Last year's meeting of the Radiological Society of North America--the organization's 100th--reflected on the past and celebrated how far the field has come. This year's event promises to look to the future--and the challenges and possibilities that are on the medical imaging horizon.
"Our meeting theme is 'Innovation is the Key to our Future,' and we turn our gaze forward with new exhibits highlighting the future of medical imaging," RSNA President Ronald L. Arenson, M.D. (pictured), said in a statement. Attendees, the group said, can expect "a free-flowing interactive exhibit that will interweave the contributions of RSNA with the latest developments in radiologic science and technology."
While last year's Centennial Showcase included features such as a demonstration of early imaging equipment and a replica of Wilhem Röntgen's lab, this year's showcase will give visitors an opportunity to explore radiology's newest achievements.
Showcase exhibits include:
Our Milestones, which presents RSNA's defining moments in a multimedia presentation.
Cases of the Future, which encourages attendees to conceptualize radiology's future possibilities.
Art & Science, which presents a collection of artistically rendered medical images.
Centennial Galleries, which focuses on RSNA's defining principles: Community, Education, Research, Innovation and Patient Care.
Also new this year are exhibits on brain research, artificial intelligence, optical imaging, virtual reality, 3-D printing and personalized medicine.
Offerings outside the annual meeting include a Centennial website with an interactive radiology timeline and an image contest. The website will also feature digital highlights from the Centennial Showcase.
Over at DotMed, Editor-In-Chief Sean Ruck sat down with Arenson ahead of the show to ask him about challenges and opportunities for the radiology community.
Chief among the challenges for radiologists is "trying to convert from a volume-based practice to a value-based one," Arenson told the publication.
That challenge is not insurmountable, he added, so long as professionals adapt and evolve to changes that include reducing waste and improving efficiency of care delivery.
As for opportunities, Arenson told DotMed that innovation and informatics are vital to advances in the field. "Precision medicine will play a huge role in healthcare in the coming years," he added, "and will open up new opportunities for utilization of advanced imaging modalities, such as PET/MR and MR spectroscopy."
Radiologist Matt Hawkins, who previewed last year's event for FierceHealthIT, also hit on the "past and future" theme.
"Each year the RSNA serves as a showcase for professionals invested in medical imaging," he wrote. "It reinforces what is current and unveils what is coming. It offers a general sense of the profession. RSNA highlights our greatest obstacles while also offering promise and cultivating optimism."
To learn more:
- here's the RSNA announcement
- visit the online RSNA Centennial site
- check out the DotMed interview