ICE January 2024

JANUARY 2024 | VOLUME 8 | ISSUE 1

MAGAZINE

THEICECOMMUNITY.COM

ADVANCING

IMAGING PROFESSIONALS

Theranostics and the Promise of Personalized Medicine PAGE 36

PRODUCT FOCUS POCUS & Mobile Imaging PAGE 31

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TRAINING COURSE TITLE

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FEBRUARY

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Jan 8-19

Principles of Servicing Diagnostic X-Ray Systems (Phase 1)

X-RAY CERTIFICATE SERIES

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19

26

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OCTOBER

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Sep 9-20

Aug 19-30

14

21

28

NOVEMBER

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11

18

25

2

DECEMBER 9

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Week 1 Dec 9-13

Week 2 Dec 16-20

Nov 4-15

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Oct 21-Nov 1

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May 6-10

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Multi-Product C-Arm OEC 9800/9900

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Apr 8-12

Philips BV Pulsera C-Arm

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GE Digital Mammography (1-week ESSENTIAL only) Apr 22-26

Hologic Selenia Digital Mammography Jan 29Feb 2

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Feb 5-9

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Principles of Servicing US Systems (2.5 days) Philips Epiq 5 & Epiq 7 (2.5 days) Philips iU22/iE33 (2.5 days)

A

Apr 15-19

Mar 11-13 Mar 13-15

D

Oct 21-24

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Nov 11-15

Sep 16-18 Sep 18-20

G Dec 2-6 Dec 4-6

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May 6-17

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Jan 22-Feb 2

Dec 2-13

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Oct 7-11

Sep 11-13

Apr 8-19

Philips Brilliance Family

Siemens Definition Family

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Aug 12-16

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Sep 30-Oct 11

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Jul 8-12

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Aug 5-16

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Jun 3-7

Siemens Symbia Family Apr 22-26

CRES Certification Prep

EXHIBITS, PRESENTATIONS & NOTES

Nov 11-15

Oct 14-18

Jun 17-28

GE Revolution & Discovery CT

GE Excite & GEMS MRI Family (X)

Sep 23-Oct 4

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Servicing Multivendor MRI Systems

S

Nov 4-8

R

Aug 19-23

Jul 8-12

Oct 28-Nov 1

Aug 26-30

Aug 5-9

A Jun 24-26

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Principles of Servicing Nuclear Medicine Systems

Aug 19-23

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Oct 28-Nov 1

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A N

Oct 21-25

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Siemens MRI Family (Aera, Skyra, Espree, Avanto)

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Principles of Servicing Multivendor CT Systems

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Oct 7-11 Oct 7-11

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Jul 29-Aug 2

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Jun 3-14

Philips Allura FD Family (FD10/FD20) Lorad Multicare Platinum Breast Biopsy System

Nov 18-22

Aug 26-30

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GE Innova/IGS/Optima Family (21/31/4100, 3XX/5XX/6XX)

Nov 18-22

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Jun 17-21

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Aug 12-16

Jul 8-12

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Apr 8-12

GE Optima XR200/XR220/XR240, & Brivo XR285 Digital Portables

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Shimadzu RADspeed/RADspeed Pro

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Siemens AXIOM Luminos TF

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GE Proteus

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May 20-24

Intro to Diagnostic Imaging & PACS For Managers & Sales Professionals

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Philips Easy Diagnost Eleva

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Jun 17-28

Feb 5-9

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MANAGEMENT

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Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Systems Analysis (Phase 4)

NETWORKING & DIGITAL INFO

MAY

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Mar 18-29

Jan 8-19

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APRIL

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FEATURES

46 DIRECTOR’S CUT

Plans have a way of changing and flexibility is an important tool when it comes to leadership.

36 COVER STORY

Theranostics is commonly used for treating various forms of cancer and can deliver a higher degree of precision oncology than chemotherapy can when partnered with molecular imaging.

12 RISING STAR

Martin Ayres, R.T. (R) (MR) MRSO, serves as MRI supervisor at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center.

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ICEMAGAZINE | JANUARY 2024

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

JANUARY 2024

18 IMAGING NEWS

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

31

PRODUCT FOCUS

POCUS and mobile imaging devices are highlighted in this month’s popular feature.

52

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

The actions and attitudes of those at the top of an organizational chart have a significant influence on a workplace’s atmosphere.

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ICEMAGAZINE

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MD Publishing 1015 Tyrone Rd. Ste. 120 Tyrone, GA 30290 Phone: 800-906-3373

SPOTLIGHT

10

In Focus Jason Newmark

12

Rising Star Martin Ayres, R.T. (R) (MR) MRSO

Kristin Leavoy kristin@mdpublishing.com

14

Rad Idea Wake Up Refreshed

Vice President of Sales

16

Off the Clock Rebecca Boal

Group Publisher

NEWS

President

John M. Krieg john@mdpublishing.com

Vice President

Jayme McKelvey jayme@mdpublishing.com

Megan Cabot megan@mdpublishing.com

Editorial

18

Imaging News A Look at What’s Changing in the Imaging Industry

Editorial Board

24

Webinars Webinar Addresses Effect of the Non-Emergent Patient

John Wallace

Jason C. Theadore Nicole Dhanraj Melody W Mulaik Verlon E. Salley Rachel Thiesse-Yount Traci Foster

PRODUCTS

26 30

Director’s Circle NEW Sponsored by Shared Medical Services

Art Department

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Product Focus POCUS & Mobile Imaging

Events

INSIGHTS

Sales

Emily Hise

Karlee Gower Taylor Hayes Kameryn Johnson

Kristin Leavoy

Webinars

Linda Hasluem

Digital Department Cindy Galindo Kennedy Krieg Haley Wells

Accounting Diane Costea

ICE Magazine (Vol. 8, Issue #1) January 2024 is published by MD Publishing, 1015 Tyrone Rd., Ste. 120, Tyrone, GA 30290.

For subscription information visit www. theicecommunity.com. The information and opinions expressed in the articles and advertisements herein are those of the writer and/or advertiser, and not necessarily those of the publisher.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. © 2024

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CONTENTS

ICEMAGAZINE | JANUARY 2024

Market Report POCUS & Mobile Imaging Market Growth Continues

41

RSNA Recap RSNA Promotes ‘Leading Through Change’

42 44

Scrapbook - RSNA

46

Director’s Cut Flexibility Crucial in Imaging Realm

49

DEI Nurturing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Strategies for Leaders

51

Roman Review No Be There

52

Emotional Intelligence A Case Study on Leadership and Values

54

Medicine for the Soul NEW UT Southwestern Q&A: What is Stress and How Can We Manage It?

57 58

ICE Break

PACS/AI/IT RSNA 2023 Trends

Index

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

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SPOTLIGHT

IN FOCUS JA S O N N E W M A R K

BY JOHN WALLACE

J

ason M. Newmark, BA, MHA, CRA, FAHRA, is the new AHRA executive director. AHRA President Becky Allen, CRA, recent AHRA president, announced Newmark as the new executive director in a post on the AHRA website.

Jason M. Newmark, BA, MHA, CRA, FAHRA, is the new AHRA executive director.

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ICEMAGAZINE | JANUARY 2024

“Jason’s passion for the AHRA, coupled with a dedication to fostering collaboration and innovation, makes him the ideal candidate to lead us into this exciting new chapter in the history of AHRA,” she wrote. “Jason is an accomplished leader with an impressive track record in health care administration and consulting. Under Jason’s guidance, we can look forward to a period of transformation and growth.

Jason’s experience in navigating complex health care landscapes, fostering relationships and driving organizational excellence will undoubtedly propel AHRA to new heights.”

Newmark said his new role is exciting and adds to his curious professional trek.

“My career path is definitely not a straight line nor one that I could have planned for when I was younger! The truth is that I was just always willing to take a leap of faith and to try out new

roles and organizations with the idea that if I could develop strong relationships and be able to be ‘me,’ I would be successful,” Newmark explains.

Growing up, Newmark said he always thought about a career as a physician.

“In college I realized that I didn’t enjoy the ‘hard’ sciences as much as other classes that let me speak out more, sharing my own perspectives and thoughts versus so much memorization. I began to consider other options in the health care space,” he says. “My college advisor pointed me in the direction of graduate school with a focus in healthcare administration and I applied to and was accepted to the health administration program at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.”

After graduate school, he completed an administrative fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

He says it was an “amazing experience for a New Englander to live in Texas! Not to mention, a wonderful organization to be a part of as a fellow – very strong culture of collaboration/teamwork across service lines and delivery of high levels of patient care/experience.”

After completing his fellowship and a more than a year in Texas he dove into health care consult-

ing on the East Coast. He didn’t enjoy commuting in and out of New York and took a break. By chance, he made a connection with “a much smaller, boutique health care executive consulting firm based in Seattle and Boston with under 40 total employees.”

“So, all in, I was out of the consulting space for less than 3 weeks!” he says.

He spent the next 4 years with ECG Management Consultants working on a wide variety of projects from revenue cycle optimization to IT system selection and implementation to process improvement and overall project management. He said he learned how to find comfort outside his comfort zone and learned the core concepts of how to work on a team and how to successfully lead projects and others in identifying and implementing solutions.

“I was also afforded opportunities to work directly with many C-suite level leaders and to learn how to more effectively communicate and drive initiatives forward,” Newmark says.

“I sincerely enjoyed these 4 years; however, there was a downside in that the work required me to become a true ‘road warrior.’ I was on the road over 130 nights per year for two years!” he says. “I will admit that the hotel and airline points and status were tremendous benefits but living out of a suitcase for that long started to take its toll; especially, as I was engaged to be married and wanted to spend much more time with my fiancé!”

The firm ended up securing a project with Stamford Hospital in Stamford, Connecticut to assist with interim radiology leadership support; specifically, focused on access improvement.

Newmark was asked to be the lead. It was during this time that David Sack introduced him to AHRA. “David took me to my first annual meeting in San Antonio in 2003. I found the meeting to have the feel of a family reunion – with everyone being so open to sharing ideas, truly wanting to get to know each other, and just being a great deal of fun! I found that even though I was not a technologist, I was still accepted for my areas of expertise – and I was inspired to want to become more involved,” Newmark says. “So, I did!”

He began volunteering to support various committees and

initiatives, wrote articles, gave presentations, spent three years on the annual design team, and continued to dedicate time each week to network and further develop relationships with other members.

“This helped me to be so much more successful in my career in the imaging space, as well as in leadership roles overall,” he recalls.

In 2008, he and his wife began to consider moving closer to their families and he was approached by a national search firm about a leadership position at Baystate Health (Springfield, Massachusetts) much closer to both sets of parents. Baystate was seeking an administrative leader for its laboratory/pathology services to help drive the growth of its outreach lab services and enhance the overall culture and quality of lab services.

“I figured, even though I knew very little about lab/path operations, why not try something totally new once again,” he said.

In less than two years, he became the vice president for diagnostic services (imaging and laboratory/pathology).

“I spent the next decade plus in this senior leadership role – developing our imaging and lab leadership team and staff and helping drive operational, financial, and strategic initiatives across the region,” he says. “What an amazing experience and opportunity!”

“The pinnacle of my experience at Baystate Health was leading my teams through the pandemic – seeing team members support one another and seeing individuals step up to be the leaders I knew they could be. I was so proud of our shared collaboration and success,” Newmark says.

Next, he reconnected with some of past colleagues at ECG Management Consultants who happened to be looking for someone with his type of experience to join the firm and help develop a medical imaging service line. He spent the next 2 years working with a “phenomenal group of people” supporting performance transformation and strategic planning engagements in medical imaging and laboratory/pathology services.

Like a pinball hitting bumpers and lighting up the game, Newmark hit the jackpot when he heard about AHRA taking a new direction. He said that he feels very fortunate to be AHRA’s executive director. •

JASON M. NEWMARK AHRA Executive Director

1. What book are you reading currently? “So Help Me Golf: Why we Love the Game” by Rick Reilly because I love everything/ anything related to golf; especially, personal stories and perspectives on the meaning of the game 2. Favorite movie? “Back to the Future” 3. What is one thing you do every morning to start your day? Say good morning to Kristen, Abby, and Reese!

4. Best advice you ever received? “Take Easy” – a phrase my maternal grandfather used to say all the time; encouraging us to; be in the moment, not be too serious, and enjoy the time you have!

5. Who has had the biggest influence on your life? My maternal grandfather: Ray “Papa” Mednick 6. What would your superpower be? Ability to help other people relax and be more in the moment 7. What are your hobbies? Golf (anytime and anywhere), coaching, and watching soccer 8. What is your perfect meal? Friends/family with no where else to be than together – with pizza and some cold craft beer!

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ICEMAGAZINE

11

SPOTLIGHT

RISING

STAR MARTIN AYRES, R.T. (R) (MR), MRSO

M

artin Ayres, R.T. (R) (MR) MRSO, holds an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Radiography and currently serves as MRI supervisor at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. He was recently nominated as a Rising Star in the imaging realm.

ICE Magazine took some time to find out more about Ayres and what he finds rewarding about his job.

Q: WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? A: Chesterland, Ohio

Martin Ayres enjoys being part of a team that delivers patient care.

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ICEMAGAZINE | JANUARY 2024

Q: WHERE DID YOU RECEIVE YOUR IMAGING TRAINING/ EDUCATION? WHAT DEGREES/CERTIFICATIONS DO YOU HAVE? A: I earned an Associates of Applied Science Degree in Radiography from Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio. I am registered through the A.R.R.T in both radiography and magnetic resonance imaging. I have also undergone additional training and hold an MRI safety certification through the American Board of Magnetic Resonance Safety (ABMRS) as a Magnetic Resonance Safety Officer (MRSO).

Q: HOW DID YOU FIRST DECIDE TO START WORKING IN IMAGING? A: I was pre-law at the University of Toledo and considering my future at the time. I read about the radiography

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

program in the Owens Community College course catalog and it seemed intriguing. Needless to say, I changed my career path.

Q: WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING ASPECT OF YOUR JOB? A: I find it extremely rewarding to have the opportunity to help in the diagnosis and treatment of different diseases and conditions and hopefully allow patients to get back on the road to wellness.

Q: WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR POSITION? A: My favorite part of the job is not only helping technologists with their professional growth, but also how we collectively, as a group, are able to focus and work through any issues that directly affect the department.

Everyone’s voice is heard and all ideas are considered.

This team approach really helps to strengthen the bond within the department.

Q: WHAT INTERESTS YOU THE MOST ABOUT THE IMAGING FIELD? A: Magnetic resonance imaging is a technology that is constantly evolving. The MRI department at UHCMC is at the forefront of this technology with a lot of exciting new initiatives. Every day is different.

Q: WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN YOUR FIELD THUS FAR? A: After being an MRI technologist for roughly 19 years, I was given the opportunity to become an MRI supervisor in December 2022.

Q: WHAT GOALS DO YOU HAVE FOR YOURSELF IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS? A: As a lifelong learner, I would like to not only grow in my position as MRI supervisor, but continue to earn the respect of physicians, administrators and technologists while strengthening the MRI department at UHCMC. •

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FUN FACTS FAVORITE HOBBY: Traveling FAVORITE SHOW: “Seinfeld” FAVORITE FOOD: Mexican FAVORITE VACATION SPOT: Florida 1 THING ON YOUR BUCKET LIST: I would like to travel to both Italy and Bali, Indonesia.

SOMETHING YOUR CO-WORKERS DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU: I played collegiate soccer at the University of Toledo and received a most valuable player award at a tournament from Pele when I was 12 years old.

ICEMAGAZINE

13

SPOTLIGHT

Rad idea WAKE UP REFRESHED

R

eady, set, go. Just as you would set off at the starting line of a race, this hectic pace is how mornings begin for many men and women.

Instead of waking with dread to face another hectic morning, consider these tips for a healthier way to ease into your daily rituals. While these activities may require you to allow extra time, you may be pleased with the productive results.

Meditate. A practice that has been around for thousands of years may still be one of the best stress busters for hurried mornings. To start, find a place in your home that is free of noise and distraction. Practice sitting still, with eyes closed, and focus only on your breathing. Using deep, controlled breaths, try to steer your thoughts away from negative and stress-inducing thoughts.

Stretch. While the most health-conscious person

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ICEMAGAZINE | JANUARY 2024

may opt for a morning sweat-a-thon, working in some stretches can also be beneficial. When you awake, think about frequently uently used muscles and extend each one for 15-30 seconds.

Activate. Give your brain some fuel in the morning while also doing something nice for your mind. For example, journaling is a gentle way to ease into your morning and get your brain firing. If you can’t think of a topic, simply write down a few affirmations for the day, revisit a pleasant memory from your past or scribble down a goal for the week. Journaling can be an uplifting way to engage the mind and express gratitude for the day ahead.

Find more tips for starting your day on the right foot at eLivingToday.com. • Share your RAD IDEA via an email to editor@mdpublishing.com.

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

THE TOTAL PACKAGE HAS ARRIVED.

SPOTLIGHT

Off Clock THE

REBECCA BOAL

BY MATT SKOUFALOS

A

fter beginning her health care career as a medical transcriptionist, Rebecca Boal has worked as a medical secretary in the radiology reading room at Virtua Health system for the past 12 years.

In her day-to-day job, Boal facilitates communication among radiologists, other physicians and their patients.

She’s there to call in urgent findings, import images, troubleshoot technology issues and monitor workflows to make sure studies are interpreted on time.

When she’s not supporting the imaging team at Virtua, Boal spends many of her off-hours growing her family business, Boal House Bake Shoppe, a cottage-industry cookie business that she manages from her home kitchen. She began the venture in 2007, when her daughters, Gabriella and Brianna, were seven and five. Her husband, Rob, brought home a Kitchen Aid mixer, and Rebecca glued herself to YouTube for hours, learning the ins and outs of recipes from online baking channels.

“It’s funny to see from what I started doing to what I do now,” she said. “Everything was trial and error. I practiced and practiced.”

Soon enough, Rebecca was filling her daughters’ elementary-school classroom parties with batch after batch of homemade baked goods. At Christmas, she labored to create cookie trays for family gatherings; by Valentine’s Day, she was tapped for sweetheart gifts. All the while, Rebecca continued to hone her craft, learning to adjust her technique, and amassing tools and equipment as she went.

Boal House Bake Shoppe specializes exclusively in sugar cookies, but even within that niche, its products are widely variable, and labor-intensive, Rebecca said.

The most challenging step in her production process absolutely is the artistry involved in the design and presentation of her cookies.

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ICEMAGAZINE | JANUARY 2024

After 14 years of practiced study, she’s learned to pipe her homemade icing directly onto the cookies with a tipless frosting bag. Rebecca claims not to have any formal arts education. “My father was a commercial artist, and I have nice penmanship, but that’s about the extent of it,” she laughed. Still, she has found myriad ways to express herself creatively through her craft cookie business.

“People don’t realize that not only is it making the dough, but then you have to think of the design, and there’s different types of consistencies of royal icing,” Rebecca said. “I get about 10,000 steps from my dining room to my kitchen, mixing and re-mixing; putting the icing in and out of the bag.”

Royal icing is a critical component of Boal House Bake Shoppe cookies. Unlike buttercream frosting, which remains soft, royal icing hardens to a texture akin to candy shell coating that forms the backbone of a decorated cookie.

“When I initially make my royal icing, it goes from a puddle of liquid to thick, puffy clouds of sugar,” Rebecca said. “It’s really neat! If it’s too runny, the icing will drip off the cookie; if it’s too thick, it will be clumpy. Humidity and the weather affect it.”

Getting the final product where it needs to be also takes skill and persistence, because royal icing can be finicky to work with, she said.

“It’s not like throwing some eggs in the blender; it’s not just cut and dry,” Rebecca said. “It takes hours sometimes just to mix colors.”

Rebecca estimates that her collection of cookie cutters has probably exceeded some 750 unique shapes, if not more. When she doesn’t have the pattern for a necessary shape, she’ll fabricate something out of other implements around her kitchen. Some of her inspirations are drawn from other bakers and artists who post their work online; at other times, she’ll get guidance from her clients about their visions for the events at which she’s providing the dessert.

“Sometimes, if it’s a wedding, I ask for the invitation ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

to find out their colors or theme,” Rebecca said. “I look at greeting cards or Pinterest. I go through the process, and I go from there.”

Rebecca is also happy to put the creative impetus in her customers’ hands, primarily with her paint-your-own cookie kits that encourage children to indulge their own impulses with watercolor food dyes. Although her business is busiest during the holiday seasons, which can stretch from fall through the winter months to Valentine’s Day, Boal House Bake Shoppe is full-bore for engagement parties, wedding rehearsal dinners, baby showers and other similar events. In December, she makes cookie advent calendars; throughout the rest of the year, she brings her wares to pop-up events, craft shows and farmers-market-type events.

Customers typically contact Rebecca through her business website, and she picks up the discussion from there. For as much demands as her work and family place on her time, Rebecca still manages to balance orders from the cookie business with the chores of the day at the radiology reading room. Rob helps with cooking dinner, and Gabriella and Brianna have supported the business with their time and talents as well.

“Gabriella just graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in journalism and interactive media design, and she built my website for me,” Rebecca said. “Brianna is graduating from Johnson and Wales, majoring in baking and pastry; once she gets home, I’m going to be putting her to work.”

Rebecca hopes to open her own brick-and-mortar bake shop someday, but concedes that, “with a full-time job, my time is limited.”

“Sometimes it’s tough trying to balance,” she said. “Years from now, I would love for me and my daughter to do something together.

I love to bake; I love for people to eat my cookies. I love everything about it.”

When Rebecca isn’t working in health care or the culinary arts, she loves spending her time with her family, including its most recent additions, sibling puppies Finn and Margo. Their favorite destination in summer is the renowned Jersey shore. •

Rebecca Boal often spends hours perfecting her cookies.

When Rebecca isn’t working in health care or the culinary arts, she loves spending time with her family.

Rebecca Boal’s cookies bring joy to her customers and hopes to one day open a brick-and-mortar bakeshop.

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NEWS

Imaging News A LOOK AT WHAT’S CHANGING IN THE IMAGING INDUSTRY

55-INCH 4K MONITOR FEATURES PIP, 4PBP CAPABILITY LG Business Solutions USA announced the immediate availability of a new 55-inch surgical monitor (model 55MH5K) that offers 4K resolution, wide viewing angles, robust resilience to damage, convenient failover technology and the ability to display multiple images at once in a 2x2 onscreen grid.

According to Stephen K. Hu, LG Business Solutions USA’s head of medical monitors, the large display is ideal for surgical centers, general operating rooms and hybrid operating rooms and is designed to withstand the daily rigors of such environments. The monitor was on display at the annual conference of the Radiological Society of North America, RSNA 2023 at LG’s booth.

“Health care facilities require digital displays that are dependable and robust, meet the demands of the operating room and effectively support surgical teams,” Hu said. “As such, this 55-inch monitor is specially designed and outfitted to offer robust performance 24 hours a day with maximum visibility and advanced capabilities that ensure accurate and reliable performance.”

One of the special features of the 680-nit display is a Failover Input Switch that automatically switches to a secondary feed if the main feed is unavailable or disconnected. Additionally, users can choose from multiple viewing modes including picture-in-picture, a 2x2 grid with up to four feeds (4PBP), or a three-way split screen with one main portrait-oriented feed and two smaller landscape-oriented feeds (3PBP).

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ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

INNOVATUS IMAGING INTEGRAL PART OF NIH GRANT Innovatus Imaging announced that it has been selected as a vendor in an National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded project to develop a clinical platform for ultrasound-augmented laparoscopy. Partnering with Children’s National Hospital of Baltimore, Maryland, and Terason Corporation, Innovatus ultrasound engineers will assist in designing a clinical system that fuses laparoscopic video and laparoscopic ultrasound for enhanced visualization and navigation of laparoscopic procedures.

“Being selected to participate in an NIH grant in these highly competitive times is a very prestigious honor. Our expertise in design and development of laparoscopic ultrasound probes will complement the skill sets of the other participants, and we are thrilled to be among such company,” says Michael LaBree, chief technology officer for Innovatus Imaging.

Currently, minimally invasive surgeons are limited to a surface view of the intraoperative field as provided by real-time video. By adding ultrasound, this project will MICHAEL LABREE develop a new augmented reality visualization technology that will allow surgeons to see hidden structures such as tumors and blood vessels, below the organ surfaces. The anticipated clinical benefits of augmented reality visualization are shortened procedure times, fewer complications, reduced blood loss and expanded use of minimally invasive surgeries.

“This project will bring a novel picture-in-picture technology to laparoscopic visualization and an equivalent of an instrument landing system to help place a needle precisely into the tumor for laparoscopic ablation procedures,” says Raj Shekhar, Ph.D., principal investigator for the project.

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NEWS BAMF HEALTH, GE HEALTHCARE COLLABORATE REGARDING THERANOSTICS As demand for theranostic care increases, GE HealthCare and BAMF Health are excited to announce a collaboration aimed at enabling BAMF Health to scale turnkey offerings inclusive of leading GE HealthCare technologies and services. The goal of the collaboration is to ensure an agile go-to-market approach to enhance the adoption of theranostics solutions in the U.S. The arrangement supports a shared interest in better patient outcomes made possible through advanced diagnostics and radiotherapeutics.

Theranostics in molecular imaging uses both imaging technology and targeted therapies to identify and treat diseases such as cancer as well as monitor response to treatment; the term originates from the way this form of personalized medicine is practiced – the combination of therapy and diagnostics.

“The targeted nature of theranostics has begun showing crucial improvements in personalized care

for patients battling complex cancers and we see vast opportunities for additional care areas such as Alzheimer’s disease,” BAMF Health CEO Dr. Anthony Chang said. “This new way of working together with GE HealthCare will allow us to drive innovation in this fast-moving space.”

Connecting all phases of the theranostics care pathway, from drug development through disease diagnosis and treatment monitoring, with scalable solutions, connectivity and advanced imaging technologies, is critical to helping clinicians and health systems bring theranostics treatments to more patients.

The collaboration between GE HealthCare and BAMF Health will leverage both partners’ deep understanding of the complexities of delivering theranostic care to establish a framework to support the scalable infrastructure and clinical solutions for expanded adoption of precision care.

RESEARCH SHOWS HOW DECARBONIZING HEALTH CARE HELPS REDUCE COST Royal Philips and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) have announced initial results of a research collaboration to decarbonize the health system’s radiology department. The project, which was initially announced in May 2023, shows that sustainable initiatives can be both environmentally friendly and cost-effective. The assessment indicated that circular business models, such as upgrades, can reduce total cost of ownership of an MR system by up to 23% and carbon emissions by 17%, and for CT, refurbished systems and equipment upgrades can contribute to reducing costs of ownership by up to 10% and 8% respectively, and reducing carbon emissions by 6% and 4% respectively.

Philips and Vanderbilt assessed 13 diagnostic imaging devices including MR, CT, ultrasound and X-ray, which account for an estimated 12,000 patient scans per month and found that, over a period of 10 years, they emit the CO₂ equivalent of approximately 1,000 gas cars driven for one year. In addition, the energy use of scanners accounted for more than half of the total emissions released from diagnostic radiology. Other generators of carbon emissions within the department included the use of medical disposables, PACS and linen production and laundry.

The assessment showed that technology and health

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care practitioners play a significant role in reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions. For example, 4475% of energy is consumed outside of patient scanning time, therefore the research emphasized the importance of working with staff to improve patient scan efficiency and industry partners to develop techniques to reduce carbon emissions between scans. Improving scanning efficiency with technology including those that are AI-enabled may conserve energy and reduce unnecessary scan repetition.

“Human health is closely connected to the health of the environment, and we need to take care of both, which is why we feel a great sense of urgency to address our carbon emissions and develop a more sustainable and healthier path forward,” said Diana Carver, Ph.D., assistant professor of radiology and radiological sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “Our collaboration is leveraging our team’s collective knowledge and expertise to reveal key learnings that will direct our efforts to cut emissions.”

Along with implementing a set of prioritized interventions defined by Philips and VUMC that will support the carbon footprint reduction of the radiology department, the two organizations intend to share their findings in a scientific publication, with the objective of facilitating knowledge sharing and enabling further improvement of environmental strategies throughout the health care industry.

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

ACUSON MAPLE ULTRASOUND SYSTEM AVAILABLE IN U.S. Siemens Healthineers introduces the ACUSON Maple, a powerful, versatile and affordable ultrasound system that enables rapid diagnosis and assessment in all clinical settings. Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered features optimize everyday clinical performance for users of all skill levels.

Powered by ACUSON technology from the company’s established portfolio, the ACUSON Maple is designed for the clinician who needs a workhorse ultrasound system that supports a diverse range of ultrasound use cases. Lightweight, portable, and battery-powered, the ACUSON Maple is ideal for emerging markets, small hospitals, outpatient centers, private practices and urgent care centers.

“Siemens Healthineers proudly expands its ACUSON portfolio with the ACUSON Maple, which leverages a common hardware and software platform as well as AI-powered applications that automate workflow and analysis to bolster exam efficiency,” said Daniel Frisch, head of radiology and image guidance at Siemens Healthineers Ultrasound. “This affordable, configurable, and versatile system offers a broad range of diagnostic imaging capabilities, with a high level of image quality for every patient.”

Designed for versatility, the ACUSON Maple supports 15 transducers and has 25 advanced features that enhance usability and streamline workflow. An integrated battery enables up to 75 minutes of unplugged system scanning. This capability is invaluable in emerging markets with power supply challenges and in clinical settings that require movement between exam rooms for rapid patient assessment.

The system’s suite of AI-powered tools empowers clinicians to improve efficiency by increasing consistency in repetitive tasks. For obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) imaging, the Auto OB feature leverages machine learning to automatically calculate the fetus’s age and weight, reducing overall measurement time by up to 24%. For cardiac imaging, the eSie Measure feature uses machine learning to automatically perform cardiac measurements during a routine echocardiography exam. eSie Measure reduces keystrokes by up to 44% and shortens routine echo exam time by up to five minutes.

The ultrasound system is cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, CE marked in the European Union and is available globally.

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NEWS

PROGRAM DEVELOPING AI-POWERED ULTRASOUND RECEIVES BOOST Royal Philips has received a second round of funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to accelerate global adoption of AI algorithms on Philips Lumify Handheld Ultrasound. By using AI to simplify key measurements to identify abnormalities during pregnancy, training time to use the ultrasound system can be reduced from weeks to just hours, hugely expanding the pool of frontline health workers who can learn to use the technology and integrate it into routine care.

Results since the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provided its first phase of grant funding in 2021 have shown a positive impact in Kenya where the technology has helped drive better-informed decision-making when triaging pregnant women in rural underserved communities. The new phase of funding will support the deployment of the AI-assisted tool to underserved communities globally.

Each day, nearly 800 women around the world die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, with nearly 95% of all maternal deaths occurring in low- and lower-middle-income countries in 2020. Care provided by skilled health professionals before, during and after childbirth can help save the lives of women and newborns worldwide.

SAMSUNG LAUNCHES NEW ULTRASOUND SYSTEM Boston Imaging, the United States headquarters of Samsung’s digital radiography and ultrasound business, has announced the launch of the V6, its latest ultrasound system that delivers comprehensive imaging capabilities in 2D, 3D and color image quality, tailored for women’s health and urology. The V6 recently received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for commercial use and is designed to be budget friendly while meeting workflow and productivity needs.

“We are thrilled to introduce our latest innovation in women’s health and urology imaging, reflecting our unwavering commitment to delivering efficient care and meeting the imaging demands of medical professionals,” said David Legg, head of Boston Imaging. “The V6 provides advanced healthcare technology to clinicians, enabling them to provide a high standard of care.”

In addition to enhancing image clarity and accuracy, the V6 is adaptable in various medical settings

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through its remote access, simplified workflows, wide screen and compact, powerful design with a battery option, increasing accessibility and versatility for health care providers.

The V6 ultrasound system is driven by Samsung’s core imaging platform, Crystal Architecture, offering both enhanced image clarity and advanced automated tools.

The V6 has been evaluated for acoustic output, biocompatibility, software function, cleaning and disinfection effectiveness as well as thermal, electrical, electromagnetic and mechanical safety, and conforms with applicable FDA guidances and medical device safety standards. It also comes with a comprehensive selection of transducers that can be used for a variety of clinical needs. The V6 is compatible with Cycle Clarity’s AI-based software platform making it a fit in the reproductive endocrinology and infertility setting. •

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

BLACKFORD, AGAMON HEALTH ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP Blackford, the pioneering strategic AI platform and solutions provider, and Agamon Health, a leader in closing patient care gaps, recently announced a commercial partnership to bring Agamon Health’s Coordinate solution to health care professionals.

Under this strategic partnership, Agamon Health’s innovative technology will be integrated with Blackford’s tried-and-tested enterprise AI platform.

Blackford’s platform and services provides health care professionals access to an extensive portfolio of 100+ medical AI solutions designed to drive clinical efficiency and improve patient outcomes.

By integrating Agamon Health’s advanced AI tool, health care providers will gain access to actionable findings within radiology reports enabling notifications to referring physicians and facilitating the tracking of follow-up adherence.

“Blackford’s mission is to improve the lives of patients and populations by leveraging AI to drive

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health care efficiencies,” said Ben Panter, founder and CEO of Blackford. “Radiology workflow management and follow-up are areas that can tangibly improve patient experience and care. We’re therefore thrilled to add Agamon Health’s Coordinate solution to our AI portfolio as this application has had demonstrable success in closing patient adherence gaps.”

Agamon Health’s patient adherence program enables radiology departments within hospitals and imaging centers to close the patient care gap.

“Data shows that 20% of radiology reports require a follow-up but actually less than 40% adhere to the radiologists’ recommendations,” said Michal Meirei, CEO of Agamon Health. “When looking for potential partners, we couldn’t imagine a better partner than Blackford. Their reputation as leaders in delivering AI solutions to healthcare providers and translating them into actionable results makes them an ideal fit.”

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NEWS

WEBINAR ADDRESSES EFFECT OF THE NON-EMERGENT PATIENT STAFF REPORT

T

he recent ICE webinar “Emergency or Not; The Effect of the Non-Emergent Patient” presented by AHEC Chief Executive Officer Jence Garza, MHA, RT(R) (ARRT), was sponsored by the Advanced Health Education Center (AHEC). It was eligible for 1.0 ARRT Category A CE credit by the AHRA. The non-emergent patient chooses to seek treatment in the emergency department for conditions that a delay in treatment of several hours will not impact the likelihood of an adverse outcome. This session examined various impacts these patients have on a health system and how it can affect their own wellbeing.

Garza discussed the statistics behind these patients, why or how they may become superusers along with the imaging department’s role in taking care of these patients. She also fielded questions from attendees during the webinar.

The webinar recorded 44 registrations with 26 logged in for the live presentation. A recording of the webinar is available for on-demand viewing at ICEwebinars.live.

Attendees provided positive feedback via a post-webinar survey in which the session received a rating of 4 out of a possible maximum score of 5. Attendees were asked, “Why do you join ICE webinars?”

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“I participate for the professional development and improvement of knowledge in the field,” said Calin Corciova, associate professor, medical bioengineering faculty.

“CEUs and information related to providing more efficient medical attention for our patients,” said Jen Sturm, certified nuclear medicine technologist, Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center.

“Quality continuing education that is convenient,” said Stephanie Cleary, post processing technologist, 3DR Laboratories.

The 2023 ICE webinar series delivered top-notch education on various topics to assisting imaging professionals obtain continuing education credits. The webinars covered an array of topics including new technology, safety, leadership, management, feedback, Gen Z and more.

The ICE webinar series continues in 2024. Be sure to visit the website frequently to register for each upcoming session. You can also sign up for the ICE e-newsletter to have the latest updates delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up at theicecommunity. com/subscribe.

Interested in presenting a webinar, visit theicecommunity.com/apply-to-present. • For more information, visit ICEwebinars.live.

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

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INSIGHTS SPONSORED BY:

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maging leaders from throughout the United States join ICE Magazine to share insights in the new monthly Director’s Circle article. This roundtable formatted article provides a panel discussion of sorts where experts can share their wisdom. ICE Magazine Editor John Wallace kicks off the series of monthly feature articles with a look at the subject of this month’s Product Focus – POCUS and Mobile Imaging.

Participants in the inaugural Director’s Circle are Cabell Huntington Hospital Inc. Director of Radiology Nancy Godby, St. Luke’s Health Brazosport Director of Imaging Services Kelsey Mach, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Professor of Radiology Reed Omary and JPS Health Network Clinical Operations Administration Director of Radiology and Patient Transportation Cindy Winter.

Q: HOW HAS THE TECHNOLOGY OF POINT-OF-CARE ULTRASOUND (POCUS) INCREASED OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS? Godby: I recall when it was first introduced in the ER setting years ago at another facility and it created a controversy at that time. Today, it is not only an accepted practice but has become standard of care not

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only in our ER but across our system in a variety of settings.

Mach: In the past few years, there has been an explosion in the use of POCUS. Vendors have released numerous small pocket-sized, or slightly larger cart or wall-mounted, basic ultrasound systems to allow a quick look inside the patient for more accurate and faster assessments, or to determine if a higher level of care is needed.

Omary: Nationally, it continues to increase, especially with some of the newer entrants into the medical device space.

Winter: Over the past five years, POCUS technology has seen significant advancements. These advancements are primarily driven by the integration of Artificial Intelligence and the development of compact, handheld devices. These developments have expanded the use of POCUS from general ultrasound departments and ED FAST scans to a vast number of specialties and settings, such as anesthesiology, vascular access technology, respiratory therapy, sports medicine, orthopedics and so much more. AI has enhanced

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

image acquisition and interpretation, making POCUS more user-friendly and accurate, even for less-experienced operators. Handheld devices have become more powerful and versatile, by offering increased depth penetration, higher resolution images, duplex Doppler, auto-focus and needle tracking. These high-quality imaging capabilities are very comparable to what was offered on traditional, bulkier ultrasound machines. In addition, POCUS units have easy to install software updates to enhance new AI capabilities as they are introduced and become available to the user.

dedicated ultrasound setting and ensure all providers are fully trained to operate not only the POCUS but also the required method for High Level Disinfection (HLD).

Q: IS POCUS USED MORE OFTEN TODAY THAN IT WAS 3 YEARS AGO? WHY? Godby: Absolutely, it is used more often and as stated above in a variety of settings. POCUS allows providers to expedite the care needed to treat patients, especially in an emergency setting.

Omary: Ensuring quality should be priority #1. That means equipment and training of physicians. Also, cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, patient confidentiality and integration with PACS systems.

Mach: POCUS is used more often today because of the advancements. Ultrasound manufacturers see the rise in demand and are now making units that are more affordable and much more diagnostic than in years prior.

The units can aid in diagnosing issues faster and while bedside. It also frees up the radiologist and technicians to focus on the larger issues and not become overwhelmed.

Omary: Yes. Easier access to portable equipment, along with IT solutions, are major drivers. Plus, educating non-radiologists.

Winter: Yes, POCUS usage has increased considerably within the past three years. This rise in usage can be attributed to its convenience, affordability, portability, and the immediate diagnostic insights it provides, especially in the emergency and critical care settings.

Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic also accelerated the adoption of POCUS, as it allowed for rapid, bedside assessments while reducing the need for patient transport, exposure and disinfection of larger pieces of equipment. This is demonstrated in the expanded usage of POCUS in specialty areas outside of radiology and the ED. Additionally, the growing proficiency of health care professionals in ultrasound technology with the use of Artificial Intelligence, targeted imaging and simplified operations.

Q: WHAT SHOULD HOSPITALS AND IMAGING CENTERS LOOK FOR WHEN PURCHASING POCUS DEVICES? Godby: Hospitals and imaging centers should look for devices that provide the same clarity obtained in a

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Mach: When purchasing a POCUS device, hospitals should consider the following factors: intended usage, portability, what features the unit has, and price. The hospital should also consult the radiologist, emergency room physicians and hospitalist on what is appropriate for use and when to call for a real ultrasound conducted by a technician and read by a radiologist.

Winter: When purchasing POCUS devices, hospitals and imaging centers should consider factors such as image quality, ease of use, portability, battery life, warranty and connectivity options. The ability of a device to offer AI for enhanced image analysis and decision support is crucial. Durability and the ability to disinfect the device easily are important for infection control, in particular high-level disinfection. Compatibility with existing workflow software for seamless integration into RIS, HIS and PACS. Those looking to purchase POCUS devices should look to systems that are able to be upgraded and offer technical support. Additional considerations should be the reputation of the product, cost of upgrades and educational support.

Q: WHAT OTHER TYPES OF MOBILE IMAGING DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR HEALTH CARE FACILITIES? WHY? Godby: We also have mini C-Arms in our orthopedic settings utilized by providers, both in the orthopedic clinics and in surgical settings.

Mach: I would suggest every smaller hospital to have a mobile PET scanner. Usually the mobile imaging provider supplies everything necessary to perform clinical studies including the equipment, patient consumables and clinical staff. They operate as an extension of the hospital, which allows the facility to remove the overhead, space requirement and staffing costs.

Omary: We are seeing an increase in all types of mobile imaging. Instead of moving patients to scanners, we are seeing scanners moved to patients. For patients in complex medical care settings, it can be easier to move scanners than to move patients. For mobile equipment that uses ionizing radiation, it’s vitally important to have training in safety.

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INSIGHTS

Winter: Besides POCUS, health care facilities should consider mobile X-ray as a standard, and more recently, portable CT scanners. Mobile X-rays are invaluable for bedside imaging, especially for patients who cannot be easily transported. Portable CT scanners are beneficial for rapid neuroimaging in stroke care and for critical care units, reducing the time to diagnosis and treatment. Both modalities enhance patient comfort, reduce transport risks and provide timely diagnostic information.

NANCY GODBY

CABELL HUNTINGTON HOSPITAL INC.

Q: IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE ICE MAGAZINE READERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF REGARDING POCUS AND MOBILE IMAGING? Godby: Yes, it is also important to have a mechanism to capture imaging for some certification programs. This is especially true for Trauma Center of Excellence.

Mach: One thing that every reader who is considering using a POCUS should be aware of is image quality. These devices are only used to quickly figure out if there is a problem. If there is a problem, then the radiology department should be called and asked to complete a complete diagnostic test of the area. I would also be aware of maintenance and support. This includes factors such as availability of technical support, availability of replacement parts, and the cost of repairs and training for staff.

Each area that a POCUS is placed in must have written protocols and procedures. Each and every individual that is using the POCUS must also be trained initially and each year.

Omary: Patient safety and quality are paramount.

Never forget that we are here to serve patients.

Winter: Readers should be aware of the ongoing evolution in POCUS and mobile imaging technologies, particularly the expanding role of AI. Artificial Intelligence’s role in automating measurements, improving diagnostic accuracy and providing training support is crucial to medical professionals at all levels of competency. POCUS are continuing to be seen in many new and varied venues from prior years, such as primary care provider offices, medical students, veterinarians, ambulances, nursing homes, orthopedic clinics, sports medicine, OB/ GYN, and minute clinics just to name a few.•

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KELSEY MACH ST. LUKE’S HEALTH BRAZOSPORT

REED OMARY VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER

CINDY WINTER JPS HEALTH NETWORK

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

FEBRUARY 18-20, 2024

IRVINE , CALIFORNIA

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PRODUCTS

Market Report

POCUS MARKET GROWTH CONTINUES STAFF REPORT

T

he increase in the number of patient admissions in emergency care across the globe is one of the major factors driving the growth of the global point-ofcare ultrasound systems (POCUS) market.

The adoption of speedy and accurate diagnostics technology in emergency department (ED), especially in the case of “point of care devices” for decreasing the delay between the onset of symptoms, and the rise in prevalence for cardiovascular disorders and chronic diseases among the population is accelerating market growth. The rise in demand for mobile point of care ultrasound systems for enhancing operational efficiency and patient outcomes, and initiatives undertaken by numerous organizations such as Society of Point of Care Ultrasound (SPOCUS) for promoting the use of point of care ultrasound systems and educate professionals further influence the market.

Data Bridge Market Research analyses reports that the global point-of-care ultrasound systems (POCUS) market was $629.81 million in 2022 and is expected to exceed $1 billion by 2030. It is expected to undergo a CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period 2023-2030.

Diagnostic devices dominate the product segment of the global point-of-care ultrasound systems market owing to rapid advancements in technology. In addition to the insights on market scenarios such as market value, growth rate, segmentation, geographical coverage, and major players, the market reports curated by the Data Bridge Market Research also 30

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include expert analysis, patient epidemiology, pipeline analysis, pricing analysis, and regulatory framework.

According to Fortune Business Insights, the global point of care ultrasound market size was valued at $1.05 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow from $1.18 billion in 2023 to $10.62 billion by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 14.3% during the forecast period.

Point-of-care ultrasound is used for diagnostic imaging, and real-time imaging-guided interventions during surgical procedures, and more. There has been a transition towards outpatient care from inpatient care. A strong need for R&D activities by market companies to introduce superior products is set to drive market growth. Fortune Business Insights shares this information in its report titled “Point-of-Care Ultrasound Market, 2023-2030.”

Fortune Business Insights reports that the rising prevalence of chronic diseases is a major driver of the POCUS market growth. The increasing demand for POCUS in emergency settings is also expected to boost market growth.

The technological advancements in POCUS devices, such as the development of handheld and portable devices, are expected to create new opportunities for market growth.

The high cost of POCUS devices is a major challenge for market growth.

The global point-of-care ultrasound market is expected to reach $5.9 billion by 2030, according to Strategic Market Research.

High costs associated with the products, unfavorable reimbursement policies in developing and under-developed economies, stringent regulatory policies, and lack of skilled professionals in emerging countries are some factors restraining the market’s growth. • ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

Product Focus

1

POCUS & Mobile Imaging SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS SOMATOM On.site

The SOMATOM On.site portable head computed tomography scanner from Siemens Healthineers brings point-of-care neuroimaging to intensive care unit (ICU) patients to avoid risky and time-consuming transports, reduce the risk of complications, and improve workforce efficiency and staff utilization. The unique telescopic gantry design allows the radiation source to move away from the patient during scanning, while the base and front cover of the gantry remain stationary, which helps provide consistent image quality. The easily maneuverable system has an integrated drive camera that enables real-time viewing on the built-in Touch UI display.

The integrated head holder and shoulder board accessories allow convenient patient positioning. Scan workflow is easy with myExam Companion powered by GO technologies, zero-click post-processing, and automatic wireless image transfer to PACS. Self-shielded telescopic gantry covers combined with radiation shields on the bore’s front and back reduce scatter radiation and allow the technologist to remain with the patient during image acquisition.

*Disclaimer: Products are listed in no particular order.

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PRODUCTS

2

KONICA MINOLTA HEALTHCARE

SONIMAGE MX1 Platinum SONIMAGE MX1 Platinum is a point-of-care ultrasound system that leverages an advanced imaging algorithm to deliver incredible detail resolution for superior image quality at the point-of-care so clinicians can make better informed diagnoses and facilitate accurate interventions. This algorithm improves quality of the color and grayscale modes, delivering speckle reduction and applying a smoothing effect to reduce graininess in the image.

An extended battery life enables a continuous twohour scan time, so the MX1 Platinum System can be carried throughout the hospital or clinic without requiring a re-charge. A full suite of powerful transducers is available with MX1 Platinum System.

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APOLLO arcc

Apollo’s Enterprise Imaging solution, the Apollo Repository for Clinical Content or arcc, supports encounters-based point of care ultrasound (POCUS) imaging workflows. This strategy contributes to the ability for POCUS procedure reimbursements as a revenue stream by centralizing the images in the patient record, thus improving documentation for reimbursement claims of these procedures. Using arcc streamlines POCUS image capture and improves patient care.

There is no need to wait for an order – imaging can occur immediately during care. This saves physicians’ time, reduces steps during the care process and provides staff efficiency gains in addition to generating revenue.

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

4

CLARIUS PAL HD3

Emergency physicians attending the ACEP23 conference in Philadelphia saw the new Clarius PAL HD3, a wireless handheld whole-body ultrasound scanner combining phased and linear arrays on a single head. This device offers superior image quality and exceptional versatility for real-time imaging of both superficial and deep anatomy at the bedside, making it suitable for a wide range of clinical applications while improving workflow continuity. It’s as compact as an iPhone and works seamlessly with iOS or Android devices, ensuring easy mobility from patient to patient. Clarius PAL HD3 has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is available in the United States.

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GE HEALTHCARE Venue Fit

Venue Fit is part of the Venue family of point-ofcare ultrasound systems, now with Caption Guidance AI-driven software. The Venue family delivers simple, fast and precise ultrasound for every moment, and represents the first GE HealthCare ultrasound solutions to incorporate this scan guidance capability software following GE HealthCare’s acquisition of Caption Health. The technology provides health care providers – even those without specialized training or experience with ultrasound – with real-time, stepby-step guidance to perform cardiac ultrasounds and capture diagnostic-quality cardiac images.

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COVER STORY

Theranostics and the Promise of Personalized Medicine 36

ICEMAGAZINE | JANUARY 2024

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

COVER STORY

BY MATT SKOUFALOS

T

he study of nuclear pharmacy has been ongoing since the 1970s, and yet in all that time, the promise of partnering radiopharmaceuticals and diagnostic imaging has yet to be fully realized. The field of theranostics involves targeting disease states via molecular imaging and radioisotopes to create a form of personalized medicine. Commonly used for treating various forms of cancer – thyroid, liver, neuroendocrine, prostate – it can deliver a higher degree of precision oncology than chemotherapy can when partnered with molecular imaging.

Despite its continued growth, the practice of theranostics isn’t nearly as widely adopted in the care of as many patients as it could otherwise be.

The field is small, expensive to operate within, short-staffed, and needs regulatory and research support to truly deliver on the promise of personalized medicine, of which it has the potential to be a critical component.

Lady Sawoszczyk, who leads the theranostics and collaboration team of the molecular imaging business at Siemens Healthineers in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, spoke about the challenges that professionals in the field face in working to broaden applications of theranostics in the delivery of care. Sawoszczyk, who brings a clinical academic background to her work at Siemens Healthineers, emphasized the importance of cross-industry collaborations among clinical researchers, radiopharmaceutical manufacturers and diagnostic imaging companies.

“We enable a comprehensive patient care solution ranging from targeted development to therapy solutions,” she said. “Molecular imaging enables accurate patient selection and therapy response monitoring; both PET/CT and SPECT/CT scanners are equipped to help effectively and efficiently tailor cancer care.”

Clinical trials are hugely important to the advancement of theranostics because radiopharmaceuticals must demonstrate efficacy and safety in specific applications to clear federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, and move up in the treatment schema.

For example, Sawosczyzk said, patients battling metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer can qualify for a theranostics treatment only after unsuccessful hormone and chemotherapy treatments.

“Researchers are trying to change the treatment paradigm,” Sawosczyzk said. “There are a lot of clinical trials looking at theranostics, some of them first-line and others second-line, and all this data is being assessed by utilizing PET/CT and SPECT/CT quantification. In three years, we had four major FDA approvals, but before that, it was very, very slow; that data is moving a little quicker because of the impact that these patients have shown.”

FDA approval is critical not only for patient safety, but for the Medicare reimbursement that allows for the continued development of proven theranostic approaches. In her four years managing molecular imaging and therapeutics at an Ivy League institution, Sawoszczyk herself worked to advance these causes. She praised the Society of Nuclear Medicine WWW.THEICECOMMUNITY.COM

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COVER STORY and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) for its advocacy work in personalized imaging agent reimbursement, which helps patients gain access to theranostics treatments. Even with reimbursement, such treatments are expensive to develop and administer, which means funding for clinical trials is another component of an already complex path to expanding accessibility to theranostic approaches for patients.

Expanding adoption of theranostics requires not only regulatory considerations, but also the broader growth of personalized medicine throughout the health care industry. Sawoszczyk described the challenges of implementing a theranostics program, and how Siemens Healthineers can help institutions establish them.

“I’ve noticed that there’s an opportunity to provide education on what personalized medicine is, and one of the leading questions around it is, ‘How do we get there?’ ” she said. “How do we utilize all our resources and increase theranostics access for patients? It takes a lot of effort, time, and a multidisciplinary approach to provide personalized treatments.”

Self-advocacy and including patients in the calculus of collaborators in care is another critical dimension of personalized medicine that underpins theranostic treatments, Sawoszcyk said. Telemedicine solutions allow physicians to connect with patients to discuss treatment options without delaying care. Virtual meetings enable a collaborative approach to allow a modality expert like Sawoszcyk to evaluate the theranostics program at a given facility, and help customize it for individual patients, and grow it beyond its current capabilities to eventually treat more patients.

“Some health care institutions don’t have resources; some need workflow optimization,” she 38

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said. “The idea is to educate, to get the word out; to get us to a point where all patients can have access to these treatments. It’s about ensuring we’re doing it safely and effectively.”

Jill Helmke, a Certified Nuclear Pharmacist and Doctor of Pharmacy, who is also the executive vice-president of clinical development for NuView Life Sciences of Park City, Utah, described some of the inherent difficulties in broadening adoption of theranostics.

Chief among them may be the breadth of infrastructure challenges around supporting the creation of the radioisotopes used in the diagnosis and treatment of patient disease states.

To Helmke, the biggest fundamental challenges to radioisotope production involve the scale and scope of the major technologies that underpin them: nuclear cyclotrons and nuclear reactors. She worked on a cyclotron housed in a hospital setting in an earlier phase of her career and spoke about the technical complexities inherent in adding one to any health care approach.

“You need to have a production facility specifically built with those accelerators in your vaults in a separate building, heavily lead-lined so there’s no exposure to people,” Helmke said. “It can be challenging to get different isotopes from a

cyclotron versus having the radioisotopes shipped in. You may have to change the targets out daily, make sure the environment is safe to walk into, and then you have to go through and get it to come out of the cyclotron in a liquid form. “ “Then you have to go through quality control testing,” she continued. “When I was working on F-18, we’d start at 2 a.m., prep until 3 a.m.; by 6 a.m., you hope you have the quality control done, and maybe at 6:30 a.m. you’re getting it to a patient. If, at any step along the way, there’s a misstep, or it doesn’t pass a step in the pages on pages of quality control, you have to abort.”

If the manufacturing process fails, a patient who will have been waiting to undergo a potentially life-saving treatment must be turned away, and “to tell them no is devastating,” Helmke said.

“We’ve had to cancel doses if the cyclotron wasn’t producing enough of the radioisotope or not passing quality control testing,” she said.

“At any point in time, it’s a day-today supply challenge in a production facility like a hospital. But now that there are more generators and reactors, contract distribution with companies that are coming onboard focused on other isotopes, can eliminate those day-to-day challenges.”

Moreover, Helmke said, im-

“Some health care institutions don’t have resources; some need workflow optimization,” she said. “The idea is to educate, to get the word out; to get us to a point where all patients can have access to these treatments. It’s about ensuring we’re doing it safely and effectively.”

- LADY SAWOSZCZYK ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

COVER STORY “I have a really hard time understanding why this is not the focus of developing drug companies and the FDA.” - GABRIELA SPILBERG, MD provements in the selection, production and delivery of radiopharmaceuticals have made for a more streamlined, patient-friendly atmosphere. In her six years at NuView, Helmke has worked to help develop diagnostic products like a small-molecule peptide that can attach itself to prostate cancer cells shed in urine.

“The trend now is high-precision, targeted therapy,” she said. “We are focusing on a specific biomarker that gives us the opportunity to focus just on cancer cells and prevent toxic side-effects with highly precise targeting. We’re mapping out cancer cells like we mapped out DNA.” “We would like the FDA to be more aware about what’s coming up the pipeline so that things can be expedited more quickly,” Helmke said. “Some of these products are breakthroughs, and they need to be given to patients. The production supply is so important.”

Gabriela Spilberg, MD, is an assistant professor of radiology and biomedical imaging director at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, where she also co-directs theranostics and clinical trials for the section of nuclear medicine at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center.

Spilberg echoed Helmke’s and Sawoszczyk’s sentiments about the field of theranostics needing support, in terms of collaboration and awareness, to grow.

“We’re still very limited in the scope of clinical practice of where we are, and how little theranostics has advanced since its inception,” Spilberg said. “To develop this field, WWW.THEICECOMMUNITY.COM

I think you really need a teamwork approach.”

Dealing with radiation obligates greater regulatory scrutiny; for example, the potential misuse of isotopes and the presence of nuclear technology to create them means theranostics operations are regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which is a branch of the U.S. Department of Defense, not the FDA. Health care institutions wishing to study or develop theranostics programs need to retain specialized professionals, like radiation safety officers and their teams.

“There’s a lot of special licenses and handling of material, and dedicated, trained personnel,” Spilberg said. “It’s not something that’s easy, and there’s a big shortage of professionals to start. If you think you’re barely handling your clinical volume, to really move into more research and other things is complicated and expensive.”

The complex infrastructure around the development of theranostic treatments requires visionary leadership as well as deep-pocketed financial support to coordinate, and “that’s not the marriage that happens often and everywhere,” Spilberg pointed out.

For precisely such reasons, the field is farther along in countries like Germany and Australia, in her estimation; but even beyond the demands atop the health care industry, there are similar needs in theranostics that extend all the way down its structure, including recruitment of more professionals into the specialty.

“I think it really requires this spe-

cific profile of person to be drawn to this field,” Spilberg said, “and then you have to have buy-in from administration, and a lot of times people have not heard about theranostics. It’s such a small field that they just don’t know about it.”

Likewise, although radiopharmaceutical therapies are expensive to develop and administer, Spilberg believes the value of theranostics will only increase as it’s put to broader use delivering real roadmaps of disease expression, in vivo.

The issue of how to do so remains a persistent challenge.

“With theranostics, you can really target what’s most expressed and follow it, rather than changing things in a chaotic way,” Spilberg said. “I have a really hard time understanding why this is not the focus of developing drug companies and the FDA. It’s very old-school to still keep looking at treatment response criteria as changes in size and anatomy, when we really know a lot of these treatments have different effects. Just one target won’t ever be enough for any disease.”

As broader adoption of multi-tracer pharmaceuticals can become more common for every patient, AI-driven computer processing can lead to faster interpretation of study results, “and that’s when I think this will be much more leveraged as a technology to move forward into true personalized medicine,” Spilberg said.

“Right now, the way we’re doing things, even though we have these tools, they’re not being optimized,” she said. “I have a lot of patients who are self-referred [for theranostics] because the side effect profile is so much better than chemotherapy. I have patients who come in, and who have been waiting to fail chemotherapy for a year to receive this because they know it’s their preferred modality. There’s this gigantic potential for playing a role in multiple types of disease.” • ICEMAGAZINE

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ICE Webinars: ICE Webinars: The Series Everyone is Talking About!

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ICEMAGAZINE | JANUARY 2024I love that ICE

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The content is always relevant and timely, very professional presentations. ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL – N. Godby, Director of Radiology, Cabell Huntington Hospital Inc.

INSIGHTS

RSNA PROMOTES ‘LEADING THROUGH CHANGE’ STAFF REPORT

T

he Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 109th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting is the world’s leading annual radiology forum. It was held at McCormick Place Chicago, Nov. 26-30, 2023, with the theme “Leading Through Change.”

“Radiology has long led medicine in showing how we can embrace change by seeking innovation,” said RSNA President Matthew A. Mauro, M.D. “Change will always be present in the practice of medicine, and the manner in which we adapt to change will determine our success in the future.”

The RSNA 2023 plenary session programming focused on navigating transformative change in health care.

At the opening session, Mauro delivered his president’s address, “Leading Through Change,” which explored how radiology professionals can be intentional and proactive while guiding teams and organizations through change.

“In health care, we are not only experiencing change in the advances in medical science and technical innovations that are occurring with increasing frequency, but also in the many aspects of the delivery of health care – payment models, patient expectations, delivery systems, competition, and a challenging and changing labor market,” Mauro said. “But radiology is well poised to continue its leadership in moving health care forward across all of these domains.”

Also at the opening session, Howard Chrisman, M.D., presented “History Never Repeats Itself, But It Does Often Rhyme.”

The RSNA 2023 program’s scientific sessions explored every subspecialty, including cutting-edge sessions on hot topics in radiology research, and a comprehensive educational curriculum with a wide variety of CME opportunities for radiology professionals to advance in their specialties.

RSNA 2023 also offered the ultimate radiology show floor with the latest medical imaging technologies in CT, MRI, artificial intelligence (AI), 3D printing and more. There were approximately 600 exhibitors occupying almost 400,000 square feet of exhibit space.

WWW.THEICECOMMUNITY.COM

The exhibit space included the expansive AI Showcase and Theater featuring the latest AI advances and applications. The showcase was also home to the Imaging AI in Practice demonstration and the RSNAI Resource Center.

The exhibit halls also included the 3D Printing and Mixed Reality Showcase, the First-time Exhibitor Pavilion, Educators Row and Recruiters Row. New this year was the RSNA Career Resource Center where attendees were able to view inspiring, career-focused presentations, take advantage of open seating for networking and mingling or find a space to work.

A few highlights ICE Editor John Wallace learned about in the exhibit hall included: • Koning Health seized this opportunity to demonstrate its FDA PMA approved Koning Vera Breast CT (KBCT), the latest commercially available advancement in breast CT technology.

• Siemens Healthineers introduced the Acuson Maple, a powerful, versatile and affordable ultrasound system that enables rapid diagnosis and assessment in all clinical settings.

• Canon Medical Components USA white paper on Canon DR’s CNN-based image processing procedure for projection radiography that produces high quality images with reduced patient radiation dose.

• Agamon Health’s workflow management with AI/NLP automation.

• United Imaging’s uMR Jupiter 5T 510k-pending wholebody 5T MRI system.

• GE HealthCare unveiled its SIGNA PET/MR AIR, expanding access to its popular magnetic resonance (MR) imaging technologies – including AIR Recon DL and AIR Coils – to the practice of molecular imaging and across more care areas.

• Royal Philips showcased its first mobile MRI system with helium-free operations.

RSNA 2023 Virtual Access provides access to nearly 100% of all annual meeting programming. Virtual Access is ideal for those who could not attend, as well as for attendees who wish to maximize their experience.

Visit RSNA.org/annual-meeting for more information and to sign up to receive future updates. •

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INSIGHTS

RSNA SCRAPBOOK 1

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ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 109th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting is the world’s leading annual radiology forum. It was held at McCormick Place Chicago, Nov. 26-30, 2023, with the theme “Leading Through Change.”

1.

John Wallace, ICE Magazine Editor and Megan Cabot, Group Publisher of ICE Magazine are ready to take on the day at RSNA 2023.

2.

The exhibits are always top notch at RSNA and the 2023 exhibit hall did not disappoint.

3.

John Wallace caught up with industry friends (left to right) Glenn Garrett, Amy Hobbs and Bryant Hawkins.

4.

The ICE Magazine team loved checking out the RSNA 2023 AI Showcase.

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The Zotec Partners booth was decked out with holiday decor in the RSNA Exhibit Hall.

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John Wallace learns more about new mammography equipment from Koning Corporation.

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John Wallace takes a quick photo break in front of the RSNA 2023 sign outside of the exhibit hall.

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The AI Theater was packed with attendees waiting to learn more about the newest technology coming out in 2024.

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RTI showcased its new product during exhibit hall hours to the RSNA attendees.

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RSNA attendees learn more about the newest equipment that will be released in 2024.

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INSIGHTS

PACS/IT/AI

BY MARK WATTS

RSNA 2023 TRENDS T

he 2023 Radiologic Society of North America (RSNA) conference proved to be a milestone event, showcasing cutting-edge advancements and addressing critical challenges in the field of radiology.

This column serves as a comprehensive review as it delves into key trends discussed during the conference, emphasizing the evolving landscape of staffing, the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in imaging, breakthroughs in therapeutic image-guided treatments, and the persistent challenges faced by rural health care.

STAFFING SHORTAGES IN RADIOLOGY: A LOOMING CRISIS: The shortage of skilled radiologists and support staff emerged as a prominent theme at the 2023 RSNA conference. The increasing demand for imaging services, coupled with a growing workload, has intensified the existing staffing crisis. Key points of discussion included: • Workload Management Solutions: Innovative technologies aimed at automating routine tasks and optimizing workflow to alleviate the burden on radiologists.

Implementation of efficient scheduling systems to maximize the utilization of available workforce.

• Training and Education Initiatives: Collaborative efforts between academic institutions and health care organizations to address the shortage by enhancing training programs. Integration of virtual reality and simulation technologies for immersive training experiences.

• Global Perspectives: Insights from

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international experts discussing strategies employed in other regions to mitigate staffing shortages. Examination of cross-border collaborations to share expertise and resources.

AI IN IMAGING: REVOLUTIONIZING DIAGNOSTICS AND BEYOND: The RSNA conference served as a platform for showcasing the ever-expanding role of AI in radiology, revolutionizing diagnostic processes and contributing to personalized patient care.

Key discussions included: • Deep Learning Algorithms platforms: Advancements in deep learning algorithms for image interpretation, with a focus on their accuracy and efficiency in detecting abnormalities. Integration of AI tools into radiology workstations to provide real-time decision support.

• Ethical Considerations: Panel discussions exploring the ethical implications of AI in radiology, including issues related to bias, transparency and patient consent. Development of ethical guidelines to govern the responsible use of AI technologies.

• Collaboration between Humans and Machines: Emphasis on the symbiotic relationship between radiologists and AI, highlighting scenarios where human expertise complements machine capabilities. Discussions on the importance of ongoing education for radiologists to adapt to the evolving technological landscape.

THERAPEUTIC IMAGE-GUIDED TREATMENTS – PAVING THE WAY FOR PRECISION MEDICINE: The conference showcased groundbreaking developments in therapeutic image-guided treatments, heralding a new era in precision medicine. Key highlights included: • Interventional Radiology Innovations: ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

Advancements in interventional radiology techniques for targeted treatments, including embolization, ablation and drug delivery. Integration of imaging modalities such as MRI and CT for real-time guidance during therapeutic procedures.

• Minimally Invasive Therapies: Exploration of minimally invasive alternatives for conditions traditionally treated through surgery, with a focus on improving patient outcomes and reducing recovery times. Case studies demonstrating the efficacy of image-guided therapies in diverse clinical scenarios.

• Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Panels and workshops emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts between radiologists, surgeons, oncologists and other specialists for comprehensive patient care. Case discussions illustrating successful outcomes achieved through a multidisciplinary approach.

RURAL HEALTH CARE CHALLENGES IN RADIOLOGY – BRIDGING THE DIVIDE: Addressing the unique challenges faced by rural health care settings in the context of radiology emerged as a crucial aspect of the conference. Key considerations included: • Telemedicine and Teleradiology: Integration of telemedicine and teleradiology solutions to extend diagnostic

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services to remote areas. Challenges and opportunities associated with the adoption of telehealth technologies in rural communities.

• Infrastructure Development: Discussions on the need for improved radiology infrastructure in rural hospitals and clinics, including the acquisition of advanced imaging equipment. Initiatives to enhance the skill set of rural health care professionals through training programs and knowledge-sharing platforms.

• Policy Advocacy: Advocacy efforts aimed at influencing health care policies to address the specific needs of rural radiology services. Examination of successful models from regions that have effectively tackled rural healthcare challenges The 2023 RSNA conference provided a panoramic view of the transformative trends shaping the field of radiology. As the industry navigates staffing shortages, embraces AI integration, advances therapeutic image-guided treatments, and confronts rural health care challenges, collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to patient-centered care will be paramount. This review serves as a comprehensive guide to the key takeaways, paving the way for a future where radiology continues to evolve and improve health care outcomes for diverse populations.

For more information, visit RSNA.org/annual-meeting.

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INSIGHTS

DIRECTOR’S CUT

BY BETH ALLEN CRA, RT(R)(CT)

FLEXIBILITY CRUCIAL IN IMAGING REALM

I

am a big fan of great quotes.

Maya Angelou once said, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”

I have come to learn that imaging is definitely a cyclical business. We go from being overstaffed to understaffed and back again. We have periods of growing and expanding to times of cost cutting and preservation of assets, knowing that each strategy is temporary. These changes come quickly, and we need to be able to turn on a dime.

Sometimes we put big effort into a project that has a lot of buzz and excitement.

We are proud of the work we have done and can’t wait to see it come to fruition.

It then becomes so disappointing to be told that this now is not in the budget, or we are going a different direction.

Plans changed.

The opposite can be true. A leader may come up with a big idea and we need to pull it together in a very short amount of time. All hands on deck! Plans changed.

One thing is true in all scenarios.

Plans change.

We are tasked with finding solutions.

This is covered in the first part of the quote above. If something doesn’t work, we should change it. This applies to all parts of our lives. Consider any alternative solutions that come to mind. Sometimes the craziest idea is the best one. Change your position, your situation or whatever it is you don’t like, if you can.

Easier said than done. If things cannot change, which is often the case, then it may just be a matter of perspective.

Who knows what our next challenge

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will be or which direction it will come from.

We will continue to be asked to be efficient and find new solutions. Technology will continue to evolve. Who would have thought that remote scanning would be a hot topic 20 years ago? Who knows what we will be talking about 20 years from now.

The trick is to identify what works. What do we like? What should we change? What do we just have to live with?

I do know we will continue to go through these cycles. So, whatever is going on right now is not a permanent state.

We can plan and forecast, but we have to consider the cycle that we are in and act accordingly. That we cannot change.

We might as well choose a good attitude. That part we can control. We learn from whatever part of the cycle we are in.

We will gain experience that will help us to be successful the next time the situation comes around.

Here is another great quote by John C. Maxwell, “Change is inevitable.

Growth is optional.”

We have opportunities to be bold and make the most of our situation every day.

We can use our resources to make the best decisions with the information that we have at the time. We can manage the puzzle pieces and ask our personnel to be part of the solution. Imaging is a team sport. I appreciate the series of fortunate events that has allowed me to be a part of this unique world of radiology and the amazing people on my team.

I wouldn’t change a thing.

Thanks for all you do. • – Beth Allen CRA, RT(R)(CT), is the director of clinical operations with Banner Imaging.

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

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INSIGHTS

DEI

NURTURING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION: STRATEGIES FOR LEADERS

BY NICOLE DHANRAJ

A

s the celebrations quiet down and aspirations for the year take shape, imaging leaders stand at the threshold of a transformative opportunity to champion a more inclusive and equitable future within their departments.

From the first days of the year, you can implement strategies that cultivate a diverse workforce, foster an equitable environment, and empower individuals to contribute their unique talents and perspectives.

Let’s explore tangible examples of how leaders can champion DEI initiatives from the outset of the new year.

FACILITATE INCLUSIVE TEAM DISCUSSIONS Organize a team workshop on diversity and inclusion, encouraging team members to share personal experiences and insights. Facilitate discussions around specific topics, such as cultural celebrations or workplace scenarios, promoting understanding and empathy. Team members can ask questions to further learn about each other’s experiences in a nonjudgmental environment.

PROMOTE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT Create a rotating schedule for team members to attend training sessions or conferences, ensuring everyone has an equal chance to enhance their DEI knowledge. If there is no conference budget, consider guest speakers or external facilitators to bring training or workshops.

ESTABLISH INCLUSIVE MEETING PRACTICES Implement a “round-robin” approach during meetings to ensure each team member can share their thoughts. Actively encourage quieter team members

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to contribute by asking specific questions about their expertise. During this time, go around the virtual or physical room, allowing each team member to express their thoughts on a relevant topic, provide updates or share insights. This ensures that everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute. If meetings are conducted virtually, leverage technology to promote inclusive participation. Use features like chat or collaboration tools to gather input from all team members simultaneously.

This allows quieter individuals to share their thoughts in a format they may find more comfortable.

ENHANCE MENTORSHIP AND SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMS Strengthen mentorship and sponsorship programs, specifically focusing on individuals from underrepresented groups. Leaders can personally commit to mentorship roles or encourage other senior team members to engage in mentorship, fostering professional development and advancement SEEK FEEDBACK AND ACT ON IT Conduct regular anonymous surveys or one-on-one check-ins to gather feedback on the team’s DEI climate. Use the feedback received to implement targeted initiatives, such as additional training, awareness campaigns, or adjustments to policies and practices.

Share the outcomes of these initiatives transparently with the team.

In the radiology realm, our commitment to DEI is not just a professional responsibility but a profound ethical obligation to our teams, patients and communities.

By implementing these strategies with unwavering dedication, radiology leaders have the power to sculpt the future of their departments and contribute meaningfully to the broader narrative of inclusivity and equity in health care. •

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ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

INSIGHTS

THE ROMAN REVIEW MANNY ROMAN

NO BE THERE

I

n an article titled “3 ways to respond to difficult questions you don’t want to answer,” former diplomat Eileen Smith provides excellent advice for handling a difficult situation. Who has never been asked a question that they are not prepared to answer? Whether we don’t know the answer or don’t want to provide the answer, the question puts us in a difficult situation which can cause much stress. Unless, of course, you are a diplomat or a politician with great experience and training. At which time you go into the “sound like you are answering” even though you are not.

The very first statement in the article says, “Anticipate difficult questions and practice saying your responses out loud before the big day.” Key here is the “out loud” part. By saying things out loud, you will hear the tone, pitch, clarity, sincerity, etc. Speaking it allows for modification and restructuring that would not be noticed if you only gave thought to the answer. I once heard that the use of words that contain more syllables is better than the often used words. The reason: Infrequently employed words preserve their connotation for unambiguous elucidation. (It took me 43 minutes, a dictionary and a thesaurus to write that sentence.)

WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION Ms. Smith explains that, if you do not know the answer, the first step is to say what you do know. Even if you do not know the answer there is likely something relating to the question that you do know. Zoom out until you find something relating to the question that you can speak on. If that doesn’t apply, then state the information you will need to have before you can answer the question.

Question: “How long will it take to fix the machine?”

You could say, “How do I know? I can’t perform a Vulcan mind meld with the machine.”

Answer: “I’m not sure. I will need to make some

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checks first and I will get back to you. Where will you be in about 45 minutes?” The where will you be part is important to allow the service professional to get away. Of course, if they actually reply with an answer such as, in my office or wherever, then you better get back with additional information.

WHEN YOU DON’T WANT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION Ms. Smith states that you should not ignore the question, instead use a transitional phrase. Acknowledge the question and redirect the conversation toward a similar answer.

Question: “Who are you, Billy always takes care of us?”

You could say, “I was the only one there.”

Redirecting answer: “It is our policy to send the most qualified, available professional so we can get you back up as quickly as possible. May I take a look at the machine?”

WHEN THE QUESTION IS AN ATTACK OR CHALLENGE Ms. Smith advises to prepare the answer for as many possible questions as you can without acknowledging any negative words thrown your way.

Here I would advise that you determine whether there is a real concern or an unrealistic expectation.

Remaining distant from the attack is important. Is the person upset about disrupted patient care, loss of income, loss of time, etc.? Address the issue not the words that were spoken.

In my presentations, I always advise that, prior to any encounter, you should determine and be prepared to answer at least 10 likely questions. Also, be prepared to NOT say at least 10 boneheaded things like “Who sold you this?” or “Boy, are you in trouble?” or “I have never seen this machine before.”

In closing, I give you a quote from Mr. Miyagi in the “Karate Kid” movie. He tells Daniel San that the “best way to avoid punch no be there.” Best way to avoid difficult situation, prepare to “No be there.” • Manny Roman, CRES, is association business operations manager at Association of Medical Service Providers.

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INSIGHTS

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

BY DANIEL BOBINSKI

A CASE STUDY ON LEADERSHIP AND VALUES

I

s your workplace focused and energized?

If so, the leader impacted that. But if your workplace is dreary and a drain, the leader impacted that, too. The actions and attitudes of those at the top of an organizational chart have a significant influence on a workplace’s atmosphere. A more succinct way to say that is, “The leader creates the weather.”

Allow me to share with you an example that recently came to my attention. The names and places have been changed to protect the innocent – and the guilty.

Jennifer has 15 years of experience in management.

The company in which she works, which we’ll call, “Fairview,” has 300 employees, 50 of which are in the division in which Jennifer works. Jennifer is a dedicated employee who has always aligned with Fairview’s values of “service first.”

Several years ago, Jennifer learned her boss would be retiring, and she expressed interest in the position. Long story short, she was selected for the job, making her one of five people holding leadership positions in her division.

Not long after Jennifer assumed her new role, Fairview’s CEO left to take a position elsewhere, and a new CEO, whom we’ll call Jim, entered the picture. It didn’t take long for Jim’s values to become known. Despite giving lip service to Fairview’s longstanding value of “service first,” Jim’s focus always revolved around money.

Budget cuts led to pay cuts. People were told they were lucky to stay employed, but they’d all be getting a 10% pay cut. Naturally, a few employees left for other jobs. Also, morale shifted away from people going the extra mile to serve clients to employees doing just enough to get the job done.

Then a curious change occurred in Jennifer’s division.

David was one of the five key leaders and he was responsible for administration and budgeting. Without any problems noted in David’s performance and without any

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ICEMAGAZINE | JANUARY 2024

issues identified, David was transferred.

His replacement, Jason, turned out to be a college buddy of Jim, the new CEO. To Jennifer’s amazement, Jason had little experience in both administration and budgeting. Additional people started leaving when Jason started implanting strange new practices and policies.

However, when Jennifer and the other leaders asked Jason about the intended results of his actions, he brushed them off, saying, “I’m trying something new.”

The exodus hasn’t stopped. More people have left, and morale is sinking like a rock. In fact, two of the other five leaders in Jennifer’s division have already found other employment, and last week Jennifer decided to actively shop her resume. Her friends say they had never seen Jennifer look so depleted and disheartened.

As Jennifer related this story to me, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for all the employees of her organization. And not just her division, but all 600 employees in the entire company.

What happened? One person – the new CEO – changed the weather throughout the entire organization.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MORAL VALUES Organizations do much better if they identify their moral values. Yes, they also benefit from a clear mission and vision, but specific values are a vital factor in the success equation. Sadly, clearly articulated values are overlooked far too often.

Author Nikos Mourkogiannis wrote about this in his 2006 book, “Purpose: The Starting Point of Great Companies.” One might wonder why I’m discussing a 2006 book, but the answer is because that book addresses the situation at Jennifer’s company with predictive accuracy.

MISSION, VISION, VALUES A vision statement tells us where you see your organization being at some point in the future. A mission statement tells us what you will do to get there. But a pur-

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

pose statement or a values statement tells us your why. Such statements tell us what your organization chooses to value, and serves as guides for how to operate the organization on a dayto-day basis.

In his book, Mourkogiannis states that having a clear purpose goes beyond serving as a motivational focus. He says a value statement also acts as a unifier and therefore also serves as a long-term, enduring objective.

Mourkogiannis identifies four main types of moral purposes and one amoral purpose. Remember, a moral purpose serves to unify and drive employees. The four main moral purposes identified by Mourkogiannis are (in no particular order): • Discovery. This value drives a company striving to be curious and innovative. One example is Apple. Evidence for this value was in the slogan Apple used at the turn of the century, “Think Different.”

• Excellence. This value aligns with the belief that excellent performance represents the supreme good in life. One organizational example is Nike, which motivates people to push for optimal success.

• Altruism. Newman’s Own is an altruistic brand, as they donate all profits after taxes to charitable causes. This was also the value for Fairview, Jennifer’s company, before their new CEO arrived, as evidenced by their motto of “service first.”

• Heroism. Different than the value of Discovery, the value of Heroism involves risk-taking to take clients or customers to a new and better norm. Examples include the Ford Motor Company which made cars affordable for everyone, and Microsoft, which sought to put a computer in every home.

And what is the amoral purpose? Money. Mourkogiannis says money is not immoral, it’s simply amoral, in that it provides no sustainable internal drive for most people. Thus, when companies value the acquisition of money over all other purposes, their de facto purpose becomes expediency, which does not provide meaningful or unifying inspiration to individuals within an organization.

Jennifer’s new CEO shifted Fairview from a purpose of altruism to money, and in less than a year the company was crumbling. This aligns with the observation of Mourkogiannis that companies with a money purpose rarely survive the challenges they will inevitably face.

This is why I feel sorry for Fairview’s 600 employees. All it took was one person at the top to change the organization’s purpose, and now hundreds of formerly dedicated employees – and their clients – are suffering upheaval and loss. • 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.

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53

INSIGHTS

MEDICINE FOR THE SOUL

BY MARY TURNER, PH. D.

UT SOUTHWESTERN Q&A: WHAT IS STRESS AND HOW CAN WE MANAGE IT?

E

veryone experiences stress from time to time. And while brief bouts can be a good thing, prolonged or chronic stress can have negative effects on your overall health.

The causes can be many. In 2023, money was the most common factor negatively affecting Americans’ mental health, according to a recent survey from Bankrate. Other top factors include health, current events, relationships and work. Together, these stressors may cause feelings of anxiety, worrisome thoughts, loss of sleep and depression, the survey showed.

To gain perspective on stress and how it affects us, we spoke with Mary Turner, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and a member of the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Turner, a licensed psychologist, specializes in stress reduction and anxiety management and helps individuals going through major life changes and trauma.

EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOOD STRESS AND BAD STRESS. Good stress (eustress) and bad stress (distress) both elevate a hormone called cortisol in your bloodstream. Cortisol is a great kick-starter, providing a burst of energy for challenges like planning a wedding or dealing with a family crisis. However, prolonged elevation of cortisol can lead muscles and organs to become fatigued and the brain to lose focus. It is important to plan brief, relaxing 54

ICEMAGAZINE | JANUARY 2024

diversions that can restore energy and clarity to successfully navigate stressful situations.

WHAT KINDS OF HEALTH PROBLEMS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH TOO MUCH STRESS? Heart disease, asthma, obesity, diabetes, headaches, depression and anxiety are just some of the health issues affected by prolonged stress. Pause before you react to stress-driven impulses like eating, drinking or avoiding certain circumstances to cope with the unpleasant feeling. It only takes a minute to listen to a favorite song, take a few deep breaths, do a couple of stretches or step outside and feel the air on your skin to give your body and brain a break.

WHAT EFFECT DOES STRESS HAVE ON THE BRAIN? Stress creates a sense of urgency, forcing the brain to rely on reaction and reflex rather than experience and reason. Elevated cortisol levels send a signal to your brain that there is no time to think about things. This makes it more difficult to manage complex tasks. If you are not actually running from a tiger, it is more efficient to take a deep breath and rely on facts and knowledge than to react to an emotion.

WHAT IS THE LINK BETWEEN STRESS AND ALCOHOL? Alcohol interferes with the brain’s ability to be alert and on guard. The first glass of wine or cold beer brings an almost immediate (but artificial) sense of calm. But whatever stressors you had when you picked up the drink are still there. Your logical brain knows this, but ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

with each drink, the toxic effect of alcohol impairs reasoning and judgment. The urge to have a second drink to prolong the calm grows stronger and judgment grows weaker.

DOES STRESS MAKE YOU AGE FASTER? Stress is what we feel when cortisol levels increase. While cortisol is a powerful anti-inflammatory, prolonged elevations are detrimental to our body’s ability to recover from daily wear and tear. Loss of resiliency in our tissues, most obviously reflected in dry, crepey skin, also takes place in our vital organs. Thus, it is important to take breaks, use your days off, play with the dog, and give your body a chance to recover.

WHAT ARE SOME LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF STRESS? Stress can lead to poor sleep, fatigue, brain fog and slow recovery from minor injuries and infections. It can also create an overall negative outlook on life and a growing sense of apathy.

Some prolonged stressful events cannot be avoided. Major life changes often take months to resolve. During those periods, it can be helpful to get proper nutrition, enjoy fresh air, take walks and talk to friends.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BEST WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS? Your body secretes stress hormones in response to a difficult or threatening situation. The most useful strategy is to take a deep breath and break the tasks ahead of you into their smallest components. What is required of you in this minute? One small action completed is the first step to overcoming stress’s powerful inertia. When the task becomes manageable, the stress hormones dissipate.

WHEN SHOULD SOMEONE SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP? When stress, anxiety, anger or avoidance become your immediate response to situations others seem to manage easily, you may have developed a distorted view of yourself, other people or the world. When enduring a long, difficult, or emotionally challenging period, it is easy to lose confidence in yourself, to see other people as unreliable, and to think of the world as a difficult or dangerous place. Cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective tool to teach you to challenge the distortions and see yourself and the world in a more realistic fashion.

WHAT ARE SOME SIGNS THAT MEDICATION MIGHT BE NEEDED? Stress is a biochemical reaction that can help your body and brain cope with a challenge. In cases where stress has become second nature, it is not always possible to talk yourself into a calmer state. You may have gone weeks or months without sleeping, have no appetite, feel fatigued, lack focus, misplace things, or forget appointments, but there are still things you need to do. Medication can interrupt the stress and anxiety signals and give you a break. It is important to use that pause in your stress and anxiety to examine how you developed the problem and learn more effective strategies for managing what life throws at you. •

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THE SERIES EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT ICE Magazine connects with industry leaders to provide top-quality educational opportunities through its monthly webinar series.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT ICEWEBINARS.LIVE.

ICE Break IMAGING CROSSWORD

Quote of the Month:

“Quality is not an act, it is a habit.”

– Aristotle

Across

Down

1 Highly valued teamwork quality

1 Vital quality in team effectiveness

8 Sunrise time, abbr.

2 Connections

9 Reduce 11 MRI’s saturation ____ 13 Advantages 15 Small hindrance, as in plans 18 Managed 19 ____ red wavelength

3 C-Arm machine: advanced medcial imaging device 4 Numbered hwy., abbr.

5 File folder feature 6 Technology that provides clear pictures of internal body parts 7 Agree silently 10 Zing

21 Tough and durable

12 Type of nurse

22 Pathogenic bacterium

14 Siphon

23 Current measurement

16 Extreme anger

25 Nucleic acid initials 28 Alien in a sci-fi film 29 Has an effect on 32 Research document 34 Manuscript, for short 35 Zero 36 Respiratory conduit

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17 Relating to the healthcare of children 20 Room, abbr.

21 Job’s function 24 Eye part 26 Indicated name before married (French word) 27 Specify, in a way 30 Type of scan 31 Relaxation center 33 Score measuring a specific protein in the cells of the prostate gland, abbr.

ICEMAGAZINE

57

INDEX

ADVERTISER INDEX AllParts Medical p. 48

International X-Ray p. 19

CM Parts Plus p. 23 KEI Medical Imaging p. 55

Engineering Services p. 5

PM Imaging Management p. 53

Radon Medical LLC p. 50

KMG p. 47 HTMJobs.com p. 34

ICE Webinars p. 56

MW Imaging Corp. p. 25

Ray-Pac® Ray-Pac p. 60

Maull Biomedical p.50

Imaging Academy p. 2

RSTI p. 3

Technical Prospects p. 4 Metropolis International p. 45

Innovatus Imaging p. 9

SOLUTIONS

TriImaging Solutions p. 15

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ICEMAGAZINE | JANUARY 2024

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

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