent Business Advisor and Support Specialist Nicole Dhanraj, GPHR, SHRM-SCP, PMP, CPPS, CSSBB, CRA, R.T (R)(CT)(MR). It was approved for 1.0 ARRT Category A CE credit by the AHRA (AHRA Reference: LEC11900; Expiration Date: 9/28/2023).

In this session, participants recognized women’s daily operational challenges and barriers that stunt their ca reer growth in the imaging and biomedical industries. Dhanraj discussed the aims to raise awareness of these gender challenges and help attendees implement strategies to overcome obstacles to support a more inclusive and diverse workforce. There was a call to action to help support women’s growth, reduce biases across industries and create safe psychological work spaces for women.

At the end of this presentation, attendees recognized the gender gap in leadership positions in health care. They are also now able to explain the challenges wom en face specific to imaging and biomed. Attendees also now have the knowledge to apply strategies to navigate workplace challenges.

One question poised during a question-and-answer

portion of the webinar was, “How do I begin discussions in my organization to increase support for women with out having a target on myself?”

Dhanraj offered ways to address concerns in a way that limits vulnerability. The complete Q&A is available in the on-demand recording of the webinar at ICEwebinars. live.

Attendees provided feedback via a survey that includ ed the question, “Why do you join ICE webinars?”

“My supervisor suggested I attend. I am the only female biomed in our shop, and I have been having diffi culties with a particular coworker. This must have caught my boss’s attention, and I assume he hoped it would help me navigate through the situation with my coworker,” one biomedical equipment technician said.

“ICE webinars provide valuable information and some of the latest concerns and topics in imaging,” Harris Health System Mammography Care Coordinator Angela Harris said.

“I’m a biomed starting to work on some imaging equipment. The ICE webinars provide more imaging information than the Webinar Wednesday webinars do,” Intermed Technical Manager Chrisitna Bottomley said. •

For more information, visit ICEwebinars.live.

Market Report

REPORTS PREDICT PEDIATRIC IMAGING MARKET GROWTH

STAFF REPORT

Arecent report offered by ResearchAndMarkets.com states that the global pediatric imaging market size was estimated at $9.7 billion in 2021, $10.7 billion in 2022, and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.45% to reach $17.6 billion by 2027.

Data Bridge Market research also predicts market growth.

“The market for pediatric imaging is expected to grow in the forecast period. Improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of young patients’ medical issues have been made to medical X-ray imaging. Children under the age of 21 who are receiving diagnosis or treatment are considered paediatric pa tients under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act),” a press release states.

Data Bridge Market Research analyses that the pediatric imaging market, which was $3.6 billion in 2021, would rocket up to $6.7 billion by 2029, and is expected to undergo a CAGR of 8.10% during the forecast period 2022 to 2029.

Grand View research reports that the global pediatric imaging market size was valued at $6.8 billion in 2019 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 7.6% during the forecast period (2020-2027). Increasing demand for advanced health care practices in pediatric care, rising number of surgical procedures, and government initiatives to raise awareness and increase the reach of novel pediatric imaging techniques are key factors driving the market.

“Moreover, increasing focus of market players on new product development and strategic collaborations to develop advanced pediatric imaging modalities are expected to propel the market growth,” according to Grand View research. “High radiation risk particularly in pediatric patients, which may result in the occurrence of cancer and high installation cost are some of the factors that may hinder the market growth.”

Adoption of advanced technology in different health care settings – including hospitals and pediatric specialty clinics – is anticipated to have a significant effect on the overall mar ket growth in developing as well as developed regions. For instance, in August 2018, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford established a new surgical center that includes a novel hybrid operating suite and enables immediate evaluation of post-surgical interventions. Such advancements help increase patient safety significantly and minimize the overall turnaround

time as well as hospital stay, thus reducing overall treatment cost. The overall price of advanced technologies is anticipated to deflate with the availability of next-generation microchips, thus boosting the adoption of these imaging devices, especially in developing countries.

The rising number of premature births, expanding incidence of pediatric diseases, and high demand for preventive care and imaging solutions are some of the factors driving the demand for novel pediatric imaging systems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 9.2 million children in the U.S. are admitted to the emergency department from accidental injuries such as falls, road traffic and burns. The inability of pediatric patients in explaining specific problems significantly enhances the use of effective pediatric imaging solutions. Moreover, increasing cases of birth defects requires effective imaging technologies to minimize complications.

Increasing investment on advanced technology and frequent product launches by market players are the factors expected to have a positive impact on market growth in up coming years. Also, increasing initiatives by various government as well as non-government organizations to spread awareness related to pediatric diagnostic imaging exams is expected to boost the global procedural volume. For instance, in December 2018, the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the Radio logical Society of North America (RSNA) launched a new sec tion – RadInfo 4 Kids on their official website. The informational website was aimed to providing information about radiology to children and their guardians.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) accounted for the larg est market size owing to increasing demand in hospital settings combined with technological advancements. Advanced fast scan methods such as single-shot technique and gradient-echo provide faster and clearer images. These techniques are spe cifically helpful in pediatric imaging where patient-operator compliance is minimal. In September 2019, researchers from the University of Colorado, School of Medicine identified a new im aging method named fast MRI, which was effective in analyzing pediatric traumatic brain injuries (TBI), thereby eliminating risks related to ionizing radiation exposure and anesthesia.

The ultrasound segment is expected to grow at a lucrative rate during the forecast period. The growth can be attributed to factors such as easy availability of imaging devices, skilled professionals, affordability, and frequent launch of new prod ucts that are specifically tailored for pediatric patients. •

Pediatric Imaging

FDR D-EVO III G80i

Fujifilm’s new FDR D-EVO III G80i is the world’s lightest, long length detector with Fujifilm’s patented ISS and Hydro AG an tibacterial coating. The detector is ideal for pediatric departments and hospitals that perform scoliosis, spine or leg pro cedures. Its lightweight, thin design and ability to integrate with the portable even makes it a great fit for use during surger ies. Its low dose technologies and single exposure capture help minimize dose and time for a patient in pain or a pediatric patient to hold still. The detector was FDA cleared in late August, and ship ments are planned to begin winter 2022.

GE HEALTHCARE Adventure Series for CT, MR, PET/CT and X-ray

GE Healthcare’s Adventure Series for CT, MR, PET/CT and X-ray aims to put children first with an experience designed to make imaging more inviting for pediatric patients. These interactive solutions help clinicians make medical imaging less intimidating by transporting the child through “adventure themes” such as pirate ships or outer space. Noises gener ated by the imaging machines are incorporated into the adventure to keep them at ease throughout the scan (e.g. the sound of the scanner becomes a rocket ship hurtling through hyperspace). For other themes, children are instructed to hold still to see fish jump over a canoe or to be careful not to bump into the coral during undersea exploration.

The Innovision in-bore infotainment solution from Siemens Healthineers and Innovere Medi cal provides an audiovisual experience for magnetic resonance (MR) patients as they lie on the table. Innovision’s patient display informs patients about their remaining scan time and displays either predefined or custom content. The display also makes the scanner’s bore appear larger, potentially reducing patient claustrophobia. The Innovision solution includes comfort pillows made of memory foam that reduce scan noise and deliver clear audio signals to the patient. In addition to music or video content, patients can hear voice commands from the technologist via an integrated audio system and specialized ear plugs.

Medical Imaging and Surgical Efficiency in the OR

BY MATT SKOUFALOS

Medical imaging modalities and the patient-specific information they provide continue to be increasingly integrated in nearly every aspect of medicine, from diagnostic applications to treatment planning to surgical interventions.

The ability to gather as much informa tion before proceeding with surgical procedures has always aided the teams performing them, and the ever-tighter integration of higher-quality medical imaging data within the surgical suite continues to offer clear pathways to better physician decision-making, and thereby, hopefully, better outcomes. How these technologies and approach es to surgery intersect — and what leveraging them means for patients and staff in those surgical environments in which they can be implemented — is determined by the give-and-take among original equipment manufac turers (OEMs), their customers and the conditions their solutions are attempt ing to negotiate.

Rob Fabrizio, director of strategic marketing, diagnostic imaging for FUJI FILM Healthcare Americas Corporation, said that the foremost concern among working with any medical imaging equipment is mitigating the impact of ionizing radiation on anyone in the room. Dose reduction standards have influenced the design and operation of imaging devices for the past two decades. Additionally improvements to detector sensitivity, after-image processing, and peripheral technologies are also helping clinicians arrive at the lowest possible safe radiation dose.

“There’s a high awareness among both surgeons and staff in the room to be very conscious of dose, and how much dose patients are getting in these surgical imaging procedures,” Fabrizio said. “How dose affects both patient and staff safety, and focusing on tech nologies that minimize dose, has always been a focus for Fujifilm.”

Those priorities are reflected in the

design of the Fujifilm FDR Cross C-arm, which has transitioned from image in tensifier detectors to digital radiography (DR) detectors, which are both larger and offer a larger field of view as com pared with their predecessors. Those features can help improve procedural ef ficiency by simply offering a better-qual ity image. The DR detectors generate about 30 percent less dose than image intensifier detectors do, Fabrizio said, and Fujifilm is also finalizing an updated version of its long-length DR detector for surgical applications in which a longer field of view is beneficial.

“The new model is lighter-weight and thinner, and will be much more con ducive to the OR and supine imaging. Most of the long-length imaging is done upright, weight-bearing, but doctors love to be able to take a long length of view to make sure the hardware’s posi tioned correctly.”

As a completely battery-operat ed system, the FDR Cross C-arm also addresses another concern in the operating room: that of cable manage ment within the sterile field. With no cables to manage, that’s one less piece of technology to disinfect or reposition. Additionally, an articulated tube head enables the C-arm DR detector, which is itself removable, to function as a porta ble detector. The detectors on the FDR Cross are also interchangeable, allow ing for fields of view from 14 inches by 17 inches up to 17 inches by 17 inches, which also affords “a more traditional X-ray type of view for both fluoroscopy and X-ray,” Fabrizio said.

“Imaging access has always been a priority on the portable X-ray ma chines; something like the Cross allows clinicians to capture both fluoro and X-ray images with one system, and without having to pull the C-arm out and bring in the portable. Having DR in our other models, they’re able to cap ture X-ray images in the surgery suite in that fixed holder.”

Technologies such as these emerge from the development process with no small amount of input from potential customers in the medical imaging and surgical spaces. Fabrizio said develop ment of the FDR Cross began with a prototype system on which customers offered their critiques for at least two years before Fujifilm released the final product. Those field tests help prod uct developers refine their approach es as well as inspiring the iterative tweaks that follow in future versions of the products.

“We’ve been providing articulating holders so surgical teams can add a long-length field of view pre, post and during surgery procedures,” he said.

“It’s not usable on an actual patient, but we bring it into the OR, see what’s good and bad, hear their input, and what they think they would

“Advances going forward are making things lighterweight, higherquality, lower-dose. FUJIFILM can make those detectors THINNER, LIGHTER and SHARPER; refining those images at fractions of doses captured with other systems. In trying to lower dose even further, you get systems where batteries last longer, and they can run on batteries that are lighter-weight and easier to use.”

- Rob Fabrizio

like to see in the system,” he said. “Then, we come back and incorporate those things so they can use them later. There’s also a lot of new features that will be coming down the road; a lot of focus on feedback that we’ve gotten for demonstrations.”

“Fujifilm has always prided itself, from one product to the next, on rev olutionizing the way things are done,” Fabrizio said. “Advances going forward are making things lighter-weight, higher-quality, lower-dose. Fujifilm can make those detectors thinner, lighter and sharper; refining those images at fractions of doses captured with other systems. In trying to lower dose even further, you get systems where batteries last longer, and they can run on batteries that are lighter-weight and easier to use.”

Fujifilm Global Vice-President of En dosurgical Research and Development Stephen Mariano said that the develop ment of medical imaging technologies for the endoscopic and surgical space is directed at developing the smallest form factor possible to support mini mally invasive surgical procedures. At the same time, technologies are evolv ing to incorporate functionality that will deliver as much information as possible to a surgical team, the better to allow them to visualize procedures as they go.

“From an imaging perspective in the operating room, I believe the future is going to be around functional imaging; imaging that gives you more information than just visualization,” Mariano said. “It’s got to have infor mation about the patient’s physiology and how the tissue behaves. Can we visualize things like a tumor, and see the margins better? Those are the things that are going to help improve outcomes, when surgeons can be

more effective looking at the tissue.”

From high-resolution image capture to after-image processing technolo gies powered by artificial intelligence (AI), surgical teams can improve their workflow, make better decisions, and produce better clinical outcomes with the additional information provided by next-generation imaging devices. As endoscopic and minimally invasive pro cedures progress towards endoluminal procedures – those begun using natural orifices in the human body – the next technological leap will be to understand how to leverage imaging modalities to provide even more information to the surgical team.

single solution, the next endosurgical imaging devices will incorporate tools into a single package that supports a variety of imaging modalities in a single system. Technologies like the Fujifilm ELUXEO Vision system are designed to provide additional data points in this way, by visualizing specific types of tissue and blood flow. ELUXEO Vision helps prevent tissue necrosis by iden tifying hemoglobin oxygen saturation (StO2) levels in tissue without the need for fluorescent dyes. However, to bring these advanced insights into a hospital or health care system requires collaboration not only among product developers and the clinicians for whom their work is intended, but with the decision-makers whose input can shape the landscape of surgical processes for a network of professionals.

“Our technology has a lot of great solutions, but we have to match those to the problems,” Mariano said. “The innovation comes from when you’ve got that match. That’s why collaboration is so critical. It’s not just a new technolo gy, a new idea, it’s really got to solve a problem. The problems are usually what they’re trying to do in the OR, what they’re trying to do for this patient.”

“Surgeons are always looking for more information to make better decisions,” Mariano said. “We talk a lot about navigation, decision support tools, multispectral imaging. Can we get a couple more road signs? Can it be more efficient, more effective?”

By combining flexible endoscopy with minimally invasive techniques in a

“But the days of the surgeon just wanting the newest technology are gone,” he said. “There are stakeholders in the health care system; department heads and administration have differ ent problems. How do we evaluate the technology across the organization? We always end up starting with academic settings because you have to prove the principal benefit. But you’ve got to get it into the rural and community hospi tals where there’s so much benefit.”

“How do I add to what they have today and make those rolling changes?” Mariano said. “That’s going to be critical

“As we continue to DEVELOP these tools, it’s how can we bring these modalities into the OR, cutting down the clinical care pathway time leads to BETTER CLINICAL OUTCOMES.”

- Kris Mcvey

to getting the technology into the hands of a vast majority of surgeons. You can’t dramatically change the workflow if you want to reach the masses. I think we have to look at the workflow and how does this fit, how does it build on what they have today, what they know, and build on their training.”

Although maybe 15 percent of the surgical imaging market may be currently dedicated to the hybrid OR space, Kris McVey, vice president of interventional radiology and cardiology, advanced ther apies business at Siemens Healthineers North America has a lot of faith in the future of the hybrid OR, specifically as it relates to interventional imaging.

“More procedures are shifting into these multidisciplinary hybrid OR en vironments,” McVey said. “I think a lot of it is around the procedure mix that they plan to support, and working with the lights and booms and video inte gration that’s part of it. It takes a lot to plan for these rooms, but it really starts with the procedure mix that they’re trying to accomplish.”

The hybrid OR space “is definitely the most complex in terms of planning and what’s needed,” he said.

It can include the integration of various specialty technologies, from lighting and booms to anesthesiology, imaging and infection control. Siemens Healthineers has placed a strong focus on infection control, starting with the an ti-microbial paint that covers its imaging systems. Its hybrid OR designs help pre serve laminar air flow by eliminating the need to mount C-arms in the ceiling of a surgical suite. And investments in needle guidance help to accentuate pre-surgical planning to improve the speed and effi ciency of injection-guided procedures.

The complexity of the working environment means working closely

with other OEMs to bring a hybridized solution together.

“Flexibility has been a big piece of this,” McVey said. “It’s a lot of project management and consulting, where we partner with the customer and work within the project management team to meet our goals. It’s also about listening to our customers and understanding their design and construction needs. We have key opinion leaders that we talk to, we have an advisory committee that supports and lends itself to our roadmap. We also design our products to meet regulatory constraints, and I see them be coming stricter in the OR environment.”

Rose Gioiosa, director of key opin ion leader (KOL) engagement in the advanced therapies business at Sie mens Healthineers North America, sees more and more integration of other modalities in the OR, the better to inte grate study data or patient information into a system that will better lever age those patient-specific details to provide “a 3D roadmap.” This roadmap will help physicians leverage imaging with fewer contrast agents, delivering quicker procedure times.

“The overall goal is what’s best for the patient,” Gioiosa said. “If we can do anything to reduce radiation, or proce dure time, that’s what we’re going to do. We have thought leaders that will push the envelope, and that’s why we have these forums, so we can change medi cine in those ways. As the complexity of cases increases, we start to see patients who are sicker and sicker, and we need to adapt and grow and change with that so we’re able to treat those patients.”

“As we continue to develop these tools, it’s how can we bring these modal ities into the OR,” McVey said. “Cutting down the clinical care pathway time leads to better clinical outcomes.” •

Our technology has a lot of great solutions, but we have to match those to the problems. The INNOVATION comes from when you’ve got that match. That’s why COLLABORATION is so critical. It’s not just a new technology, a NEW IDEA, it’s really got to solve a problem. The problems are usually what they’re trying to do in the OR, what they’re trying to do for this patient.

- Stephen Mariano

CYBERSECURITY WAKE UP CALL FOR IMAGING LEADERS

DIRECTOR’S CUT

BY NICOLE DHANRAJ

Cybersecurity is a growing challenge for health care organizations responsible for protecting patient records’ confidentiality, integrity and availability. Cybersecurity breaches can expose patients’ sensitive information to identity theft and fraud. Though health care organizations comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), this is not enough.

As such, we, as imaging leaders, must be aware of potential vulnerabilities within our departments to prevent cybersecurity breaches and put patient privacy at risk. It is not just up to the IT department to ensure we maintain cybersecurity initiatives but a collaborative effort where we, as leaders, know about these vulnerabilities and are vigilant.

WHY SHOULD IMAGING LEADERS CARE ABOUT CYBERSECURITY?

With the increasing pace at which health care organizations are adopting technology and moving toward a paperless environment, there is an increased need for the security of patient data within our organizations. Cybersecurity challenges increase daily as the number of connected medical devices and networked imaging devices is rising.

Hacking is a growing concern for health care organizations due to the high value of health data. Hackers can interfere with the confidentiality, integrity and availability of sensitive records by attempting to gain access to computer systems and inter cepting data. Health records contain information that can lead to extortion, identity theft and financial fraud.

MOST IMPORTANT ASSET

We all have a role in protecting our most valuable asset: patient, organization and employee data. The value of health information has increased with the use of technology, which has resulted in an increased frequency of hacking attacks. It’s essential to pro tect the data you and your patient trust. The last thing you want is your medical information to fall into the wrong hands.

The majority of cyber breaches can be attributed to human error. This could include using unencrypted stor

age media, careless handling of sensitive information or poor security training practices. This is why it’s essential to know how to spot the warning signs for you as a leader.

EMPLOYEE ERRORS LEAD TO CYBER BREACHES

Free-standing imaging centers, as well as hospitals, need to take steps to protect their facilities. Most cyber breaches are from employee errors and not from external hacking. Employ ees are the most significant security risk and often don’t know it. Employees are the gateway to a company’s cyber violations due to a lack of education, a fear of the process or simply be cause they’re unaware that they could have complete control over an organization’s online presence.

From using insecure email, and failing to update software and hardware, to not using secure passwords, employees can pose a serious security threat if they make common mistakes. While there isn’t a foolproof way of preventing employees from making mistakes, steps can be taken to limit their im pact so that your organization does not suffer a significant loss due to a cyberattack.

MANIPULATION OF THE EMPLOYEE’S PSYCHE

Cybercriminals are increasing their efforts to target company employees, who fall victim to cyber threats at an alarming rate. Thieves are improving at creating convincing phishing emails that look like they’ve come from a business or official website.

Some hackers are in it for the money. Others launch their attacks in response to personal grudges and feuds. Even the smartest and best-funded corporations are falling victim, so it’s time to take action and ensure your patients have access to the records they need and trust you with their care. No matter how secure your enterprise is, employee carelessness can be costly. If you now realize the danger and prevalence of insider threats within your organization, check out the upcoming Director’s Cut, “Strategies to Mitigate Insider Threats,” to show them your trump card.

•

Nicole Dhanraj, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP, PMP, GPHR, CPSS, CRA, R.T(R)(CT)(MR), is a radiology systems director for Northern Arizona Healthcare.

BY MARK WATTS PACS/IT/AI

ART VERSUS SCIENCE IN IMAGING

Irecently watched a documentary on Ansel Adams. I have always been a great admirer of his work. His ability to capture such detail and beauty in blackand-white photographs has a very strong appeal to me.

“You do not take a photograph, you make it,” Ansel Adam said.

Adams broke the imaging process down into separate components – composition, negative and print.

COMPOSITION

First was the “Visualization.” The creating of the final image in his mind’s eye. To understand the composition and purpose of the image before the creation is the same process used in medi cal imaging. Why do we need the image? Does it answer a differential diagnosis question or affirm a probability calculation of a diagnose?

NEGATIVE

The next set for Adams was more mechanical – lens selection, filters and glass plate negative selection.

For imaging, it is modality selection, exams selection and image capture.

Adams invented a system to grade out the range of black to white gradient on his photo prints. This “Zone system of light for photogra phy” assigns a number value of “0” to black and

for every f stop on the camera, change from dark to light on the grey scale, 1, 2, 3 … until you reach white which is defined as 10.

The first digital imaging in computed to mography were added by the use of Hounsfield units. The Hounsfield unit is a dimensionless unit universally used in CT scanning to express CT numbers in a standardized and convenient form. Hounsfield units are obtained from a linear transformation of the measured attenu ation coefficients. This transformation is based on the arbitrarily assigned densities of air and pure water:

Radiodensity of distilled water at standard temperature and pressure (STP) = 0 HU

Radiodensity of air at STP = -1000 HU

Both systems give the human eye the ability to perceive minute details.

PRINT

This is where the true artistry of Adams and radiologists come in to play.

Adams would use darkroom techniques to block or focus light on the photographic printed paper.

Not based on what was on the negative, but to match the image in his mind’s eye at the beginning of the process.

A radiologist takes the medical image and applies his past experiences and training to also interpret it to produce a final product – a report.

Can you use modern technology to generate an Ansel Adams masterpiece?

Can artificial intelligence give a final report that is a mas terpiece?

Photoshop has an Ansel Adams type program built in to emulate the Zone system. This process changes the balance of the whole picture simultaneously. Washing out subtle features

Artificial imaging can describe the patterns and recognize the pixels. The patient deserves the thoughtful product of true artists that is not generalized or homogenized. Over reading or under reporting are sins of mass production. Good enough for an engineer is not good enough for our patients.

A report that not just describes the image but applies an N of 1 masterpiece of intent.

“Art is the affirmation of life,” said Adams.

The best outcome is when art and science work together.

•

Mark Watts is an experienced imaging professional who founded an AI company called Zenlike.ai.

Photos By Mark Watts

BY VERLON E. SALLEY

QUIET QUITTING AMONG HOT TOPICS

Lately, I have been reading about a phenomenon in the workplace that many folks are contemplating utilizing. The term for this phenomenon is “Quiet Quitting.” Wikipedia defines Quiet Quitting as an application of work to rule, in which employees work within defined work hours and engage solely in activities within those hours. It is more of a rebellion against an employer than actual quitting or a resignation.

Because I have been fascinated with this phenomenon, I have been asking many of my colleagues their thoughts about it. One of my professional circles consists of a group of Black males who come together monthly to talk about work, family, social and politi cal events. Recently, I asked the group their thoughts on quiet quitting. My colleague who is a CFO of a hospital in Pennsylvania shared how quiet quitting was affecting his organiza tion. Many employees (i.e., schedulers, coders, etc.) in his organization were asked to return to work from hybrid environments. Some of these employees are doing so reluctantly and others are resigning from their jobs. After explaining all the different nuances that are going on at his hospital, he asked the group

for ideas that could help his hospital resolve their new attrition problem.

I told him I saw this as an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. The other work place phenomenon that we had talked about recently was diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. Employers need to create initiatives that enable the employee to feel valued regardless of their gender, race or self-identification. In other words, rebuild the culture of your workplace to value what the employees feel matters most.

I asked him to consider having his compa ny utilize an office building where all hybrids could come in to work instead going back inside of the hospital. Along with a hoteling office concept, then outfit the office building with reading rooms, lounges, theater rooms and other innovative whimsical workspace ideas. Lastly, allow the hybrid employees to help design the space and chose which days of the week they would work from the build ing instead of home.

The bottom line is that the solution for DEI and Quiet Quitting are the same. An employer must intently support a culture that values the employees it employs. If an employee works within a culture where they feel they can ad vance, excel and grow; they may never leave. •

Verlon E. Salley is the Vice President of Communi ty Health Equity at UAB Health System.

DIVERSITY

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

BY DANIEL BOBINSKI

THREE WAYS TO MAKE YOUR WORKPLACE MORE ATTRACTIVE

If your town is like my town, it seems like every other company is advertising for help.

Conditions in the workplace have definitely changed over the past few years, and “turmoil” might be a good way to describe what’s been happening. What’s keeping people plugged in? One human resources study examining the workplace found that employees are now seeking maximum flexibility and relationships with a high degree of trust.

Naturally, each workplace is unique when it comes to de fining flexibility. Engineering firms usually revolve around a work process that involves input and creativity to solve design problems. People do most of their work in front of computers or in collaborative meetings to iron out design problems, and evidence is mounting that productivity is going up in companies that switched to a work-from-home model.

Not so flexible are places like retail establishments and hospitals, where the business model requires people to show up in person. When it comes to creating flexibility in those workplaces, the wiggle room for how flexibility gets defined becomes fairly narrow. Therefore, to attract or retain good employees, more importance must be placed on developing solid workplace relationships.

HOW TO BE ATTRACTIVE

One of the biggest draws for attracting and retaining good team members is providing opportunities for leadership and advancement. In fact, the human resources study I mentioned earlier noted that only 43% of American workers believe their employers offer good leadership and advance ment opportunities.

As an example of this, recently I was speaking with a

doctor who supervises a team of people, and he shared how his own supervisor announced that she’d be retiring in about nine months. Her stated reason for the long window? She wanted to give the company time to do a nationwide search to identify her replacement. My doctor friend was reserved when telling me about the situation, but after a bit of talking, I learned he was frustrated that the company has not been proactive in creating succession plans.

This is a common problem. Rather than promote from within, too many companies bring in outsiders to fill man agement and leadership roles, Thus, by default, they create a demoralizing mindset among employees. Why bother working hard? Better to create paths for growth within the company. One company I know has a policy to promote only from within, and every time I speak with people who work there they talk about how proud they are to be affiliated with that company.

Another way to be attractive to employees is to open ly discuss benefit options and incorporate them where possible. One company found that offering pet insurance was a huge draw to some people. Another is letting team members decide how bonuses should be earned. When they have a say in how the bonus gets divided, they are more likely to engage in the effort for success.

Still another is the “universal day off.” Often, when people take a day off work, they still are hit with emails and phone calls from co-workers wanting to know the status of some project or the location of some item. Their time off isn’t re ally time off. But with a “universal day off,” everyone on the team is given the same day off during the workweek. That way, nobody is having to respond to a work-related email while shopping or spending time running other errands.

GOOD MANAGEMENT IS KEY

One thing that leads to success in attracting and retaining

good employees is having good managers. I’m not talking about super techs promoted because of their superior tech nical skills, I’m talking about people who understand people and are adept at creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and focus.

Such people are not insecure, looking for others to tell them how good they are nor afraid that a subordinate will have great ideas for how to solve problems. Quite the contrary. Good managers understand their responsibilities include becoming experts about the people on their teams and help each of them develop.

• What strengths does each person have?

• What are their blind spots?

• What motivates each person?

• Where does the manager need to come alongside to help each person operate at his or her best?

Good managers and leaders don’t need to have all the answers. They need to know where to find the answers –and sometimes answers are found in the knowledge base of individual team members.

HAVE A CLEAR JOB DESCRIPTION FOR EACH POSITION

One of the most underused tools in all of management is job descriptions. And, when they are used, they’re one of the most misused tools. Clear expectations help attract and retain quality personnel, and good job descriptions help people know what’s expected of them. The main problem from my experience is most job descriptions are too generic. They are usually full of HR-speak and are too light on job specifics.

A good job description identifies to whom the position

will report as well as a specific list of duties. To differentiate duties from tasks, duties are general areas of responsibili ty; tasks are the different activities that, when completed, accomplish a duty. For example:

Duty: Oversee emergency response teams Tasks (to fulfill the duty):

• Create response teams and appoint leaders

• Educate all personnel on potential emergencies

• Schedule and conduct emergency response training

• Evaluate emergency team effectiveness

Notice that each task starts with a verb. All duties should, too. This tells employees what must be done, and when em ployees know what behaviors are expected, they are more likely to feel confident about their performance and are therefore more likely to stay.

Finding and replacing employees continues to be an expensive endeavor. To help your organization stay profit able, think of it this way: an ounce of preparation is worth a pound of cure. Taking the time to set up succession plan ning, provide good management training, and ensure all job descriptions are accurate and practical will all go a long way in attracting and retaining quality people in these challeng ing and competitive times.

•

Daniel Bobinski, who has a doctorate in theology, is a best-selling author and a popular speaker at conferences and retreats. For more than 30 years he’s been working with teams and individuals (1:1 coaching) to help them achieve excellence. He was also teaching Emotional Intelligence since before it was a thing. Reach him by email at DanielBobinski@ protonmail.com or 208-375-7606.

THE ROMAN REVIEW

MANNY ROMAN

THE COMMUNICATION GLITCH

On October 30, I had a reverse total right shoulder arthroplasty (total shoulder replacement). My rotator cuff was essentially nonexistent, and the bones involved in the shoulder movement were bone-on-bone and partially dislocated. My range of motion was severely restricted, and the pain was quite intense – especially while attempting to sleep.

Yeah, I know, poor me. Why did I wait so long to have it re paired? Answer: Fear of complications and of losing the arm. All went well however, and I am extremely happy with the results so far after three weeks. So, why am I bothering telling you about this? Well, for one, it is not too late to send me a nice check in a glad you are well card.

My health care is provided by the Veterans Administration earned specifically by my “boots-on-the-ground” during the Vietnam War so many years ago. The VA hospital here in Las Vegas does not perform the requisite surgery so I was referred to an outside group. The process of referral to “civilian” provid ers went smoothly and professionally.

The civilian orthopedic surgery providers were efficient, professional and caring. Not one glitch. From initial consul tation, scheduling, completion of the surgical procedure and follow up all was outstanding.

The hospital experience was also stellar pre-surgery. The staff was efficient and proficient. There was that one small issue with finding the right spot to inject the block to anesthe tize the shoulder area. However, the guru was called and all went well. The glitch came after surgery.

I was on the “go-home-today” list meaning that I would be sent home a couple of hours after surgery to be taken care of by St. Ruth. The “go-home-today” room was full so they sent me to the “stay-overnight room” but did not tell that staff that I was a go-home-today patient. The occupational therapy and

the doctor needed to sign me out had left the hospital.

The nurse started a process of calling and reporting. Call ing everyone he could and reporting to me that no one was available, but that he would find someone. It took hours to find an occupational therapist to visit me. After determining that I could walk down the hallway and sit and get up from a toilet she gave the thumbs up.

I now only needed the right doctor to sign my release. After a few more hours one was found across town who was willing to drive to see me. The drive took over an hour apparently. The doctor came in, asked how I felt, checked my neck for some reason and signed. The entire process took over 9 hours instead of the couple of hours for the go-home-today people in the correct room.

I have stated often how communication is key. Good com munication requires feedback. If they had given the stay-over night group the correct communication, it would have included a feedback requirement: A verification that it was received and understood that I was a go-home-today patient. The staff could have prepared for me and I would have been home in daylight instead of after 10 p.m. Interestingly they charged room and board for my stay in the room.

Looking at the charges is a crossword puzzle. There are some charges that I am not sure I received, especially in the therapy area, and the VA noticed some apparently double charges. Total billed so far, not including surgeon’s fees, far ex ceeds what the VA is authorizing. The VA, of course, must have some special arrangements. I get the feeling that this process is not over. Bottom line for me, I am so glad that I have VA health care. I cannot imagine the suffering of those who do not have access to quality health care. •

Manny Roman, CRES, is association business operations man ager at Association of Medical Service Providers.

First Call Parts has been providing customers with quality replacement imaging parts since 2009.

pride ourselves in developing a top-notch reputation in the imaging industry as delivering

best in diagnostic imaging replacement parts.

specialize in the sale of refurbished/tested and used, Philips, Siemens, and GE in the Cath/Angio,

and RAD modalities.

At RENOVO, we value knowledge, reliability, and integrity in our employees. If you are interested in being a part of a team that is committed to making a difference in healthcare equipment maintenance and healthcare asset and technology management, we invite you to apply for one of the open positions. We are always looking for talented, passionate, hard-working people to join our team.

Customer Support Engineer II/III (X-RAY)

Field service on medical equipment, installation of x-ray equipment, Diagnostic Imaging field service engineer servicing multi-vendor/ multi-modality equipment in hospital and other environments. Focusing on c-arms, Digital R/F, Digital Mobiles, x-ray systems and digital capture both DR and CR modalities. Growth opportunities to include CT, MRI, Ultrasound, and others.

The National Clinical Support Specialist (NCSS) is required to perform the responsibilities of a clinical subject matter expert and act as the coordinator of a cross functional team to resolve customer issues. The NCSS will be required to coordinate service, sales and BU resources to implement and document resolution strategies

MIS provides asset management solutions for hospitals and imaging institutions nationwide. We combine 20 years of service experience with the industry’s most advanced asset-management software, raising the bar in the industry to manage the increasing demands placed on diagnostic operations. With our contract management program, we make everything imaging as simple as possible for you.

Imaging Engineer III

Agiliti is a nationwide company of passionate medical equipment management experts who believe every interaction has the power to change a life. Our industry-leading commitment to quality and team of expert technicians helps ensure clinicians have access to patient-ready equipment needed for patient care. Make an impact in healthcare and grow your career with Team Agiliti!

We specialize in an objective, total solution medical imaging technology program that delivers world-class quality of products and services, resulting in greater efficiency and lower cost to our healthcare provider partners, with a strong focus on clinical staff satisfaction and improving patient outcomes.

Do you want to work in healthcare? Would you like to make a difference in the lives of patients and their families? Do you enjoy a new challenge every day? If you are skilled at servicing medical equipment in a clinical setting, we hope you will join our team!

Associated Imaging Services has been offering nuclear medicine and ultrasound solutions to our customers since 1990. We specialize in the sales and service of new and refurbished nuclear medicine cameras and ultrasound systems throughout Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and the surrounding areas.

What pills do in

Source: Rajat Mittal of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Physics of Fluids; TNS Photos Graphic: Helen Lee McComas, Tribune News Service

MEMBER PROFILE INTERSTATE IMAGING

Andrew Brinkman President

Interstate Imaging is a medical imaging service organization that also sells and rents imaging equipment. Based in Evansville, Indiana, Interstate Imaging has operations in the following locations (and all of the surrounding area in between) – Louisville, Kentucky; St. Louis, Missouri; Indianapolis, Indiana; Kansas City, Missouri; Cape Girardeau, Missouri; and Springfield, Illinois.

“We represent high-quality vendors, such as Carestream, Konica, Canon, AMRAD, and Del Medical,” said An drew Brinkman, president of Interstate Imaging.

Interstate Imaging is a member of the Association Medical Service Providers

(AMSP), the premier national association of independent service and products providers to the healthcare technology industry.

ICE learned more in an interview with Brinkman.

Q: HOW DOES YOUR COMPANY STAND OUT IN THE MEDICAL IMAGING FIELD?

A: We live by the mindset of “take care of our clients.” No matter what, we make sure we do the right thing to take care of our clients and their patients.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SERVICES AND PRODUCTS YOU OFFER?

A: Interstate has gotten into the rental and refurbished market. At this point, we are focused on rad

equipment (units and DR detec tors) and OEC C-arms. Please check our new site, RentalRad.com for more details..

Q: WHAT IS ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR COMPANY?

A: Enhance our current service/ sales offerings and expand our territory into Indianapolis metro, Cincinnati metro, Chicago metro, and Wisconsin. We also want to be the premier radiology rental orga nization in the USA.

Q: IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE OUR READERS TO KNOW?

A: Please visit InterstateImaging.com and RentalRad.com

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RTI

Rad

Ray-Pac