ICE Magazine January 2025

FROM A DISTANCE

Regardless of the make, model or field strength, we have the team and infrastructure to get almost any MRI coil back up and running.

Quickly

With over 35 years of experience and more than 45,000 successful repairs, you can trust your devices to be repaired to their original design.

CHANGING THE NARRATIVE

CHANGE

Through innovation we want to change the perspective in the imaging space.

CONTROL

We want to put the control back in the hands of the decision makers.

COST SAVINGS

We understand our customers goals and we are developing a clear pathway to measurable savings.

has been with Tri-Imaging for 11 years!

Dan Faulkner, CT Tech

Dan

Kenneth Saltrick, President of Engineering Services in Twinsburg, Ohio, knows from his long experience that C-arm machines themselves are absolute workhorses.

For customers looking to blend the gap between expensive OEM and unreliable used assemblies, WE have your solution.

Our complete repair contains a new cable assembly, utilizing all OEM cable and components with a harvested plate and connector housing as they are proprietary items. These completely repaired products will have a significant cost savings with build quality above new OEM products and carry a warranty of 180 days, which is untouchable in the market.

JANUARY

DIRECTOR’S CUT

As leaders, we often react, but how often do we stop and reflect when there’s chaos and a mountain of things to fix?

IMAGING NEWS

The latest news and updates from the medical imaging community.

COVER STORY

A number of imaging facilities are turning to remote scanning solutions and staff to resolve their throughput and workforce needs. 10

PRODUCT FOCUS

A look at mobile imaging trailers and other solutions for medical facilities.

RISING STAR

Corewell Health Big Rapids & Reed City Hospitals Imaging Manager Joy Smith, MBA, BS, RT R M, holds multiple degrees including a Master of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Healthcare and an associate degree in applied sciencesradiography.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

We have two basic choices. We can find satisfaction in pointing fingers and assigning blame when mistakes are made, or we can learn from them. 50

President

Vice

Kristin

Vice

Jayme

Senior

Megan

Editorial

Editorial

Beth

David

Kimberly

Megan

Dean

Senior

Art

Karlee

Kristin

Digital

Cindy

Kennedy

Haley

Accounting

Diane

OMAR ISLAM

FOCUS IN

Omar Islam, MD,

FRCPC, DABR, Department of Diagnostic Radiology

Queen’s University

Kingston, Canada

Omar Islam, MD, FRCPC, DABR, leads the Department of Diagnostic Radiology at Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada. His imaging career started off in part because of his interest in technology.

“My path into radiology was shaped by my early interest in the intersection of technology and medicine, particularly through advanced imaging techniques. I pursued a Radiology Residency at Queen’s University, followed by a Neuroradiology Fellowship at Yale, which solidified my specialization in neuroradiology.

My department head at the time, Dr. Robert Ferguson, an interventional neuroradiologist, was my source of advice and inspiration. Neuroradiology has provided me with opportunities

to blend diagnostic expertise with cutting-edge technology, impacting patient care in meaningful ways,” he says.

His career has included exciting moments.

“One of my proudest achievements is helping bring the first clinical portable MRI to Canada, specifically to Moose Factory, Ontario, a remote community serving primarily Indigenous populations in Canada’s north,” Islam shares.

“This project helped improve access to deserving communities, who otherwise had limited or no opportunity for advanced radiology health care. Through this effort, we have been able to make strides in improving diagnostic access in remote settings and provided a framework for other remote communities in Canada to launch portable MRI program.”

As Islam shares details about

his career, it is obvious he enjoys his work.

“My work allows me to push the boundaries of medical imaging while contributing to patient-centered innovation,” he says. “I find immense fulfillment in leading projects that enhance diagnostic accuracy and improve patient access, particularly in underserved communities. No one day is the same. Each day brings opportunities to teach, innovate and make a lasting difference in radiology.”

When asked to look into his crystal ball, Islam points out that new technology will continue to be the future of medical imaging.

“Apart from the obvious, in which the future of imaging lies in the integration of artificial intelligence and the expansion of portable imaging, the opportunity of imaging lies in more direct contribution to patient care via advanced diagnostic and therapeutic techniques,” he says. “Radiologists will more and more take larger roles in disease therapies and management of the patient at all steps of their health care journey.”

“AI will continue transforming diagnostic accuracy and prediction of outcomes. AI will not replace radiologists, but those radiologists who embrace AI in their practice will replace those who don’t,” he adds.

Theranostics is an area that Islam says “will place radiology at the forefront of disease cure and prevention. Theranostics uses imaging techniques to guide the delivery of targeted therapy in the fields of cancer, cardiovascular, neurological and inflammatory conditions. This evolution in radiology will make diagnostic and therapeutic tools more equitable and accessible globally.”

When asked about his leadership style and goals, Islam stresses teamwork.

OMAR ISLAM

MD, FRCPC, DABR

1. What is the last book you read? The most recent one was “Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking,” by Malcolm Gladwell. I am trying to make quicker decisions!

2. Favorite movie? There has not been a horror movie that I haven’t liked, and one can’t go wrong with the classics “The Exorcist,” “The Birds,” “The Shining,” or the “Omen” trilogy.

3. What is something most of your coworkers don’t know about you? I wish I was a day-trader. I would love the opportunity to immerse myself in the world of Wall Street!

4. Who is your mentor? I have had a few, Dr. Gordon Sze comes to mind when I was a trainee at Yale, and currently I would say it would be one of my predecessors, former department head Dr. Bob Nolan.

“Leadership, to me, is about collaboration and setting a vision. As head of diagnostic radiology at Queen’s University, I focus on fostering a supportive environment to provide a foundation where innovation and professional development thrive,” he states. “I believe in empowering my team through clear communication, mentorship, and shared goals, aiming to drive advancements in patient care and academic radiology.”

His leadership approach is no doubt a result of work with mentors who helped guide and shape his professional development.

“During my fellowship at Yale, I was fortunate to have mentors who emphasized the importance of curiosity, discipline and compassion in radiology,” Islam reflects. “Dr. Gordon Sze was that inspiring leader. More recently, Dr. Bob Nolan, professor emeritus of radiology at Queen’s University has been a father figure, pushing and prodding me to continue to explore more and better for our patients.”

“Their collective guidance inspired me to approach complex cases thoughtfully and serve as a mentor to others. At Queen’s University, I mentor radiology residents, imaging professionals and other faculty colleagues, emphasizing a holistic approach to learning that combines technical skill with empathy and resilience,” he adds.

Speaking of father figures, Islam is also quick to mention the strong support he has from home.

“My family has been a source of strength and inspiration throughout my career. There are three generations of family members in our home. They are a great reminder of the importance of balancing work with quality time and staying grounded in the values that matter most,” Islam says.•

5. What is one thing you do every morning to start your day? My morning coffee routine has not changed in 25 years. I am stubbornly addicted to my favorite caffeine fix and follow the same path every day to get it.

6. Best advice you ever received? Stop talking and start listening.

7. Who has had the biggest influence on your life? My wife and two sons.

8. What would your superpower be? Predict the stock market

9. What are your hobbies? I used to do stamp collecting. Tennis and traveling.

10. What is your perfect meal? One cannot beat an oldfashioned meatloaf, well done, with baked potatoes.

SPOTLIGHT

RISING STAR

JOY SMITH, MBA, BS, RT R M

It is a bright new year and this month’s Rising Star is committed to professional development. Corewell Health Big Rapids & Reed City Hospitals Imaging Manager Joy Smith, MBA, BS, RT R M, holds multiple degrees including a Master of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Healthcare and an associate degree in applied sciences-radiography. All three degrees are from Ferris State University.

ICE Magazine recently interviewed Smith to find out more about her career and goals.

Q: WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? OR WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

A: Marquette, Michigan. I lived in Green Bay, Wisconsin, for 8 years and live in Big Rapids, Michigan, now.

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

A: In my first year of college, I met someone at a local park wearing a fleece jacket with “Radiology” embroidered on it. Intrigued, I asked about radiology, and they eagerly shared their knowledge and experiences as a technologist. Their enthusiasm for providing imaging care was contagious, inspiring me to research the field further. That very night, I decided to enroll in a radiology program, driven by their passion and dedication. My passion for caring for people in times of need and working as a team fit perfectly with this career choice.

Q: WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING ASPECT OF YOUR JOB?

A: Collaborating with team members to listen to their ideas and suggestions is incredibly rewarding. By actively working to remove barriers and implementing solutions together, we continuously improve our processes, making

work more efficient and seamless. A key focus is always on enhancing safety. We recently completed extensive training in high reliability organization education and my imaging team excelled in identifying safety enhancement ideas that were either quick just do its or smaller projects. I am always impressed how attentive they are in learning and applying. Embracing change is a constant in our field, and navigating it becomes especially fulfilling when we keep both patients and team members at the heart of our efforts. We are currently launching a new patient experience survey using Qualtrics and there is a great deal of excitement to receive our first results. This approach not only fosters a supportive and innovative work environment but also ensures that we are always striving for excellence in patient care and team collaboration. I have been incredibly fortunate to collaborate with an exceptional imaging team. Each member brings unique value and dynamic insights, which continually inspire me to show up as my best self-daily to support them.

Another rewarding aspect of my role is the outstanding leadership team and colleagues I work with every day. I have an exceptional local executive leadership team that is highly engaged and supportive of our work in imaging. They engage often to help remove any barriers and show genuine interest in the services we provide. We recently had an all-leader networking event outside of work that really helped me get to know other leaders that I work with less frequently, that was really cool! Additionally, I collaborate daily with a truly talented imaging leadership team, giving me the opportunity to find and implement best practices. We have the autonomy to think big and introduce new ideas to align processes. The last team event we did was a leadership bowling event, it was impressive to see how many skilled bowlers we have, I however am not one of them. I am fortunate to know many of my colleagues as people, too, We can have fun together which makes the hard work we do even more meaningful and manageable.

Q: WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR POSITION?

A: The ability to positively influence workplace culture and shape a high performing, engaged team is invaluable. By fostering an environment where team members feel motivated and supported, we can ensure that every patient receives exceptional imaging care. This involves not only leading by example but also actively listening to team members’ needs and ideas, encouraging continuous professional development, and recognizing their contributions. We spend a lot of time learning core culture concepts and referring to them in conversations. When a team is united and driven by a shared commitment to excellence, the quality of patient care naturally rises. This collaborative spirit and dedication to high standards create a thriving workplace where both patients and team members benefit immensely. I genuinely value working closely with my front-line team, watching them in action, and supporting each other. Their vital role in patient care is truly commendable, and I greatly appreciate all that they do.

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

A: One of my greatest accomplishments in leadership has been investing in people and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation. By building strong networks and ensuring visibility, I have helped shape an environment where team members feel empowered to speak up and share their ideas. Actively listening to their insights and gaining their buy-in has been crucial in this process. I maintain a taking action kaizen newspaper that captures suggestions that I couldn’t complete each week, update it with progress and share it with the team in a weekly email, this has been a helpful tool for everyone. This approach not only encourages team members to offer solutions but also promotes a sense of ownership and engagement. As

a result, we have cultivated a highperforming team that is dedicated to continuous improvement and exceptional patient care. This collaborative and inclusive atmosphere has been instrumental in driving our success and ensuring that every voice is heard and valued.

I have developed an environment of gratitude and appreciation, being very intentional about specific and frequent recognition. Being focused on this aspect creates a positive, cheerful and fun department to be a part of. Our team makes it a priority to acknowledge both small gestures of thanks and significant achievements through enCore, WOW cards, hand-written thank you cards, and weekly gratefulness emails. We also deliberately take time to pause and celebrate often, whether it’s passing an MQSA inspection, a technologist passing a new registry, onboarding new team members, offering a new service, no findings in a TJC survey, new equipment, and much more. We acknowledge and spotlight the great things we do. We celebrate in various ways, and there’s always some kind of food involved!

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

A: Continued growth and development as a leader are essential for both personal and organizational success. By aligning my skills with opportunities that support the organization’s goals, I can effectively contribute to its mission and vision. This involves seeking out new challenges, embracing learning opportunities, and staying adaptable to change. By doing so, I not only enhance my own capabilities but also inspire and empower my team to strive for excellence.

My commitment to professional development ensures that I am always prepared to meet the evolving needs of the organization, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. This proactive approach helps in building a resilient and high-performing team dedicated to achieving outstanding results. •

FUN FACTS

FAVORITE HOBBY:

Volunteering and participating in a variety of community events.

FAVORITE SHOW:

I do not watch TV or have a favorite show. I spend my time reading instead.

FAVORITE FOOD: Mediterranean cuisine

FAVORITE VACATION SPOT: Anna Maria Island, Florida

1 THING ON YOUR BUCKET LIST:

To cultivate a lush, homegrown garden in my yard, brimming with numerous delightful vegetables and fruits. Possibly add a few chickens to peck around the yard too.

SOMETHING YOUR CO-WORKERS DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU: Something people might not know about me is that I love singing 90s and 2000s songs. Even though I don’t have the best singing voice (at all, ha-ha), I have a blast belting out some of my favorite tunes from that era. It’s all about having fun and enjoying the music!

Rad idea

BY JOHN WALLACE

BE S.M.A.R.T. ABOUT GOALS

BSpecific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time-Based

elieve it or not, 2024 is over and 2025 is here. And, what comes with every new year? That’s right … goals!

A lot of organizations use S.M.A.R.T. goals and I recommend that approach to anyone who is serious about meeting their goals.

The use of S.M.A.R.T. goals is a popular approach. S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based. Each ingredient in the S.M.A.R.T. recipe works with the other ingredients to create a goal that is carefully planned, clear and trackable.

The following is information from Indeed.com that explains more about the SMART goals approach and how to craft goals for the new year.

S = Specific

Be as clear and specific as possible with what you want to achieve. The more narrow your goal, the more you’ll understand the steps necessary to achieve it.

M = MEASURABLE

What evidence will prove you’re making progress toward your goal? For example, if your goal is to earn a position managing a development team for a startup tech company, you might measure progress by the number of management positions you’ve applied for and the number of interviews you’ve completed. Setting milestones along the way will give you the opportunity to re-evaluate and course-correct as needed. When you achieve your milestones, remember to reward yourself in small but meaningful ways.

A = ACHIEVABLE

Have you set an achievable goal? Setting goals you can reasonably accomplish within a certain timeframe will help keep you motivated and focused. Using the above example of earning a job managing a development team, you should know the credentials, experience and skills necessary to earn a leadership position. Before you begin working toward a goal, decide whether it’s something you can achieve now or whether there are additional preliminary steps you should take to become better prepared.

R = RELEVANT

When setting goals for yourself, consider whether or not they are relevant. Each of your goals should align with your values and larger, long-term goals. If a goal doesn’t contribute toward your broader objectives, you might rethink it. Ask yourself why the goal is important to you, how achieving it will help you and how it will contribute toward your long-term goals.

T = TIME-BASED

What is your goal timeframe? An end-date can help provide motivation and help you prioritize. For example, if your goal is to earn a promotion to a more senior position, you might give yourself six months. If you haven’t achieved your goal in that timeframe, take time to consider why. Your timeframe might have been unrealistic, you might have run into unexpected roadblocks or your goal might have been unachievable.

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

“ICE Webinars always provide great timely information in a well planned format.”

- Nancy Godby, Director of Radiology, Cabell Huntington HospitalMarshall Health Network

“I attend ICE Webinars to learn more about other imaging styles and get CE credits.”

- Amanda Brunson, Manager of CT and MR Imaging Services , MUSC Health Orangeburg

“I participate in these webinars to enrich my professional knowledge and to be able to share the news in the field with my students. “

- Calin Corciova, Associate Professor, Medical Bioengineering Faculty

“I attend ICE webinars because of the variety of topics and presenters.”

- John Beall, Regional Director, United Imaging Healthcare

“I attend ICE Webinars to learn more information related to radiology and imaging technology.”

- Krista Andrews, Imaging Manager, BSHW

Clock Off THE

D.J. PATEL, INFORMATIC PACS MANAGER, DEBORAH HEART AND LUNG CENTER, BROWNS MILLS, NJ

BY MATT SKOUFALOS

As a child growing up in New Jersey, D.J. Patel loved recording music from the radio broadcasts in his home. He played a bit of piano, and would go on to become an accomplished dancer/choreographer, but Patel believed the most direct way of communicating the emotions that he felt from music to was by becoming a deejay. He dreamed of kicking off parties, watching crowds roil and churn, and taking everyone through the experience from behind the turntables.

“Music relieved my stress; it took me to my happy place,” Patel said. “Through music, I expressed my different culture to the world. You just feel it. So, I went into deejaying because you can help make memories for people.”

“It’s kind of a blessing,” he said; “you’re making someone’s event more memorable, and it’s something that makes me happy.”

Patel started by trawling the CD bins at the local video stores in North Jersey, taking his inspiration from the discs within; soundtracks from Bollywood movies were among his favorites. He would convert them into audio files on his home computer, and then remix the individual tracks with digital audio workstation (DAW) software like ACID. Self-taught, his passion for music propelled his proficiency in software as Patel grew and developed his own library of music.

“I learned it here and there on my own, and just kind of went with it,” he said. “I never went to school for computers; I just learned by doing it. I got inspired listening to the radio, and then thought, ‘What would happen if I took this song, and this other song, and mashed them up? I started building my collection, and doing my own thing.”

Patel began sharing some of his remixes with friends, building confidence in his abilities. But if he were going to

become a working deejay, he’d need to invest in an equipment setup. Eventually, Patel worked up the nerve to share his dream with his father, who laughed it off and told him to focus on his schooling. He persisted, however, and in the 11th grade, with some support from his mom, eventually borrowed $1,000 from dad to pick up a pair of speakers and his first audio mixer.

“I’ve always been a person who followed my heart no matter what,” Patel said. “That’s where the real answer is.”

His father was more convinced by his son’s promise to repay the loan once he began earning money from the business, and after three or four gigs, Patel did just that. Ultimately, he said his dad was “glad that he didn’t say no,” to his son’s dream, but reminded him to finish his education, and told his son to save more of the money he earned than he spent.

Patel wasn’t picky; it didn’t matter whether his clients were hosting 10 people or 1,000. When he started out, his main focus was learning how to read a room and react to the crowd; learning how to gauge whether the audience was connecting with the song he was playing, and if not, how to rescue the mood.

“The beauty of deejaying is, because you do such a variety of events, you have to be open to everything and what people like,” Patel said. “Every year for me, what I liked changed. I would mix Bollywood with EDM or house, and take it wide to the people. There’s so many genres that it’s ridiculous.”

For his first gig, Patel remembered bringing along his home desktop computer, which he connected to the party host’s home audio system. Before he’d made enough money to purchase his audio software, Patel had to be quick to mix down the onboard voiceover that otherwise would loudly proclaim to the audience that they were listening to the free trial version. (Sometimes he wasn’t fast enough.)

“I would critique myself after every event, and think about

how I could improve,” Patel said. “From there to now, I’m running with the top brands you can get. I only mess with RCF or Yorkville speakers; digital mixers, Sennheiser and Shure mics.”

Those modest, early moments helped build his confidence. From starting off with smaller gigs at first – birthday parties, Sweet Sixteen celebrations, anniversaries, baby showers – Patel grew to book parties backing entertainers from around the world, and ultimately traveled to deejay across the country and around the globe.

In Hindu tradition, his name, Darshan, refers to the act of seeing and being seen by a deity or holy person; a “glimpse” or “divine sight” that’s considered auspicious. His friends shortened it to “Darsh,” and audiences came to know him as “DJ Darsh.”

“I’ve played in Mexico, the UK, Canada, India, Colombia, and in 2026, I have Italy coming up,” Patel said. “I want to go back to India to play because the deejay scene is on the rise; that’s something by which I could hopefully reach a bigger audience.”

In addition to broadening his musical library, learning about the musical and cultural tastes of audiences around the world also gave Patel experiences that he could never otherwise have accessed. He spoke about opening clubs, meeting major entertainers, and enhancing his performances with professional lighting rigs, smoke machines, and other visual and atmospheric effects.

However, none of these means as much to Patel as the mindfulness of a well-chosen song. He aligns his selections with the lyrical content of the moment as much as with the melody and rhythm of the songs. Those considerations allow him to communicate his own emotions for clients who are enjoying a special celebration.

“When you’re dancing, you don’t care what they’re saying

as long as the beat’s right,” Patel said. “For family stuff, I pay closer attention to the lyrics. If the words touch me, then I’ll play that. I give every client their special moment; that special touch from my point of view.”

As his career in imaging informatics has taken off, Patel has continued to deejay and to develop his mixes. He plans to continue marketing his business, DJ Darsh Entertainment, to broader audiences, and hopes to travel more to reach them with his signature style.

“Music touches your soul,” Patel said. “The emotions that come out of it have impacted me to this day. You just feel it. I’ve met so many people. Everyone has their own way of celebrating, and music feeds your soul.” •

PHOTO: DJ DARSH ENTERTAINMENT CHICAGO, IL

ICE Debut

ICE Magazine is excited to share more information about HealthLevel in this month’s issue.

“HealthLevel has been in business for nearly 15 years. We’re known as the company behind Foundations™, the leading radiology business operations platform,” explained HealthLevel Director of Marketing Hijinio Reynoso. “We’re extremely excited about HealthLevel’s contributions to the radiology community: Foundations™ is boosting the operational efficiency and financial performance of departments, practices, and centers in valuable ways, while also improving quality. It increases staff productivity and increases the number of and speed at which patients are seen, while improving their experiences. Thousands of staff members use Foundations™ with zero-training because they find it to be easy-to-use, fast and stable.”

Reynoso shared more information about this established company that is new to ICE Magazine.

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

A: We have a business operations platform for radiology, which is different from a data warehouse, RIS, PACS, EMR/EHR, RCM, or typical reporting tool. Even in the presence of AI tools, what sets Foundations™ apart is its ability to deliver actionable data to users in real time – it blends clinical, financial and operational data. Meaningful data is just a click away for anyone that has access; e.g., volumes by modality, financial performance, predictive insights, historical performance, order statuses, resource utilization, appointment insights, staff productivity and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We also have solutions for life-critical, patient-handoff workflows; easy radiology protocoling; efficient peer reviews at scale; forecasting and scenario analysis; as well as workload and vacation negotiator tools. Our customers experience routine zero-downtime upgrades, ensuring that they are using the most current version of our platform. (We’re also particularly proud of the fact that Foundations™ is treated as a life-critical application because of its uptime reputation.) Furthermore, Foundations™ is vendorneutral and is recognized as a no-code platform, meaning that new report types can be created with a few clicks (i.e., no programming required). Individual staff members use our reports to incrementally improve the productivity of their own

roles; collectively, this leads to significant improvements for the entire organization’s operational efficiency. In comparison, we’ve talked with people who spend upwards of 40 hours each month to prepare a business performance report – in a spreadsheet – for a select few who then make business decisions with outdated information. With Foundations™, realtime decisions are made with real-time reporting.

Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY GOALS YOU WOULD LIKE TO ACHIEVE IN THE NEAR FUTURE?

A: Our goals are directed by what our customers demand. We’re excited that they’ve been asking for more clinical workflow tools that address patient follow-ups, improvements to room turnaround and table times, and revenue integrity (financial performance). Meanwhile, our CIO partners are asking us to expand within their organizations to improve IT efficiency; Foundations™ does a great job of providing interoperability between disparate applications – this takes the burden off of IT staff so they can focus on other priorities. We also recognize that a lot of organizations are still swimming in data and don’t know what to do with all of it. So, we’re on a long-term mission to deliver solutions that bring value to radiology data; by presenting (otherwise-hidden) insights in a meaningful way, we empower organizations with the tools they need to increase their operational efficiency and boost their bottom line.

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

A: HealthLevel’s success is built on the value and benefits that our customers get out of Foundations™, and when you look at our renewals and the longevity of our customers, you can see that our track record speaks for itself. We treat our customers extremely well, and in return, they treat us as a trusted partner rather than just another vendor. If you were to ask them, they’d tell you the same. That’s why our new and repeat customer business is driven by positive word-of-mouth. We never lose sight of what’s important: our customers and their customers (i.e., patients). (We’re also hiring! Come join one of the best teams in a data engineering, platform engineering, services, support or sales role.)

Readers can learn more about our radiology business operations platform, Foundations™, and all of its benefits at healthlevel.com/foundations •

RSNA 2024 Highlighted the Importance of Connection

The Radiological Society of North America’s (RSNA) 110th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting (RSNA 2024), held at Chicago’s McCormick Place Dec. 1-5, offered nearly 39,000 registrants a wealth of opportunities to exchange ideas and connect across a comprehensive science and education program and over 412,000 square feet of technical exhibits. The meeting’s theme was “Building Intelligent Connections.”

“We’ve received a great deal of positive feedback on the RSNA 2024 experience,” said RSNA Executive Director Mark G. Watson. “The sessions were lively, the technical exhibit halls were bustling, and attendees enjoyed outstanding education and scientific research across every radiology subspecialty. As the world’s largest medical imaging forum, the RSNA annual meeting continues to deliver an unparalleled scientific program, an array of opportunities for professional networking and career

advancement, and access to the latest in medical imaging technologies designed to enhance patient care.”

RSNA 2024 featured more than 860 scientific papers, more than 1,700 scientific posters, more than 1,500 education exhibits and more than 300 educational courses.

The meeting offered thought-provoking plenary sessions from luminaries in the fields of radiology and artificial intelligence (AI). The plenary sessions focused on radiology’s bright future and the important role AI plays in empowering radiologists.

In his President’s Address, Curtis P. Langlotz, M.D., Ph.D., discussed opportunities for radiologists to leverage human and technology synergies to advance medical practice and foster innovation.

“If we want to thrive as a specialty, we need to build a new foundation for our practice – one that’s based on connections,” Langlotz said, “connections with other healthcare practitioners to improve patient care, connections between new technologies

and systems for better workflow, and connections with each other and the broader world to exchange ideas and to innovate.”

Langlotz shared his vision of how radiologists can apply AI tools to their advantage, transforming the patient experience and benefiting healthcare overall.

“Our unique connection to technology places us in a pivotal role as the healthcare system adopts these new tools,” he said. “The human-machine connection between radiologist and AI will enhance diagnostic accuracy and reduce workload, preventing burnout and freeing up time to do the work we love to do.”

Beyond the plenary lectures, popular meeting features like the Image Interpretation Session, Case of the Day, and the “Microbial Mayhem” game show offered interactive opportunities for attendees. “Fast 5” sessions delivered brisk, novel presentations related to the “Building Intelligent Connections” theme.

Research and education presentations spanned a wide variety of subjects, including recent studies on hot topics in imaging like low-field and mobile MRI, theranostics, multiomic and multicenter radiology AI, and value -based, equitable and sustainable radiology. AI continued to be a strong presence, with hundreds of research papers, posters, courses and education exhibits focusing on AI’s role in improving diagnosis, patient management and workflow.

RSNA 2024’s Technical Exhibits covered 412,600 square feet and featured 722 exhibitors – including 139 first-time RSNA exhibitors – demonstrating the latest medical imaging advances in CT, MRI, AI, 3D printing and more. Guided exhibit tours

SAVE

THE

allowed attendees to connect with colleagues and industry leaders, while gaining unique insights into the impressive technology.

The technical exhibits areas featured the expansive AI Showcase and Theater, as well as the “Radiology Reimagined: AI, innovation and interoperability in practice” demonstration. The Innovation Theater, 3D Printing and Mixed Reality Showcase, First-time Exhibitor Pavilion, Educators Row and Recruiters Row were also housed within the technical exhibits.

The AI Showcase allowed attendees to connect with companies to see the latest in machine learning and AI products and learn more about how to implement these novel applications in their practices. The AI Theater hosted several engaging presentations, as well as a recognition event for the teams with the top performing models in the RSNA Lumbar Spine Degenerative Classification AI Challenge.

Industry programming at RSNA 2024 included corporate symposia, “Lunch and Learns,” vendor workshops, AI Theater and Innovation Theater presentations, and virtual presentations.

RSNA is committed to hosting a sustainable annual meeting. For more than two decades, RSNA has been updating processes and making changes to ensure the biggest week in radiology is environmentally mindful and socially responsible.

Attendees with RSNA 2024 Virtual Access can view more than 480 education and science sessions, and over 2,500 digital presentations until April 30, 2025, at noon CT.

RSNA 2025, the Society’s 111th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, will take place Nov. 30-Dec. 4, 2025, in Chicago. •

DATE: FEBRUARY 22-24, 2025

FEBRUARY

Imaging News

A LOOK AT WHAT’S CHANGING IN THE IMAGING INDUSTRY

EARN CEUS AT ICE 2025

The Imaging Conference & Expo (ICE) 2025 gets more and more excited every month!

The latest news is that ICE 2025 is approved for 24 CEUs, by the ACI. The CEU approval code is 0225IV-24, which is valid through February 22, 2026.

Registration is now open for the 2025 Imaging Community Exchange set February 22-24 in Orlando, Florida. Sign up today at AttendICE.com.

ICE 2025 boasts top-flight educational sessions, a large exhibit hall, networking events and more. Among the additional features are a leadership summit, keynote presentations and a reverse expo.

The conference begins Saturday, February 22 with Leadership Summit events. The Leadership Summit is by invitation only.

The next day features educational sessions starting at 9:30 a.m.

The ICE Break Networking Lunch starts at noon followed by the third educational session time slot at 1:30 p.m.

The first keynote address “The Secrets to Time Management Magic” by Fred Moore starts at 2:45 p.m. followed by the Exhibit Hall Grand Opening from 4-6 p.m. Monday, February 24 has 4 educational time slots. The conference concludes with a signature event – the Poolside Finale Party at 5 p.m.

ICE 2025 sponsors include AllParts Medical, MW Imaging, Emergent Connect, PartsSource and Ray-Pac.

For more information, visit AttendICE.com •

KONICA MINOLTA HEALTHCARE LAUNCHES EXA ENTERPRISE

Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas Inc. recently launched Exa Enterprise, an enterprise imaging solution with its integrated PACS/RIS core powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS). By leveraging AWS HealthImaging, Exa Enterprise provides a highly scalable, web-based platform with cybersecurity measures and exceptionally fast access to data to boost efficiency across imaging specialties. Designed for hospitals up to 500 beds and hospital-owned and large imaging centers, Exa Enterprise integrates best-in-class, third-party partner solutions for vendor neutral archive (VNA), universal viewer, advanced visualization, image sharing, AI-powered workflow orchestration, business intelligence and speech and reporting.

“With specialization in integrated PACS/RIS and private cloud services for imaging centers, including several national, multi-state and independently owned chains, Konica Minolta is well-positioned to design and develop the platform of the future,” says Tim Kearns, director of marketing, HCIT. “This enterprise ecosystem provides customers with optimal solutions based on their needs and specialties. We see this enabling our customers to clinically advance their practice across the hospital or imaging center.”

• Apollo, the leader in clinical workflow solutions, to enable every clinical department throughout the enterprise to securely acquire, manage and access all clinical content through the company’s VNA, arcc, The Apollo Repository for Clinical Content.

• NewVue, a leader in cloud-native radiology workflow solutions, empowering radiology practices with its innovative EmpowerSuite Workflow Orchestrator and Command Center, featuring an AI-curated radiologist worklist and advanced tools for peer review, critical results and discrepancy management.

Through AWS HealthImaging, a HIPAA-eligible service that helps healthcare and life science organizations and their software partners to store, analyze, and share medical imaging data at petabyte scale, Konica Minolta’s Exa Enterprise platform empowers healthcare organizations to accelerate innovation while minimizing the complexities and costs of medical image data management. AWS HealthImaging for Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS) provides facilities with significant storage savings and exceptional speed, enabling Konica Minolta’s customers to increase image storage savings, image retrieval speeds and data security through a centralized, secure and compliant access point for their medical imaging data.

Built on the Exa Platform, Exa Enterprise is built for speed, high-volume imaging and scalability. With its accessible API, partner solutions are tightly integrated to amplify Exa Enterprise.

Konica Minolta has partnered with several best-in-class solutions providers for Exa Enterprise, including:

• Clearpath Technologies’ automated platform, which enables medical record and image sharing between healthcare facilities, patients, providers, legal requestors and third parties, making it the first comprehensive solution that automates sharing across the entire care continuum.

• Quinsite’s Comprehensive Healthcare Analytics Platform, empowering department leaders with robust, reliable data insights from clinical, billing and operational systems to support informed decision-making and guide success.

“Our focus is on workflow and providing the tailored tools that radiologists need to work smarter and make better decisions, sooner, and that imaging center and hospital department managers need to improve patient outcomes and boost practice efficiency and business operations,” says Matthew Andersen, executive director, product management, HCIT. “Today, we’re managing nearly 3 petabytes of data in our data centers, which includes multicenter imaging practices with hundreds of thousands of studies flowing in and out of our private cloud every day.”

Andersen adds, “We want to scale not only the resources, but feature functionality. Each customer can decide how they want to orchestrate their clinical workflow by individual radiologist preferences and clinical priorities. Our image sharing platform delivers images to any authorized stakeholder and advanced analytics provides actionable insights for data driven decision making. Exa Enterprise also enables imaging business teams to improve patient flow, identify trends, reduce costs and use data to make decisions more efficiently. It is the complete enterprise imaging package that hospitals and groups are asking for today. •

GE HEALTHCARE, RADNET FORGE AI COLLABORATION

GE HealthCare and DeepHealth Inc., a global leader in AI-powered health informatics, has announced a strategic collaboration to further the innovation, commercialization and adoption of AI in imaging.

The two companies aim to develop SmartTechnology solutions that harness the transformative power of AI to address key challenges across the imaging value chain, including helping increase the efficiency of imaging interpretation and reporting, enabling collaboration across care teams, improving the clinical interpretation of images, and enhancing operational efficiency and productivity. These new SmartTechnology solutions will seek to combine GE HealthCare’s imaging expertise and scale, RadNet’s deep experience in care delivery, and DeepHealth’s AI-powered health informatics portfolio to elevate patient care through improved end-to-end clinical and operational workflows.

With the global cancer burden continuing to rise, health systems face increasing challenges and seek solutions to enhance early detection and diagnosis when treatment can be most effective. To help address these challenges and demonstrate the promise of this strategic relationship, the two companies will first work to bring together DeepHealth’s AI-based SmartMammo workflow and clinical solution and GE HealthCare’s patient-centric Senographe Pristina mammography system to bring AI-powered clinical imaging support to breast cancer screening.

GE HealthCare’s Senographe Pristina mammography system was designed to ease anxiety the moment the patient enters the exam room. It features an inviting gantry with elegant lighting and rounded shapes, as well as a soft-curved surface that welcomes patients into a space of comfort and support – with 83% of patients rating their experience with Senographe Pristina better and more comfortable than previous exams.

RadNet’s DeepHealth SmartMammo is an AI-powered SaaS solution designed to seamlessly integrate into existing breast cancer diagnostic workflows, enhancing diagnostic accuracy and workflow efficiency. By embedding imaging informatics into

advanced mammography systems, the solution can support highvolume breast cancer screening programs. The SmartMammo offering will work to prioritize cases based on suspicion level and ensure seamless integration and interoperability with existing healthcare IT infrastructure.

SmartMammo includes: 1) a cloud-native smart enterprise image viewer with PACS functionality that enables fast image loading and real-time data rendering of multimodality images, accessible from any workstation and location, 2) integration with the radiologist worklist and reporting tools to streamline the workflow, and 3) a suite of clinical AI detection tools that offers automatic lesion localization and degree of suspicion that are effective in diverse populations and dense breast tissue. The cloud-native architecture of the DeepHealth OS powering SmartMammo simplifies support and maintenance while allowing for seamless feature updates and functionality enhancements without any downtime.

Through this collaboration, the two companies also seek to include Smart Alerts, a DeepHealth workflow solution to be integrated with Senographe Pristina that will utilize rapid AI processing with the goal of alerting imaging sites to cases with potentially suspicious lesions in minutes. This kind of solution aims to empower same-day diagnostic exams, follow-up compliance, and reduced anxiety for women with potentially suspicious findings.

The two companies’ agreement will enable GE Healthcare to distribute SmartMammo and other DeepHealth solutions to imaging providers in the United States as part of GE HealthCare’s comprehensive portfolio of imaging technologies.

In addition to collaborating on SmartMammo, GE HealthCare and RadNet’s DeepHealth intend to explore areas of further collaboration for SmartTechnology solutions in other modalities and clinical domains, to expand the access to and impact of AIbased workflows. •

MYRTI CLOUD SERVICE GROWS 70% IN SIX MONTHS

RTI Group, a global leader in quality assurance (QA) solutions for diagnostic radiology, has reported continued success for its cloud-based QA management platform, myRTI, which has seen user adoption soar by over 70% in the past six months.

Since its launch two years ago, myRTI has redefined how health care organizations manage diagnostic imaging quality assurance, offering a scalable, cloudbased solution that ensures precision, compliance and efficiency. Serving diverse organizations from local imaging facilities to international hospital networks, myRTI is revolutionizing workflows by seamlessly integrating hardware and software solutions.

Elin Sahlberg, CEO of RTI Group, stated, “The rapid growth of myRTI reflects the market’s demand for innovative solutions that simplify complex processes. Health care providers are embracing the future of QA management by choosing platforms that ensure accuracy, compliance and connectivity. This growth confirms our commitment to transforming QA through smarter, cloud-driven solutions.”

Key features driving adoption of myRTI include:

• Enhanced Efficiency: Simplifies management of QA

data across multimodal imaging systems.

• Scalability: Supports small clinics, large hospitals and multi-site health care systems.

• Compliance: Ensures seamless adherence to stringent international standards.

• Collaboration: Fosters connectivity and teamwork through a centralized cloud platform.

For more information about myRTI, visit rtigroup. com/ocean-next-software/ •

WORLD’S FIRST SPECTRAL 4DCT RESPIRATORY-GATED IMAGING RECEIVES FDA 510(K) CLEARANCE

Royal Philips recently announced a major advance in radiation oncology with 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its new detectorbased spectral computed tomography (CT) radiotherapy solution. Philips Spectral CT 7500 RT marks the next step in personalized cancer care by integrating the unique tumor visualization and tissue characterization capabilities of spectral CT into cancer treatment and planning. Radiation oncologists can now precisely target radiation therapy to the specific physiological characteristics of a patient’s tumor, minimizing damage to healthy surrounding tissue and reducing potential unwanted side effects.

Spectral CT 7500 RT revolutionizes radiation oncology imaging by combining true conventional and spectral CT capabilities in a single scan, seamlessly integrating into existing clinical workflows. As the first radiation therapy CT scanner to offer respiratory-gated spectral imaging, radiation oncologists have all the benefits of 4D conventional CT, and can also now apply the improved visualization and quantification of spectral CT. This latest

innovation from Philips benefits radiotherapy departments by reducing the costs of additional scans while enhancing accuracy and enabling more effective treatment plans for a greater number of cancer patients.

“Tumor delineation, beam attenuation, and respiratory motion are critical factors in radiotherapy planning. The spectral information provided by Spectral CT 7500 RT enhances tissue characterization, enabling wider access to highly personalized and precisely targeted treatment for more patients without adding extra steps to current radiotherapy workflows,” said Dan Xu, global business leader of CT at Philips.

Spectral CT has been shown to reduce proton stopping-power ratio (SPR) error by more than 50% compared to conventional CT, improving the accuracy of radiation treatment and sparing healthy tissue. Philips Spectral CT 7500 RT acquires both true conventional CT and spectral CT information in a single scan. It can automatically create the SPR map and direct electron density (ED) results with less than 1% deviation to enhance both the dose calculation and accuracy of radiotherapy

“The Spectral CT system provides us with several capabilities that conventional CT does not have. It can provide electron density and effective atomic number results, which we can convert to the proton stopping-power ratio. And published data shows that the stopping power ratio obtained in this way has fewer uncertainties compared to regular calibration curves, thereby reducing the uncertainty margins during treatment planning,” said Dr. Zhong Su, physics director, department of radiation oncology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Medical Center. •

ECHOLIGHT, SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS SIGN AGREEMENT

Echolight, a global innovator in bone densitometry, announced that it has signed an agreement enabling Siemens Healthineers to be a reseller of Echolight bone densitometers in support of its women’s health solutions.

Echolight’s REMS (Radiofrequency Echographic Multi Spectometry) technology measures bone density and microarchitecture without using the radiation of traditional X-ray scans but instead through a simple ultrasound scan of axial anatomical sites such as the spine and femur. This radiation-free technology allows physicians to perform repeated scans for monitoring bone health over time. In addition, the ability to automatically exclude artifacts commonly present with other densitometry procedures yields a highly reliable diagnostic assessment.

“Bone health is a serious problem here in the U.S. This agreement provides expanded provider and patient access to

REMS technology in the U.S. through ultrasound-based bone density scanning as another option in the effort to diagnose and monitor bone health. Echolight is pleased to support Siemens Healthineers in their focus on women’s health and bone disease,” explained Thomas J. McLaughlin, executive commercial director, Echolight USA.

Echolight’s portable solution measures bone quantity and quality simultaneously, through evaluation of bone mineral density at the lumbar vertebrae (L1-L4) and the femoral neck providing all common parameters of the diagnosis of osteoporosis BMD (g/cm2), T-scores, and Z-score. It also measures fragility score through an independent assessment of internal bone structure to evaluate the risk of fracture in 5 years through dedicated statistical and spectral analysis. Siemens Healthineers will be offering the Echos Plus, Echostation, and Echohybrid Plus models. •

PRODUCTS

Market Report

MOBILE IMAGING TRAILER MARKET ZOOMS AHEAD

STAFF REPORT

The “Global Mobile Medical Imaging Market Trends and Growth Opportunities” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

This study reports on trends, challenges, drivers, restraints, competitive landscape and growth opportunities for mobile medical imaging systems in different clinical settings, including at-home medical imaging and remote diagnosis.

The report focuses on mobile imaging equipment for POC settings, enabling bedside imaging and remote diagnosis (excluding conventional, trailer-mounted mobile imaging equipment that users must transport to different locations). The geographic scope comprises North America, Europe, APAC, and the rest of the world (RoW).

There is a growing demand for mobile imaging equipment in low- and middle-income countries because of limited financial resources to procure, operate and maintain expensive medical imaging equipment. Other challenges include irregular power supply, poor network connectivity, inadequate site infrastructure, and delays because of the geographical distance from original equipment manufacturers.

traditional medical imaging equipment to free up the latter for when high-resolution images are required.

Cybersecurity is another challenge, as mobile imaging systems often handle personal health information. Regulations on patient data privacy and data sharing may slow the adoption of point-of-care (POC) imaging equipment.

Global Market Insights reports that the mobile imaging services market size was valued at $15.1 billion in 2022 and is estimated to account for $24.9 billion by 2032. Mobile imaging services, also known as portable mobile equipment, are used to offer easy access to diagnostic imaging. The major factors driving the growth of the market include rise in demand for portable medical imaging technology and services, and the growing prevalence of chronic diseases.

Fortune Business Insights issued a report that states that the global mobile imaging services market size was valued at $1.85 billion in 2023. The market is projected to grow from $1.94 billion in 2024 to $2.91 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.2% during the forecast period. North America dominated the mobile imaging services market with a market share of 37.84% in 2023.

In addition, telemedicine and remote monitoring have experienced rapid adoption in Asia-Pacific (APAC) markets (e.g., China, Korea, Japan, India, and Australia), especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, as they have been an effective medium for delivering healthcare services globally, especially in rural areas.

Some challenges with mobile imaging include low diagnostic quality compared to conventional medical imaging systems. However, health care professionals can use mobile imaging solutions in clinical applications where highresolution images are not required and as a supplement to

Mobile imaging services use portable imaging equipment to provide comprehensive X-ray, ultrasound and EKG services to various health care settings, including hospitals, long-term care settings and others. These services enable patients to have flexible access to imaging technology.

The growing prevalence of various chronic conditions, including cancer, cardiology diseases and others, is resulting in a rising number of patient admissions in hospitals and private clinics. Furthermore, the growing number of patient admissions is contributing to the surge in demand for these services among the patient population. •

Product Focus

Mobile Medical Services

MOBILE IMAGING GROUP (MIG)

GE SIGNA VOYAGER 1.5T MRI

The GE SIGNA Voyager 1.5T MRI has a 70 cm wide bore design that enhances patient comfort, accommodating diverse body types and reducing anxiety associated with confined spaces. A standout feature of the SIGNA Voyager is the integration of AIR Coils, which are lightweight and flexible, allowing for closer positioning to the patient’s anatomy. The system also incorporates AIR Recon DL, a deep-learningbased image reconstruction technology that significantly improves signal-to-noise ratio and image sharpness. This advancement enables shorter scan times increasing throughout. MIG’s brand new AMST mobile arrives March 1 and is ready for lease! For more information, visit mobileimaging.group/

*Disclaimer: Products are listed in no particular order.

2

Shared Medical Services (SMS) offers a cutting-edge Mobile Digital Cardiac PET/CT solution that combines advanced Digital PET/CT technology with the RUBY-FILL Rubidium Rb-82 Generator and Elution System from Jubilant Radiopharma. This innovative system delivers precise myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) for patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease. Designed for flexibility, this solution allows health care providers to choose between daily use or full-time access to both Digital PET/CT and Rb-82. Additionally, FDA-approved Flyrcado (flurpiridaz F 18 injection for PET MPI) unit doses will soon be available in select U.S. markets. The SMS mobile units are thoughtfully configured to support cardiac workflows with any PET MPI imaging agent and feature modern interiors for patient comfort, meeting the high standards of in-house cardiac PET/CT suites. With SMS’s scalable Mobile Digital Cardiac PET/CT solution, you gain more than advanced technology – you gain a trusted partner in patient care. Learn more at sharedmed.com or contact us via email at contactsms@sharedmed.com.

ARMOR MOBILE SYSTEMS

SHARED MEDICAL SERVICES

Daily Use Mobile Digital Cardiac PET/CT and Rubidium

Armor Mobile Systems has established itself as a leader in the mobile medical vehicle industry by prioritizing quality and patient-focused design. Their coaches are engineered entirely in-house, ensuring durability, reliability, and long-lasting performance, all backed by an impressive 10-year body warranty. Built with staff and patient comfort in mind, these vehicles maximize efficiency and customization to suit specific healthcare programs, including dental, medical, and mammography applications. Partnering with top medical equipment providers, Armor Mobile Systems delivers tailored solutions that support exceptional patient care in a mobile setting.

HOLOGIC 3Dimensions in Mobile Mammography Units

Hologic’s 3Dimensions system is designed to provide high quality 3D images for radiologists, an enhanced workflow for technologists, and a more comfortable mammography experience for patients with the SmartCurve breast stabilization system. 3Dimensions, which can be configured for use on mobile imaging vans or trailers, features the performance of the Genius 3D Mammography exam. The 3D exam is more accurate than conventional 2D mammograms and can detect 20-65% more invasive breast cancers. When acquired for use in a mobile unit, the 3Dimensions Mammography system comes with the mounting material and other hardware necessary to facilitate mobile integration. Available on the 3Dimensions system is the Hologic Clarity HD high-resolution 3D imaging technology, which integrates a breakthrough detector and advanced imaging algorithm to deliver exceptional images, regardless of breast size or density. This technology offers the fastest and highest resolution 3D images with the same 70 micron pixel size as full field digital mammography. The 3Dimensions system also features Hologic’s Genius AI Detection solution. Using deep learning technology, this solution is designed to mark lesions likely representing breast cancer with a meticulous search of each pixel of each slice of the tomosynthesis image set with a high sensitivity of 94%. This software is fully integrated on the 3Dimensions acquisition workstation and can help aid workflow.

SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS

Mobile Lung Screening Solution

The Mobile Lung Screening Solution from Siemens Healthineers is designed to bring lowdose computed tomography examinations closer to at-risk patient populations. The self-contained vehicle consists of a custom-designed cab and chassis, and includes a SOMATOM go.Up computed tomography scanner. The scanner’s dosesaving technologies and dedicated lung cancer screening protocols help the user achieve powerful low-dose scanning at conventional X-ray examination doses for detailed visualization. In-line Lung CAD (computer-aided detection) is available as a second reader tool to help detect round and irregular nodules, central and peripherally located nodules, and solitary nodules, as well as nodules adjacent to vessels and pleural surfaces. With independent power and climate control, the Mobile Lung Screening Solution does not require a dedicated trailer pad, shore power hook-up, or portable generator.

GE HEALTHCARE Omni Legend Mobile

GE HealthCare offers Omni Legend mobile, an all-in-one portable PET/CT solution that makes the company’s impressive Omni Legend system available to regional or local scan centers and hospitals, helping increase access and reduce the amount of travel required for more vulnerable or remote patient communities. Omni Legend is a performance-focused PET/CT that is designed to evolve and help meet growing healthcare system demands across care areas, including: striking image quality in oncology; an ability to accommodate increasing PET amyloid imaging volume related to Alzheimer’s diagnosis in neurology; and impressive imaging of a variety of cardiac tracers, including fast decay tracers and new tracers in cardiology. Omni Legend is designed to enable fast scansi at lower doseii while maintaining exceptional image quality. Effortless Workflow, an AI based patient Auto Positioning solution, also helps address operational and staffing shortage challenges. Additionally, the Omni platform is scalable, allowing radiology departments and healthcare facilities to upgrade the hardware and add service lines to help meet growing demand as well as optimize clinical capabilities, ensure access to the latest technology, and accommodate evolving community needs for many years to come.

i Up to 53% reduction of PET scan time on Omni Legend 32 cm compared to Discovery™ MI 25 cm, as demonstrated in phantom testing.

ii Up to 60% reduction in PET dose with Omni Legend 32 cm compared to Discovery™ MI 25 cm, as demonstrated in phantom testing.

• A niche job board for the HTM and imaging communities powered by TechNation.

• 3300+ actively looking biomedical and imaging professionals.

» Completely free and confidential registration and application process.

Featured Employers: Agiliti, Renovo Solutions, TRIMEDX, Erbe USA Incorporated, Middlesex Health, SP Associates, and more!

htmjobs@mdpublishing.com for posting inquiries htmjobs.com to register today

NEW YEAR. NEW CAREER .

• The fastest growing HTM talent network in the country.

• 350+ open opportunities throughout the United States.

» A variety of posting options ranging from single-job postings to 12-month unlimited memberships.

INSIGHTS

DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE

Mo bile imaging trailers provide many benefits to healthcare facilities. They can boost patient workflow and provide quality healthcare services to patients in rural or underserved areas.

ICE Magazine recently asked several healthcare imaging leaders insightful questions to gather helpful information that other healthcare facilities can use to improve their operations and patient care. Participating in this Director’s Circle panel discussion are:

• Beth Allen, director of clinical operations, Banner Imaging

• Elizabeth Chapman, director imaging administration, UT Southwestern Medical Center

• Rick Pizzala, R.T. (R) (CT), manager, imaging, Corewell Health West

• Krissie D. Stich, MBA, CRA, R.T. (R), radiology director, east market and mobile fleet, University Hospitals of Cleveland

Q: Why should an imaging department consider using a mobile imaging trailer?

Allen: Imaging departments should consider using a mobile trailer if they have a significant backlog or if they are attempting to retain volume during an equipment replacement, significant repair or upgrade. Depending on the needs of the community, it can be an important service to provide to avoid gaps in service.

Chapman: Our primary reason for using a mobile trailer is that we had a large backlog of patients that needed

to be scheduled and trying to install a net new PET/ CT wasn’t an option due to the time that it takes to plan, construct and install would add further to the backlog of patients and add another 12-18 months of more patients. Using a trailer provides a quick and easy way to bring your backlog of patients down significantly without compromising long wait times with construction, greater flexibility and accessibility within your organization. In addition, the trailer provides continuous operations for any downtime of another unit or use while installing a new unit/replacement. Having a mobile trailer is an efficient way to help decrease long scheduling turnaround times and retain physician referrals and those relationships, besides the obvious increase in revenue.

Pizzala: Imaging departments should consider using a mobile trailer when patient volumes for a given area are not sufficient to support running 12 hours a day 5 days a week. Mobile imaging trailers also offer greater flexibility to utilize differing types of mobile imaging trailers in the same space. An example would be offering a few days of MR followed by a couple days of PET/CT each week.

Stich: An imaging department should consider a mobile trailer for multiple reasons:

• Patient at the forefront of any business decision

• Enables the ability to leverage costly resources.

• Allows for relocation and access to patients and communities.

• Supports standardization and systemness.

• Level of access

• Benefit to expanding your footprint.

Q: What are the costs associated with operating a mobile imaging trailer?

Allen: The costs associated with operating a mobile trailer can be varied. Of course, there is the obvious rental fee along with potentially an increase in staffing required, IT resources, power and emergency equipment. There may be a need for an awning or other structure to keep patients protected from the elements. There can also be a cost to not utilizing a mobile trailer in lost reimbursement during fixed equipment downtime.

Chapman: Rental cost of trailer, adequate power, and water, if the mobile trailer is a PET/CT, to have a hot toilet close by. Adequate staffing and awning for inclement weather.

Pizzala: The cost associated with operating a mobile imaging trailer can vary based on the state with which it is operated. The simplest breakdown is that you have costs associated with operating a tractor trailer and costs associated with the imaging equipment. You will need a truck which if not purchased could be rented or contracted with a trucking company. The truck and trailer require DOT inspections, brakes, tires, oil changes, insurance, registration, fuel and an operator with the appropriate license/certifications. In my experience, the cost associated with repairs and maintenance on the truck is in line with what you might expect for your car. For MR units, there is an onboard gas-powered generator that requires routine maintenance. This generator keeps the magnet cool while in transit or when site power is offline. Mobile MR units contain a smaller amount of compressed helium then a fixed unit. The helium (which keeps the magnet cool) can boil off should the generator not operate. In my experience, recharge of the helium

is $15,000+ and can take several days or weeks.

Stich: The costs associated with operating a mobile imaging trailer are very complex and can differ depending on what your organization has to offer. We own multiple mobile imaging trailers, but also lease quite a few for short-term or long-term solutions. This allows us to evaluate our market share and overall need in the communities until we can purchase and provide our own individual assets. The costs also vary for the trucking company to transport and move trailers around our ninecounty service area. Staffing can also be a challenge, and you must consider whether we can staff each mobile or if we need the leasing company to provide staffing with each of the leased units. Additional costs to consider are the repairs to each of the trailers and supplies to stock them for patient care. I will not go into many details regarding this, but you also need to decide how to split salaries and revenue if you are part of a multi-hospital system, or you utilize a mobile fleet costing center.

Q: How do you manage scheduling and logistics for a mobile imaging trailer?

Allen: To manage logistics of a mobile trailer, an additional resource may need to be added to the RIS system schedule template. The mobile unit may be further from the waiting room and require more staff to move patients to where they need to be. There may be a ramp to be navigated and training for staff.

Chapman: We currently rent this machine monthly, it is parked at a designated stationary area. This increases the ease for our scheduling partners to direct patients to the same area for their exams. The rental term maintains the trailer. We have contracts for maintaining the toilets, etc.

Pizzala: Scheduling and logistics of the mobile imaging trailer are handled

BANNER IMAGING

BETH ALLEN

UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER

ELIZABETH CHAPMAN

COREWELL HEALTH WEST

RICK PIZZALA

KRISSIE D. STICH

INSIGHTS

a variety of ways and can depend on the size of the fleet. I’m aware that there are mobile companies which sole purpose and leadership structure is to schedule the units between multiple sites and entities. I operate three mobile trailers for one entity across four locations and the scheduling, movement and logistics are primarily handled by myself and my driver with support from a specialist who ensures we are compliant regarding our CON (Certificate of Need).

Stich: Scheduling is based on the need in each of the communities and expanding the level of access for modalities that are available on the mobile imaging trailer. As far as logistics, our organization has access to real-time data that drives our decision making. It shows us utilization of each mobile and number of days until next appointment for our patients. We can utilize the mobile fleet to increase access at locations that do not have these modalities available, or we use the mobile in addition to their stationary units to allow for increased access for our patients. Our mobile fleet also has been a huge benefit when it comes to planned or unplanned downtime for stationary units that support medical centers with EDs and inpatients.

Q: How do you assess the effectiveness and ROI of a mobile imaging trailer program?

Allen: To assess the effectiveness and ROI of a mobile trailer, all costs need to be analyzed and compared to potential reimbursement. Patient volume needs to be considered as well as hours of operation. The needs of the community should be considered based on the risk of not providing a service through the utilization of a mobile trailer versus the total cost of the mobile unit.

Chapman: Typical ROI process, operational utilization, and scheduling metrics with first and third next available, no-show rate, and same-day cancellation rate. Feedback from our referring partners.

Pizzala: I would assess the effectiveness of the ROI by looking at the patient volume that will be imaged utilizing the trailer. If the volume will create revenue generation that is greater than the cost of the depreciation of the trailer value and associated greater than the cost of operation like labor costs, supply costs, routine maintenance, and repair, then the trailer would be good option for the scenarios mentioned earlier. There is also the added benefit that you could also lease the trailer out to another facility if there are any days or times the trailer is not being utilized.

Stich: Assessing the effectiveness and ROI of an imaging trailer program is evaluated by the real-time

data as well as monthly volumes and financials for each unit. Access is everything for our patients. The minute the patient has a delay of getting an appointment, they have a choice to go elsewhere in our communities for their care. Providing a service that is close to their home makes all the difference in our overall patient care and experience.

Q: What else would you like to share with ICE Magazine readers regarding mobile imaging trailers?

Allen: One thing that is very important to consider when utilizing a mobile imaging trailer, is to make sure you partner with a reputable vendor that has uptime guarantees and a solid service agreement. Our system has established relationships over time that ensures we are confident in the unit that will show up. It is also important to plan out all the potential pain points for the workflow. Physicist testing or a state survey may be required depending on the modality.

Chapman: When considering a trailer, think of location, ease of patient access, environment/climate conditions, and close to checking patients in and out.

Pizzala: Mobile imaging trailers are an effective tool for addressing underserved needs or at locations where space is limited. It is important to get or utilize a trailer specific to your climate as it will need to effectively handle hot or cold temperatures. Doing this will minimize complaints related to temp from your team and patients. If you are in a state where you must work within a CON be deliberate in setting up the routes to avoid confusion as you will have to keep track of which trailer has moved, to what site and remember which sites trailers “are” or “are not” allowed to go. Roadside breakdowns do occur due to equipment failures or inclement weather so be prepared. It is important to build a relationship with the companies who service your equipment as they will be there to get you back up and running. I’ve found that paying invoices timely is one of the biggest contributors to building a positive relationship along with respecting that you are likely not their only customer.

Stich: I have responsibility to oversee our system mobile fleet that consists of four MRI; two PET; one mammography; and one CT. We also have two MRI stationary units that are located at one of our medical centers and one at our ambulatory locations. We have a dedicated mobile leadership team. It consists of a manager as well as a supervisor and modality team leads. This structure has allowed us to be very flexible with our fleet and expanding our footprint on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis. •

Ultrasound equipment failure can be catastrophic. Learn to service your own with our Solutionist Series videos.

When your ultrasound equipment is down, so is your business. Don’t miss our Solutionist Series videos on Ultrasound Equipment Support where you’ll learn how to service your equipment, keep your business up and running and lower your total cost of ownership.

In this 10-episode virtual training course on the Philips Epiq ultrasound platform, Larry Nguyen, Summit Imaging’s Founder and CIO, identifies common failures and provides solutions for:

• Image quality — 2D grayscale, color, continuous wave or pulsed wave

• Power subsystem — power module and power regulator board

• External interfaces — control panel, touch panel, trackball, monitor and external IO

• Transducer types and applications — Doppler, linear, curved, endo-cavity and more.

• Transducer parts — a breakdown of standard and TEE

• Transducer parts and operational failures — from lens failure to cut or creased cords to CW noise and error codes

Larry Nguyen addresses lots more in our 10-episode Solutionist Series, so be sure to tune in.

FROM A DISTANCE

Remote imaging solutions as a response to industry needs

In a February 2022 whitepaper, the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) described “a perfect storm” of factors contributing to a labor shortfall in the medical imaging and radiation therapy professions. These included an aging population that places greater demands on the health care system, a lack of incoming talent pursuing imaging careers and a swath of veteran staffers quitting the field for retirement or job changes.

The paper documented a 20-year high in vacancy rates – unfilled positions for which imaging employers are actively recruiting – led by a 19-percent vacancy rate in cardiovascular-interventional technology (CVIT), 18-percent vacancy rates in radiography and computed tomography (CT), and a 17-percent vacancy rate in sonography. Those rates have all doubled from sub-10percent rates in 2021, and quadrupled from historic lows reported about a decade ago.

Among survey respondents, 70 percent reported staff turnover in their departments within the past year, in which nearly 81 percent of people departing went to work at a different facility, with 35 percent attributing their departure to burnout, “including emotional exhaustion and feeling unappreciated at work.” One-third of all respondents said that their workplaces had hired traveling staff to fill vacancies.

In response to these conditions and others, a number of imaging facilities are turning to remote scanning solutions and staff to resolve their throughput and workforce needs.

“Coming out of [the novel coronavirus] COVID[-19 pandemic], we were looking at the landscape of workforce availability, staff attrition, workforce replenishment and the need to address growing patient imaging volumes,” said Bruce Snyder, senior product manager in the Siemens Healthineers North America Education & Workforce Solutions business.

Of the $11 billion allied health staffing industry, Snyder pointed out that more than a quarter of its projected size for 2025 is attributable to the needs of the medical imaging space; or up to $4 billion.

Although the intensity of the demand around medical imaging staffing was most pronounced around the 2020 pandemic onset and in subsequent recovery years, vendors responded with technologies designed to pick up the slack for the future, including Siemens Healthineers’ syngo Virtual Cockpit. The software allows imaging professionals to support onboarding and mentoring of new employees, administration of advanced scans and upskilling and cross-training on diverse modality platforms. Perhaps the most significant advantage of remote scanning technologies, however, is that they allow qualified technologists to manage device operations from an offsite location, extending the expertise of a facility’s top resources to the broader team.

“Many of our customers are still enduring staff shortages,” Snyder said. “With remote scanning, you still need somebody at the bedside to position patients

and administer contrast agents if the procedure requires them.”

“As long as that certified MR or CT tech with onsite expertise is in direct communication with the remote scanning tech, the remote technologist can be positioned elsewhere on campus or even on a different campus, scanning in,” he said. “In the syngo Virtual Cockpit, we’ve recreated the same things the customer would have in the cockpits of their own systems, with multiple viewing screens and various audio/video inputs.”

Remote technologists may connect with multiple systems in the same department, or at different sites in the same health system. They can participate in procedures involving as many as three scanners – each one at a time – independent of manufacturer, thanks to its high-speed networking technology.

“We have to run the device continuum,” Snyder said. “We don’t have full market share in every customer, and we need to be able to provide multi-vendor services With syngo Virtual Cockpit, when the question arises, ‘What about my GE, my Philips,’ they like that our solution offers interoperability.”

The earliest adopters of remote scanning solutions like syngo Virtual Cockpit are among Siemens Healthineers’ most “technology-forward customers,” as well as those who need to address either volume or staffing needs, Snyder said.

“Do you need expertise, or do you need capacity augmentation, or do you need both?” he said. “We’ve seen a combination of high-volume centers that need to be able to scan quickly and efficiently, as well as managing complex cases that come in.”

“A lot of imaging care is about how to move quickly and efficiently through patient volumes,” Snyder said. “There are still those prospective customers who are waiting with some trepidation, cautiously optimistic that it could be a solution for them, but aren’t ready to move forward yet.”

As remote scanning services continue to expand, vendors anticipate eventually delivering a level of support that would enable facilities to switch their scanning services fully to on-demand utilization.

“You can hold access to care quickly, readily and through a network,” Snyder said. “There are people who are interested in working as technologists, but don’t want to travel anymore. Some folks would be able to take on that role as contract specialists, so we can envision an accessible network of techs from around the country being brought to a virtual operations center. We anticipate remote scanning adoption increasing as its benefits become better understood.”

Amy Peronace, vice president of operations at RemoteRadTech, said that, in addition to facilitating a variety of diagnostic imaging work, remote scanning services also offer cost savings over other staffing solutions. Amid the decline in registered technologists entering careers in health care – or even the career training systems that prepare technologists for it –contract employees and traveling staffers command greater wages than every employer may be able to offer its hires.

COVER STORY

“Freestanding hospitals and mom-and-pop shops are starting to see fewer technologists, particularly in the big, money-making environments,” Peronace said. “They have this high-end equipment with big overhead that they can’t staff. We are vendor-agnostic, which means we can provide staff trained on all technologies with the capability to operate any remote scanning platform that an institution has.”

RemoteRadTech registered technologists (RTs) are centrally located within the company hub in Florida, from which they can scan any offsite environment to which they’re connected, 24 hours a day. Their versatility and around-the-clock availability provides access to needed services for “that third shift, night shift, weekends, and holidays that they can’t get staffed,” Peronace said.

A critical component of the RemoteRadTech approach involves helping assuage customer anxieties about the mechanisms of offsite work. Remote RTs are overseen by a magnetic resonance imaging safety officer (MRSO), who performs a full evaluation of clients’ MR environments, trains their onsite staff to the comfort level of everyone involved in the work, and ensures that staff have been trained to work alongside technologists in a remote scanning setting. Before patients are allowed in the room,

remote techs have access to their safety questionnaires and intake forms, as they are ultimately responsible for their welfare.

“Most concerns are just the unknown,” Peronace said. “What’s going to happen if the patient has a reaction? Our technologist always has communication with the person on the ground at all times. There are cameras on the control room that have eyes on the scanner, and can see the room. Level 2 onsite personnel should always have basic life support and CPR training, but if you have a situation, you’re calling 9-1-1 anyway.”

Critically, Peronace said RemoteRadTech staff deliver their services to whatever the comfort level that the client requires. During rollout, they’ll remain onsite “for weeks if that’s what it takes,” she said.

“When radiologists started reading remotely, it took a long time for people to get accustomed to that,” Peronace said. “Remote scanning is now going to be the norm. RemoteRadTech is here to address the challenges that we have, and amplify the efficiency of those MR scanners. We’re not coming in trying to change anything; we’re focusing on being a part of it. Our technologists are part of your team – they’re just sitting someplace else.”

The relief that remote technologists can offer medical

imaging facilities isn’t limited to reduced overhead, additional scheduling flexibility and improved patient throughput. Offsite professionals can also provide a measure of relief to onsite technologists who may be struggling to meet the demands of an overworked diagnostic imaging department and ever-growing patient volumes.

“Directors are seeing their staff overworked, overtime and stressed out trying to do more patients in a day,” Peronace said. “Sometimes they’re paying the traveler $100 an hour to run these shifts. We’re able to save them money, and we can provide a return on investment (ROI) calculation after a three-month overview. Plus, for a lot of these remote centers that can’t pay to get techs, they don’t need somebody to move to work there.”

For 3T Radiology and Research of Miami Beach, Florida, the value of remote scanning technologists isn’t entirely related to cost savings, nor to a staff shortage, nor to the provision of diagnostic imaging services. As an imaging center focused on supporting clinical researchers by providing highquality imaging studies, 3T cofounder Humberto Carrion said his business’ four freestanding clinics rely on RemoteRadTech for the quality of its technologists and the ability of remote scanning to free up onsite staff to provide a higher quality of bedside care.

“The tech aide can say, ‘Would you like me to stand where you can see me, place my hand on your foot, be here with you?’ The tech aide can be present to the patient at all times, which prevents nervous people from walking out. They just need to have L2 training and be good with people. Many of my Level 2 technologists are nursing students, MRI students and paramedics.”

The efficiency and outcomes have been such a win for 3T that Carrion said each of its four locations will be converting its RTs to remote rad techs.

“From a business perspective, there’s a slight cost savings, but it’s more about the output,” he said. “The time elapsed between one patient and the next has completely shortened. We do more patients per hour than ever before because there’s not that lag.”

The tech aide focuses on patient experience and the tech, who’s remote focuses on the scan.

“I didn’t get remote techs because of staffing issues,” Carrion said. “We have a good reputation in the area, and our techs like working here because we support a lot of research that gives us the opportunity to do different types of scans.”

“The main reason I use RemoteRadTech is because of the efficiency it brings,” he said. “No matter how much we prepare our patients, sometimes they have new questions or anxiety once they enter the scanner. Now what happens? An onsite tech aide puts the patient on the table, closes the door and has a full 10 to 15 minutes to interact with the patient because the remote technologist is performing the scan. That’s the biggest thing: we’re a boutique, high-end facility, and we give higher-end service.”

Patients enrolled in clinical trials may be dealing with complicated health conditions that are painful, emotionally exhausting or can interfere with the study as it’s captured. The ability for 3T staffers to deliver a higher quality of care at the patient bedside not only puts at ease those patients who might need a little more attention, but it also allows the offsite technologist to capture the best possible image for clinical researchers who need high-quality data. Moreover, the Level 2 technologist onsite is freed up to devote the most attention to the patients who need it.

“The tech aide focuses on patient experience, and the tech who’s remote focuses on the scan,” Carrion said.

“What we realized was having tech aides in-house and two remote scanners became kind of like a concierge experience,” he explained.

3T began working with RemoteRadTech when it partnered with GE as a pilot tester of that company’s nCommand Lite remote real-time scanning support solution. Carrion first thought it might be useful to have remote RTs in emergency circumstances, but once the software cleared its U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals, GE became its authorized distributor in the United States, and 3T began using the app full time.

A GE HealthCare news release from the 2024 RSNA conference in Chicago explains the capabilities of the nCommand Lite solution.

“nCommand Lite by IONIC Health empowers radiology staff to focus on patient care, while accessing the support needed through remote collaboration and scan assistance. nCommand Lite includes multi-modality capabilities in support of magnetic resonance (MR), computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT) scanning,” according to the news release.

“RemoteRadTech is the full solution,” Carrion said.

“They get you all the IT infrastructure you need, they set everything up, and they have an MRSO and train the tech aide on the safety procedure to make sure everything goes smooth. I don’t have to find software, lag time, an MRSO to train my tech aides, or a tech who’s willing to be in a remote location scanning multiple scanners at once.”

Humberto Carrion of 3T Radiology & Research

A QUICK GUIDE TO THE ICE 2025 CONFERENCE

The Imaging Conference & Expo (ICE) 2025 is set to take place February 22–24, at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Florida. A premier event for radiology directors, imaging service technicians, and other imaging professionals, ICE offers unparalleled opportunities for education, networking, and exploration of cutting-edge technology. Here’s what attendees can look forward to at this must-attend event.

1. WHY ATTEND ICE 2025

Now in its 11th year, ICE has become a cornerstone event for the imaging community. The conference combines accredited continuing education (CE) with an exclusive exhibit hall showcasing the latest advancements in imaging technology, products, and services.

Attendees will have access to:

• 25 hours of CE education accredited by AHRA and ACI.

• Vendors will present new tools to streamline imaging services and optimize departmental efficiency.

• Door Prizes: Great prizes donated by exhibiting vendors.

• Networking Events: Opportunities to connect with peers and industry leaders.

• Entertainment: The Margaritaville at ICE Party guarantees a memorable close to the event.

2. ICE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

For those selected as one of the hand-picked imaging leaders, ICE 2025 offers the exclusive Leadership Summit, a unique opportunity to network with the brightest minds in the industry. This curated experience is designed to help attendees and their departments grow and thrive through innovative solutions and shared expertise.

Key features include:

• Reverse Expo: A fast-paced, speed-dating-style event where participants engage with vendors to uncover strategies for saving time, money, and resources.

• Networking Events: Summit attendees will take part in exclusive gatherings like the Leadership Summit Dinner and Breakfast, fostering meaningful connections.

• Innovative Idea Exchange: Share and learn from forwardthinking ideas that can drive your department’s success.

Schedule of Events*

• Saturday, February 22, 2025

5-6 PM: Leadership Summit Registration

6 PM: Leadership Summit Dinner

• Sunday, February 23, 2025

7 AM: Registration

7:30-8:30 AM: Leadership Summit Breakfast

9-11 AM: Reverse Expo

11 AM-12:30 PM: Leadership Summit

12:30-1:30 PM: ICE Break Networking Lunch

1:30-2:30 PM: Education

2:45-3:45 PM: Keynote Presentation

4:00-6:30 PM: Exhibit Hall Grand Opening

*Schedule subject to change.

3. EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS

ICE 2025 offers a robust schedule of seminars tailored to the needs of imaging directors and service engineers.

Key sessions include:

• Advancing Your Imaging Service Career: Learn pathways to expand your expertise from entry-level modalities to advanced imaging systems like MR and CT.

• Navigating Burnout: Practical strategies to combat burnout in imaging departments, improving team morale and retention.

• Introduction to Servicing CT Systems: A two-part series covering the essentials of CT system maintenance.

• The Secrets of Time Management Magic: A keynote by Fred Moore on boosting productivity and achieving work-life balance.

4. NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

ICE fosters connections through events like the Leadership Summit Dinner, the ICE Break Networking Lunch, and an open-bar reception in the Exhibit Hall. These gatherings provide a relaxed setting to share insights, challenges, and solutions with fellow imaging professionals.

5. EXPLORE CUTTING-EDGE INNOVATIONS

The Exhibit Hall will spotlight groundbreaking imaging technologies and services. From the latest in diagnostic imaging equipment to software solutions for workflow optimization, attendees can explore offerings that enhance patient care and departmental efficiency.

5. KEY LOGISTICS

• Venue: Rosen Plaza Hotel, 9700 International Drive, Orlando, FL.

• Registration: Hospital employees, active students and military may attend free with the code ICE25-ORLANDO.

• Hotel and Travel: Special group rates are available at the Rosen Plaza Hotel until January 22, 2025. Orlando International Airport (MCO) is approximately 13 miles from the venue.

Whether you’re a seasoned imaging leader or an aspiring technician, ICE 2025 promises a transformative experience. From actionable insights to invaluable industry connections, this conference is your gateway to advancing in the fast-evolving world of imaging. Don’t miss your chance to join the conversation and shape the future of radiology.

626 Holdings

Booth 225

Acertara Acoustic Laboratories

Booth 218

Advanced Ultrasound Systems

Booth 320

AllParts Medical

Booth 222

Althea US Booth 302

Ampronix Booth 223

Avante Health Solutions Booth 322

Block Imaging Booth 204

Chronos Imaging Booth 304

Clarity Mobile Imaging, LLC

Booth 116

Clinical Imaging Systems Booth 118

CM Parts Plus Booth 107

CPN Power, Inc.

Booth 108

Crothall Healthcare Booth 210

CryoSRV LLC

Booth 207

CS Medical

Booth 307

DirectMed Imaging

Booth 303

Downtime Trace

Booth 106

E.L. Parts and Service, LLC

Booth 212

Emergent Connect Booth 224

eRADIMAGING

Booth 119

Exclusive Medical Solutions, Inc.

Booth 120

First Call Parts

Booth 208

FUJIFILM Healthcare

Americas Corporation

Booth 105

GMED ONE Inc

Booth 124

HTM Jobs

Booth 122

Image One Medical Group LLC Booth 123 & 125

Imaging Diversified Booth 104

Innovatus Imaging

Booth 202

Lexicon MedParts, LLC Booth 209

Marquis Medical Booth 323

Maull Biomedical Training, LLC Booth 206

MW Imaging Booth 102

PartsSource Booth 100

Radiological Care Services (RCS) Booth 305

Ray-Pac Booth 324

RemoteRadTech Booth 113

Shared Medical Services Booth 325

Shop Med Parts Booth 301

Summit Imaging Booth 313

Tri-Imaging Solutions Booth 306

USOC Medical Booth 205

The Grown-up Guide to Fun in

Orlando

Widely recognized as the most popular destination for families, Orlando offers adults plenty of unbelievably real experiences. Armed with a childlike sense of wonder and a thirst for adventure, grown-ups will delight in Orlando’s opportunities to explore – no kids required.

Relax at the Resort Pool

From lazy rivers and secluded grottos to private cabanas, an afternoon at one of Orlando’s resort pools is a great way for adults to take in the year-round warmth. Some of the more notable adult-only pools include Hilton Orlando’s “Quiet Resort Pool,” complete with private whirlpool and cabanas; the cabanas at JW Marriott Bonnet Creek Resort and Spa; and adults-only pool “The Oasis” at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, which has underwater audio and a Jacuzzi for ultimate relaxation.

Enjoy a Night on the Town

Orlando isn’t just about daytime fun at theme parks and resort pools. Adults can also indulge in after-hours fun throughout the destination – like at the incredible nighttime entertainment districts or upscale speakeasies.

A plethora of nightlife options await travelers in the City Beautiful, from the recently renovated Bösendorfer Lounge inside the Grand Bohemian to the epicenter of dancing and nightlife found along Wall Street and Orange Avenue downtown. With spectacular views of downtown Orlando and a full range of handcrafted cocktails featuring locally made spirits.

AC Sky Bar, a 18th-floor rooftop bar inside the AC Hotel by Marriott Orlando Downtown offers guests the opportunity to experience downtown Orlando from above as they enjoy chef-made tapas and small plates.

Stylish Mathers Social Gathering welcomes patrons to relax and mingle in its 1800s atmosphere and enjoy house made cocktails and lite bites, while local speakeasy Hanson’s Shoe Repair provides a fun twist on a night out, requiring a password for entry.

Orlando’s first spirit-free speakeasy, Bandbox, is a tasting lounge and bottle shop serving non-alcoholic craft cocktails, apéritifs, beer and wine along with elixirs, bitters, tonics, leisure sodas, shrubs, CBD sodas and vintage fizzy pop.

Explore Neighborhoods

Orlando’s neighborhoods and nearby cities offer endless adventures with dining, nightlife, arts & culture, outdoor recreation, shopping and more.

In Downtown Orlando, adults can enjoy a live performance at the prestigious Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts or an improv show at SAK Comedy Lab. Acclaimed downtown restaurants include The Boheme at Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando, Reyes Mezcaleria and 310 Lakeside. For some outdoor fun in the city, visitors can take a stroll around Lake Eola Park or ride a swan boat on the lake surrounded by Orlando’s impressive city backdrop.

Dining and indie flair are the main draws of the Ivanhoe Village district. Adventurers can experience a sunset or glow paddleboarding excursion at Epic Paddle Adventures.

Foodies can enjoy an upscale meal with an unbeatable lake view at Russell’s on Lake Ivanhoe or enjoy some quality antiquing at local antique shops in the area. The Hall on the Yard, a full-service food hall, delivers nine diverse culinary offerings and three premium cocktail bars in an eclectic environment.

Named after its centrally located T.G. Lee dairy plant, The Milk District serves as a progressive lifestyle, music and cultural hub with numerous places to catch live music, starting with the newly renovated The Plaza Live, which hosts the Orlando Philharmonic and a wide range of shows. For shopping, the Milk District Spot is home to local homegrown vendor pop-ups. And every Tuesday night, Tasty Tuesdays features local food trucks with everything from vegetarian plates to American gastropub favorites.

Mills 50 is one of Orlando’s oldest neighborhoods and is heavily influenced by Asian and Pacific-Islander culture. The area doesn’t lack great places to eat, as it features many of Orlando’s 46 MICHELIN Guide restaurants. They include Bib Gourmand honorees The Strand Food & Drink and Z Asian, as well MICHELIN Guide Recommended eateries Black Rooster Taqueria, Edoboy, Hawkers, Shin Jung, Sticky Rice, Tori Tori and more.

Thornton Park is a stylish dining and nightlife area known for brick-lined, canopied streets with a distinctly European feel. Foodies will love some of the popular eateries, including local favorites such as Soco Restaurant and The Stubborn Mule. The nearby Maxine’s on Shine, nestled between Thornton Park and Mills 50, has a warm and intimate atmosphere perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner with friends. After dinner and drinks, adults can finish off the night at one of the area’s entertainment and nightlife locations, including The Abbey for themed music nights and live theater, the Stardust Lounge underground club and others.

Those looking for one-of-a-kind treasures can head over to College Park. Shops like Driftwood Market, Bijou’s Boutique and Top Drawer Consignments sell unique items perfect for any collector or treasure hunter. The district’s culinary options range from counter-service to fine dining, like The Taproom at Dubsdread, Turci Pasta and Tin & Taco.

Experience Orlando’s Romantic Side

While Orlando offers lots of fun and exciting activities, visitors can also experience opportunities to celebrate at many of the city’s most romantic settings.

Michelin Star-rated Capa, located on the top floor of the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, and California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort offer high-end dining with spectacular views of the nightly theme park fireworks.

Soseki, a Michelin Star-rated Japanese-fusion restaurant located in Winter Park, offers an intimate 10 seat multi-course dining experience featuring a modern take on omakase.

Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian is widely recognized as one of the finest restaurants in the southeastern U.S., including a AAA Five Diamond Award, a Five-Star rating from Forbes Travel Guide, and glowing Zagat reviews.

The VIP chef’s table dining experience at Chef’s Table at the Edgewater offers an intimate setting along with the opportunity to converse directly with the chef, expanding their palates and food knowledge.

At ICON Park, guests can sip on a glass of champagne during a picturesque, private ride on The Wheel, a 400-foot observation wheel, followed by a night of live music at Tin Roof or Ole Red and see Flamenco dancers at Tapa Toro tapas bar and restaurant.

Shopping Options Abound

From luxury malls to top-notch outlets and theme park merchandise, the diversity and quality of shopping in Orlando is like no other destination, giving visitors the chance to explore a range of shops to find the perfect souvenir or gift representing their visit to the City Beautiful.

Stylish and sophisticated, The Mall at Millenia offers everything from the latest Apple gadgets to international high-end retailers. With more than 150 stores and 1.1 million square feet of retail space, there’s something for every taste, as well as complimentary personal styling and shopping services that include hotel delivery of purchases, valet parking, Visit Orlando destination concierge and currency exchange services.

Both Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort have their own shopping and entertainment complexes.

Disney Springs features more than 150 shops and restaurants, including the world’s largest Disney character store, on-trend shops like ZARA, Lucky Brand, Free People, Vince Camuto, Lilly Pulitzer, UNIQLO and Oakley. One-ofa-kind accessories are available from Unode50, while the Star Wars Galactic Outpost is filled with toys, apparel and collectables inspired by the saga.

Universal CityWalk offers more than a dozen shops and boutiques, like Quiet Flight Surf Shop, the Universal Studios Store and popular timepiece retailer Fossil. Unique dining and nightlife experiences also accompany the many shops inside Universal CityWalk.

Winter Park’s Park Avenue offers 10 tree-lined blocks of brick streets, historic buildings and a mini-version of Manhattan’s Central Park. Visitors will find everything from boutiques to shops selling fine wines and pooch-friendly pastries. National retailers like Williams Sonoma and Pottery Barn share sidewalk space with locally owned boutiques like Tuni and Violet Clover.

Thanks to three outstanding open-air outlet malls close to the theme parks, Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores, Orlando International Premium Outlets and Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets offer visitors the opportunity to shop high-end brands at value and outlet pricing.

Find more information at VisitOrlando.com or OrlandoMeeting.com.

UNDERSTANDING MEDICAL IMAGING SERVICES OPERATIONS

SERVICE NOTES

BY DEAN SKILLICORN

Servicing medical imaging equipment is a challenge, an opportunity and a process that must be vetted with appropriate participation with other groups in your organization. Many challenges and opportunities exist for facilities to meet expectations for performing service on medical imaging equipment. Discussions need to address service opportunities, relationships, safety, finance, and having appropriate knowledge of utilization issues affecting imaging services in your organization. The first of these issues for discussion are financial implications.

Medical imaging is a large financial opportunity for any organization. Healthcare delivery organizations (HDOs), medical imaging and their

health technology management partners must understand the environment that these unique systems operate in and the financial impact they have on the organization. The key is more than understanding your service contract costs. It is imperative that any servicing of medical imaging equipment include a basic understanding of the revenue/ reimbursement data and the volumes, case mix and, most importantly, when those volumes occur to be able to develop service level agreements that will make the medical imaging services in your organization successful.

Organizations and their HTM providers must understand each modality and its unique case mix, case volume and timing of patient care services by medical imaging. Each modality is different in how it earns revenue and how that revenue affects the financial

performance of the HDO. Not all modalities need or can be serviced in-house. Contracts may still need to be utilized in some form. An organization’s medical imaging services and health technology service providers need to be responsible in facilitating discussions around each modality. Collaboration must be obtained in how services are designed and affect operations. Organizations need to identify what opportunities exist to establish service level agreements (SLAs) that make the organization profitable.

The key to developing strong and appropriate SLAs will be understanding peak operational times of each modality. When is the system itself utilized the most? Organizations must understand non-urgent service times need to compliment utilization of the systems by developing appropriate SLAs.

Utilizing this methodology will allow the organization to develop SLAs for general services such as preventive/ scheduled maintenance, upgrades or other non-urgent services. Once established, emergency service type coverages can be established to ensure equipment is returned to service in expedient times that meet the organization’s need for emergency services

Consider MRI services and that the peak usage time of the MRIs is from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Designing SLAs around this data would mean that non-urgent service needs would be accomplished from 4 a.m. to noon. Urgent situations would be addressed at any time based upon who performs those services and understanding service delivery for emergency services must be accomplished quickly to lessen impact on patient care and revenue. Non-urgent services as an option could be on Saturdays – if weekend volumes allow.

In summary, developing service philosophies must include the understanding of patient volumes, utilization and prime usage of equipment. Designing services around each modality will place the organization in a premium position of providing quality care to patients and meeting its financial objectives for medical imaging. •

Dean Skillicorn is the medical imaging services manager within health technology management for St. Luke’s Health System in Boise, Idaho.

LISTEN, THINK, ACT: A RADIOLOGY LEADER’S MANTRA FOR 2025

DIRECTOR’S CUT

BY NICOLE DHANRAJ

Ialways considered myself an intentional, self-reflective leader who considers different perspectives and makes thoughtful decisions. But recently, I found myself in the fishbowl – caught up in the whirlwind of problem-solving, dare I say, very myopic. I was listening to issues but only scratching the surface. Thankfully, I paused – well, to be honest, I got a nudge from a colleague – who kindly pointed out I was trapped in the fishbowl. In that moment, I realized I was missing something important.

As leaders, we often react, but how often do we stop and reflect when there’s chaos and a mountain of things to fix?

That moment of self-awareness has shaped how I’m approaching 2025: Listen. Think. Then act.

I’ve always been known as a fixer who jumps in to solve problems. But in doing so, I’ve sometimes missed the deeper meaning of what’s really going on. Moving forward, I’m committed to slowing down, listening carefully, and considering the bigger picture before acting. This is my mantra for the new year, and I invite you to reflect on your own leadership as we head into 2025.

THE POWER OF LISTENING BEYOND THE SURFACE

We all like to think we’re good listeners, right? But sometimes, listening feels more like checking a box than truly absorbing what’s being said. In our fast-paced environment, especially in radiology, it’s easy to hear the words but miss the message entirely.

And here’s where it gets tricky: sometimes, we get caught up in the loudest voice in the room – the one who is constantly

complaining, the one with strong opinions and an insistent belief that they have the right solution. These voices often dominate conversations, steering leaders toward quick fixes that might silence the complaint but don’t solve the deeper issues beneath the surface.

I had a technologist who frequently raised concerns about workflow. At first, I jumped in with quick fixes – adjusting schedules and redistributing tasks – but the complaints didn’t stop. It wasn’t until I stepped back, gathered input from the entire team, and asked “why” five times that I realized the real issue wasn’t just the workflow. There was a deeper communication gap between the staff and leadership. Once I moved beyond focusing on the loudest voice and asked for broader input, we finally got to the heart of the problem.

THINK, THEN

ACT: THE HEART OF THOUGHTFUL LEADERSHIP

This is where the magic happens – between listening and acting. Thinking isn’t just a pause button; it’s an intentional process that shapes how we move forward. It’s tempting to jump straight from hearing the issue to fixing it, but thoughtful leadership means taking that extra beat to consider a 360-degree perspective.

It’s easy to assume we know best – after all, we’re the leaders, right? But one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is that true leadership requires involving all voices – whether it’s radiologists, technologists or administrative staff. By ensuring all perspectives are heard, you not only get a fuller picture of the situation, but you also show your team that their insights matter – not just who has the loudest voice or the strongest personality.

Sometimes, it’s not just about asking why once but continuing to question and discuss the findings with your team. The more you dig into the situation, the more precise the root of the problem becomes. And when people feel like they’ve had a voice in the process, it eases frustrations, prevents tension and eliminates the culture of blaming. How often have we rushed to fix a problem only to realize later that someone’s perspective was overlooked? Including everyone from the start fosters a sense of ownership and collaboration, ensuring you’re acting on the best possible information.

As Simon Sinek wisely puts it, “Leadership is not about being in charge. It’s about taking care of those in your charge.” Listening and thoughtful reflection are key to doing just that.

One framework I’ve found helpful in navigating this process is the OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act):

Observe: Gather all the relevant information from your team and the situation.

Orient: Consider the information in the context of your department’s goals, challenges and available resources.

Decide: Choose your next steps based on a comprehensive understanding of the situation and input from your team.

Act: Move forward, knowing your decision has been built on the insights and perspectives of all those involved.

This structured approach allows you to slow down, listen, think critically and act thoughtfully – a skill we often lose sight of in the chaos that surrounds us.

THE CHALLENGES OF THINKING BEFORE ACTING

I won’t sugarcoat it – taking time to think deeply and involve others isn’t always easy. In radiology, decisions must often be made quickly, and jumping into action is tempting. But rushing to act without considering all perspectives often leads to frustration or blame when things don’t work out.

The first challenge is time constraints. When your department is busy, it can feel like there’s no room to think. But even small adjustments can make a big difference. Taking five extra minutes to check in with your team or ask one more question can help you avoid bigger issues down the line.

Then there’s organizational pressure. We’ve all felt the push from upper management to make decisions quickly and show results. I’ve been in that situation more times than I can count. However, acting without fully considering the situation can result in long-term inefficiencies. Advocating for a “think-first” approach in your department, where thoughtful decisions are valued, can lead to better outcomes that are sustainable.

Involving your team in this thinking process can also be met with resistance. Asking for input from everyone takes time, and not all teams are used to this level of engagement. But the more your team sees the value in being heard, the more they will embrace this collaborative thinking. By involving your team, you reduce tensions and frustration from feeling unheard.

YOUR LEADERSHIP MANTRA FOR 2025: LISTEN. THINK. ACT.

As you head into the new year, ask yourself:

• Am I listening to really understand or just to respond?

• Am I taking the time to think about the bigger picture?

• Am I acting in a way that addresses the root of the problem?

By incorporating these three steps – Listen. Think. Act. –you can elevate your leadership and make a more meaningful impact.

Radiology is a fast-paced, high-pressure environment, but leadership doesn’t have to be rushed. Take the time to reflect, involve your team and act with purpose. Here’s to a year of intentional, reflective leadership! •

Nicole Dhanraj, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP, PMP, GPHR, CPSS, CRA, R.T(R)(CT)(MR), is an experienced imaging director.

LEARNING FROM MISTAKES: A PATH TO GROWTH AND INNOVATION

BY DANIEL BOBINSKI EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

If you’re a human being, count on the fact that mistakes will be made. Just know that we have choices in how we deal with them. We have two basic choices. We can find satisfaction in pointing fingers and assigning blame when mistakes are made, or we can learn from them.

A simple example is what we do when a child’s bicycle gets a flat tire. It’s not good parenting to blame the child for not seeing what caused the flat. It’s much healthier to educate the child on what commonly causes flat tires and offer encouragement rather than blame. This response promotes resilience and reinforces confident perseverance.

At question, why do so many adults choose to criticize each other instead of showing empathy? One answer might be the belief that adults should know better. I’ll respond by saying that, outside of people being passive-aggressive, I don’t know a soul who intentionally makes mistakes at work.

In my years of working with organizations, I’ve observed that too many people think they’ve done their job if they identify whoever’s guilty of making a mistake. After they make an announcement that the perpetrator has been assigned the blame, they check the box and move on. That’s it. There’s no striving to find out the cause of the error. There’s no review or retraining to prevent the mistake from happening again. The people in charge simply prioritize the short-term task of identifying the wrong doer over the longterm effort of improving organizational effectiveness.

Remember, we’re all human, so mistakes will be made. The key is to make only new mistakes. That means we must invest time in understanding and resolving the root causes when things go wrong. Evidence shows that organizations get stronger when they embrace mistakes as learning opportunities rather than as reasons for punishment.

TURNING ERRORS INTO LEARNING

One story of learning from mistakes comes from Coca-Cola’s 2004 launch of the Dasani water brand in the UK. The company was marketing Dasani as “pure, still water” using a highly sophisticated purification process, but soon it was revealed that the company was merely adding minerals to London’s tap water.

That was bad enough, but the situation escalated when a batch of Dasani was found to contain bromate, a suspected carcinogen, at levels exceeding legal limits. Health authorities stated there was no immediate risk, but public trust in the brand plummeted. The company ended up recalling half a million water bottles, then withdrew Dasani from the UK altogether. They also cancelled their plans to expand the brand into France and Germany.

This was an expensive set of mistakes, but public records show no executives or employees were fired as a result. Instead of attributing blame to individuals, Coca-Cola publicly apologized for the incidents and then focused on re-evaluating its production and marketing practices. The mistakes led the company to improve their transparency and authenticity, and they worked to restore their reputation by underscoring the value of learning from mistakes.

Another example involves what could

have been labeled a hiring mistake. The assistant director at a small hospital faced a situation in which an underperforming new hire struggled to get up to speed. Rather than terminate the employee, the assistant director evaluated the situation and realized that the hospital’s onboarding system could be improved. The result? The new hire was paired with a mentor and an improved training plan was implemented. Three months later, the new employee was performing beyond expectations.

It would have been easy for the assistant director to fire the employee and blame Human Resources for making a bad hire. Instead, lessons were learned and improvements were made.

ERRORS CAN LEAD TO GROWTH

Organizations that emphasize learning from failure can reap many benefits. In Amy C. Edmondson’s 2011 Harvard Business Review article “Strategies for Learning from Failure,” she highlights how blame can hinder problem-solving by triggering defensive behaviors in employees, effectively shutting down their ability to analyze and correct errors. By contrast, companies that focus on finding solutions instead of placing blame often experience increased innovation and improved team morale, which lead to higher levels of performance.

Additionally, in their book “Whoever Makes the Most Mistakes Wins,” authors Richard Farson and Ralph Keyes state that failure is a complement to success, not its opposite. Their evidence shows that encouraging employees to take risks without fear of retribution promotes creativity and adaptability. These attributes are essential in today’s fast-changing workplace.

To help transform mistakes into opportunities, organizations can work towards putting the following practices into place:

1. Create a safe work environment. Employees should know it’s OK to admit mistakes without being afraid of punishment or being humiliated in front of their peers.

Evidence shows that encouraging employees to take risks without fear of retribution promotes creativity and adaptability.

This “truth is healthy” practice allows teams to collaborate on finding solutions and prevent similar errors in the future.

2. Encourage examinations. When mistakes occur, constructively analyze them by asking key questions, such as, “What went wrong?” and “What could be done differently next time?” Perhaps training needs to improve. Perhaps policies need to be updated. By examining the root cause of problems, teams can learn and grow.

3. Positively acknowledge extra efforts. Recognize employees who take intelligent risks to make the workplace more effective or efficient. Even if their efforts don’t succeed initially, by openly valuing the effort of trying new approaches you reinforce a growth and improvement mindset.

4. Lead by example. This phrase can get overused, but it’s true: leaders must model the behavior they wish to see in others. When leaders discuss their own mistakes and the lessons they learned, they demonstrate their humanness and reinforce the idea that learning from mistakes is a natural part of innovation.

Bottom line, we have a choice. We can treat mistakes as stumbling blocks or as steppingstones. You may recall that in 2009 and 2010, engineering mistakes at Toyota led to public criticism over safety issues, including unintended acceleration. Nobody is known to have been fired for those mistakes. Instead, the company revamped its quality control processes and changed its engineering and manufacturing processes. In other words, they learned from their mistakes and improved their company. •

Daniel Bobinski, who has a doctorate in theology, is a bestselling 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 208-649-6400.

NATIONAL BLOOD DONOR MONTH: ADVANCING EQUITY IN BLOOD DONATION

BY NICOLE DHANRAJ

January marks National Blood Donor Month, a time to reflect on the life-saving impact of blood donation and to address systemic barriers that hinder equitable participation.

This month presents a critical opportunity for health care and imaging leaders to advocate for more inclusive blood donation systems and their role in patient care.

THE ROLE OF BLOOD DIVERSITY IN RADIOLOGY

As health care professionals, you understand the critical role of blood donation in patient care.

Radiology teams must perform life-saving procedures that rely on adequate blood supplies, such as interventional radiology treatments, trauma care and surgeries. However, a lack of diverse donors often limits the availability of compatible blood for

patients from underrepresented groups. For example, unique blood antigen profiles in Black and South Asian populations are vital for treating conditions like sickle cell disease and Thalassemia.

Imaging leaders must recognize how this impacts their ability to provide adequate care, and your role in advocating for more inclusive blood donation systems is crucial.

OVERCOMING MISTRUST IN HEALTH CARE

Medical mistrust remains a significant barrier. Historical events like the Tuskegee Syphilis Study have created lasting distrust in health care systems among many communities of color.

This mistrust often extends to blood donation efforts, leading to lower participation rates and reduced availability of compatible blood for underserved populations.

Radiology leaders can play a pivotal role in rebuilding trust by fostering transparent communication and community outreach

DEI

programs emphasizing the importance of diverse blood supplies for improving patient outcomes.

ADDRESSING ACCESSIBILITY CHALLENGES

Accessibility is another hurdle. Rural and low-income communities often lack convenient access to blood donation centers, exacerbating shortages in hospitals serving these areas.

Radiology departments, especially those in resourceconstrained facilities, are disproportionately affected by these inequities. To increase donor participation and ensure adequate resources for their patients, radiology leaders can advocate for mobile blood drives and partnerships with community organizations.

REVISING HEALTH ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Strict health eligibility criteria frequently exclude individuals from donating blood, particularly those from low-income or foodinsecure backgrounds.

These barriers reduce representation in the donor pool and contribute to blood supply shortages. Radiology leaders can support educational initiatives to address these exclusions, highlighting how broader participation directly benefits patient care in radiology settings.

RADIOLOGY LEADERS: DRIVING CHANGE FOR EQUITY

For us leaders, National Blood Donor Month is more than a campaign – it is a call to lead the charge in advancing equity and ensuring access to life-saving resources for all.

By addressing disparities in donor representation, fostering trust, and improving accessibility, we can play a significant role in creating a system that benefits all patients. •

MEDICINE FOR THE SOUL 5 TIPS TO UPGRADE YOUR SLEEP

BY FAMILY FEATURES

Good sleep isn’t just about waking up feeling rested and ready for the day. Quality sleep, and plenty of it, is important for your overall health. While you sleep, your body naturally recharges itself, which puts you at lower risk for cardiovascular problems and chronic conditions like diabetes, as well as improving your immune system.

Sleep also contributes to better brain function, memory, concentration and lower stress. According to the National Institutes of Health, most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep every night to achieve maximum health benefits. If you’re falling short of the recommended amount of sleep, you may be able to make some adjustments that help you reap the health benefits of better rest. Learn what you can do to improve your sleep with these tips from the experts in safer, healthier sleep at Naturepedic.

REDUCE LIGHT EXPOSURE

Your body’s natural circadian rhythms are closely aligned

with light and dark. When your body senses light, it sends signals to your brain that it’s time to be awake. Light also suppresses your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone linked to sleep. Cutting back on bright lights and avoiding devices at least an hour before bed can tell your body it’s time to wind down, and sleeping in a dark room promotes better rest.

INVEST IN THE RIGHT MATTRESS

Your mattress plays a major role in your comfort through the night, so making sure it fits your needs is an important step toward getting better rest. Take control of your comfort with a quality mattress such as Naturepedic’s EOS (Ergonomic Organic Sleep) mattress, which is handcrafted and made without polyurethane foam, formaldehyde, flame retardants or fiberglass. The breathable layers of certified organic cotton, wool and GOTS-approved latex ensure better temperature regulation while naturally contouring the body. An added feature is the ability to customize each side of the bed by opening the zippers and adjusting the layered components for the perfect comfort combination.

FIND THE RIGHT SHEETS

Sheets that are too stiff, scratchy or otherwise unpleasant make it nearly impossible to settle in for a good night’s rest. Higher thread counts tend to be softer, higher quality sheets. However, you may need to experiment to find which material suits you best.

SET A COMFORTABLE TEMPERATURE

When you’re too hot or cold, your mind tends to focus on those sensations rather than allowing you to slip into a slumber. Set your thermostat at a comfortable temperature, adding fans or adjusting the layers of bedding as necessary to achieve the perfect level of cozy comfort.

USE A SOUND MACHINE

If you’re a light sleeper, noise can wreak havoc on your rest. Many people find sound machines offer two key benefits: They provide a soothing sound, such as rain or ocean waves, that allows you to relax and ease into slumber and constant background noise, so additional sounds are less disruptive.

Find more solutions for achieving better sleep at Naturepedic.com.

SLEEPING IN SEPARATE BEDS

Sleeping in separate beds or rooms is a choice made by

many couples, but results show it has less to do with the health of the relationship and more to do with quality sleep.

According to a survey by Naturepedic, more than 40% of couples who share a bed reported that sleep issues have caused them to question their relationship. Snoring, conflicting sleep schedules and different temperature preferences were frequently cited as concerns. However, motion transfer and mattress comfort were also reasons people said they miss having their own beds.

A bed that allows each person to customize their comfort can alleviate those problems. For example, Naturepedic’s EOS mattress allows you to adjust the layered components inside to achieve the perfect comfort combination on each side.

That’s potentially good news for couples who sleep apart, as 33% of respondents reported having different mattress firmness and softness preferences, which ultimately led to their decision.

“When it comes to sleeping together, these survey results bring to light how critical personalized mattress comfort is,” said Barry Cik, founder and technical director of Naturepedic. “Luckily, you don’t have to choose between having a good relationship or a good night’s sleep.” •

SCRAPBOOK

The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) enjoyed a successful 110th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting December 1 to 5 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The RSNA annual meeting is the world’s leading annual radiology forum, bringing together thousands of attendees from around the world. According to various online reports, attendance was up this year. Booths were packed in the exhibit hall and many attendees enjoyed meaningful discussions during social events and receptions.

1. RSNA exhibitors and attendees had a busy Monday during exhibit hall hours.

2. ICE Magazine snapped a quick photo of the Emergent Connect team at their RSNA booth during Tuesday’s exhibit hall hours.

3. Attendees had a great time at the Associated X-Ray’s 23rd Annual RSNA Monday Night Football Party

4. DUNLEE’s booth never disappoints at RSNA with their great display in the exhibit hall.

3 5 6 4

5. Megan Cabot takes a photo with industry friends Kim Rowland and Krista Bryan.

6. Attendees at the Associated X-Ray party enjoying their time together with great conversation and cocktails!

• $300 a month

• 1/6 page ad included in the marketplace

• Up to 5 categories in our ICEDEX

• Your company name, website and phone included in your ICEDEX listings

• Your company name in the alphabetical business index

• Appear in the print and digital magazine

Kenneth Saltrick, Services in Twinsburg, Ohio, experience that C-arm machines themselves are absolute workhorses.

For customers looking to blend the gap between expensive OEM and unreliable used assemblies, WE have your solution.

Our complete repair contains a new cable assembly, utilizing all OEM cable and components with a harvested plate and connector housing as they are proprietary items. These completely repaired products will have a significant cost savings with build quality above new OEM products and carry a warranty of 180 days, which is untouchable in the market.

Brandywine Imaging brandywineimaging.com • 800-541-0632

ICE Break

“The only way to predict the future is to create it.”

– Nina Kottler, MD, in the keynote address at RSNA 2024

Types of scans using radiation, abbr.

Test of a substance or process

Genetic code 12 Place at risk in some way

Practice and principles which are part of the foundation of radiation safety practices, goes with 20 across

Semiconductor diode which glows when a voltage is applied, abbr.

Thermoluminescence Dosimeter, for short

The S in RSO

Checking for the presence of disease or infection

15 Very wide shoe fitting 17 Patient form datum

21 Corporation type, abbr. 22 Golden state, abbr. 24 Faithful pet

Nose related

Stomach muscles, abbr.

Relieved 30 Electronic circuit used in graphics processing, abbr.