SMRT Signals • February 2017 • Vol.6 Issue 1

INFORMATION FOR YOU:

MR Update RSNA 2016

The overarching theme of the week was patient focused healthcare with the keynote speaker as well as educational sessions geared to addressing patient satisfaction and care. There was also a push for faster scan times and shortened protocols. Posters and lectures addressed ways to make healthcare more efficient.

New words like Warp, Maverick, and Semac join a legion of MR sequence abbreviations to help us reduce metal artifact on images for our patients with implanted metallic devices. While nothing completely removes the susceptibility on MR images these techniques are significant steps in that direction.

MR Safety was targeted in a variety of ways both in the lecture hall and at the exhibitor booths. New products and advancements in Ferrous metal detection, implant safety, and workflow were shown and discussed. Over the last few years there is an increased focus on training, policies and programs in MR safety. We have access to content experts holding seminars and social media groups allowing discussion worldwide. Twitter, Face Book and e-mail list-serves have allowed MR radiographers and technologists to access the knowledge and experience of a global collection of experts. We appreciate and utilize these avenues daily as we watch, read and participate in MR safety related forums.

Vendors have listened to the struggles of MR radiographers and technologists and made advancements with products that help us scan safer and more efficiently. On the showroom floor was software that allows the input of “threshold parameters” to limit RF and gradient power. Other vendors addressed noise suppression and enhancing the patient experience.

Coils have improved; they have become lighter with better SNR and are more patient friendly. Scanners are more “open”, shorter, better ventilated and lighted. We can now screen the patient for ferrous metal, set our scanner to meet conditional implanted device criteria, and scan our patients faster and with better image quality. It’s overall a great time to be a MR radiographer or technologist. With all these innovations, new scanners, techniques and accessories it can be a little overwhelming trying to keep up! That’s why we hope you’ll join us in the SMRT while we explore all these issues and try to learn the new techniques and terminology.

It’s fun to be SMaRT! But it takes a bit of work, study, collaboration and discussion. We hope to see you in Honolulu where the SMRT/ISMRM group meets again to highlight, educate and network. If you can’t make the flight not to worry, we plan to bring the content to you in other ways. Take a look at the new and improved website: www.ismrm.org/smrt. Keep checking back in as we add more knowledge and explore technology.

Safer and more efficiently goes the MR community, the SMRT is here to help navigate the way.