SCMR-ISMRM Jointly Sponsored Workshop ~ 16 January 2014
 

Accelerated CMR: Towards Comprehensive Clinical Cardiovascular Imaging
 New Orleans, LA, USA
 

OVERVIEW

The purpose of the workshop is to inform academic researchers and clinical scientists about state-of-the-art and emerging accelerated MRI techniques for cardiovascular imaging. Participants are expected to gain knowledge which will allow them to work with existing fast imaging methods to reduce imaging time, improve spatial and temporal resolution, and enable the development of new applications. Novel image reconstruction techniques including parallel imaging and compressed sensing methods will be examined. Efficient pulse sequence techniques and methods to increase patient throughput will be explored. In addition, the workshop will provide a forum for disseminating information related to cutting-edge rapid imaging techniques for the evaluation of cardiovascular structure, function, myocardial viability and perfusion, tissue characterization, MR angiography, and flow. Emerging applications and outstanding areas of clinical need in cardiovascular MRI will be discussed in order to link technical developments with clinical practice. The interdisciplinary faculty and broad audience will ensure that technologies and methodologies are communicated and shared between cardiologists, radiologists, physicists, engineers, physiologists, trainees, and technologists.
 

TARGET AUDIENCE
This workshop is designed for:
  • Academic scientists including cardiologists, radiologists, engineers and physicists, physiologists, and those who work in fields related to these disciplines.
  • Clinicians interested in learning about the most recent advances in rapid imaging and those interested in incorporating rapid imaging techniques in their clinical practice to increase patient throughput or take advantage of novel ways of diagnosing cardiovascular disease.
  • Medical, biological, and industrial researchers with an interest in emerging technology for rapid cardiovascular MRI and its implications for clinical cardiovascular MRI.
  • Cardiac and other MRI applications specialists and technologists who strive to gain a deeper insight into the basics of rapid MRI sequences and reconstruction techniques and their benefits for cardiovascular MRI.
  • Trainees seeking to understand the capabilities and limitations of rapid cardiovascular imaging technology in order to develop improved imaging methods. This may include undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral trainees, residents, and fellows.
 

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:
  • Describe current clinical challenges in cardiovascular MRI and explain how rapid imaging techniques can alleviate these problems.
  • Explain the basics of rapid MRI techniques for cardiovascular applications, including parallel imaging and compressed sensing.
  • Understand different state-of-the-art image reconstruction techniques for rapid cardiovascular MRI and articulate the advantages and disadvantages for each technique.
  • Examine and select efficient pulse sequences for different cardiovascular applications.
  • Design faster cardiovascular MRI protocols for higher patient throughput.
  • Describe remaining challenges for the adoption and clinical implementation of state-of-the-art rapid imaging techniques and techniques to improve clinical image quality.
  • Explain why rapid MRI techniques have not led to breakthroughs in certain aspects of cardiovascular imaging, and develop strategies to avoid similar failures in the future.
  • Articulate several areas where rapid imaging could be transformative for clinical imaging in the near future.