At its meeting during RSNA 2008, the RSNA Board of Directors celebrated the success of the Society's 94th annual meeting and looked forward to RSNA 2009 and other projects for the coming year.
Annual Meeting Examined
At a retreat in January, the RSNA Board of Directors took an in-depth look at the RSNA annual meeting, seeking ways to continue to enhance all aspects of the meeting experience for attendees.
 Burton P. Drayer, M.D. Chairman, 2009 RSNA Board of Directors |
Among the many new features offered at RSNA 2008 was an expansion of the RSNA digital presentation system to the classroom. About 70 attendees of a refresher course on imaging liver lesions logged into the system and followed along with the course presentations on their laptops. Some attendees also used the system to take notes. All those who logged in will find the presentation saved in the myBookmarks section of their myRSNA® personalized Web page. RSNA plans to expand the system to more courses in the future.
About 150 people attended "Japan Presents," a special RSNA 2008 integrated science and practice session showcasing late-breaking Japanese studies of CT and MR imaging. RSNA debuted its international focus sessions at RSNA 2007 with "Italy Presents" and plans to showcase the U.K. in 2009.
Bistro RSNA, the new dining option unveiled at RSNA 2008, was popular with attendees. RSNA plans to offer Bistro RSNA again at RSNA 2009, including the topic tables in the Lakeside Learning Center that allow people to participate in lunchtime discussions moderated by subject experts.
A redesign of the set in the Arie Crown Theater offered RSNA 2008 attendees a brilliant close-up of plenary sessions presented in the theater. RSNA plans to offer select RSNA 2008 plenary session content on-demand at RSNA.org. Watch the homepage for more details.
The RSNA Research & Education (R&E) Foundation received a record $45,000 in donations at RSNA 2008. The Foundation also added three new Silver Anniversary Campaign pacesetters—those making a gift of $25,000 or more in support of the Foundation's campaign to raise $15 million by RSNA 2009. There are now 48 pacesetters who have collectively donated $1.2 million. The Foundation reports that it is 86 percent of the way toward its campaign goal.
Other RSNA education initiatives, including the InteractED® online education portal, will be the focus of a full-day kickoff meeting of the new RSNA Education Committee in March.
Collaborations Expanded
RSNA is reinforcing its commitment to interorganizational cooperation with a number of new collaborations.
At RSNA 2009, RSNA will work with SNM to offer a course combining didactic and case-based sessions on PET/CT. Also at RSNA 2009, RSNA will collaborate with the American Society of Radiologic Technologists to offer a 1½-day educational track for radiologic technologists.
RSNA will assist the National Cancer Institute with an epidemiological study of physicians who perform fluoroscopy-guided procedures. The study, a repeat of one conducted in the 1970s, will look at cancer morbidity in physicians with high, medium and low exposure to fluoroscopy.
RSNA will also help the American College of Radiology (ACR) to promote ACR's "Face of Radiology" campaign, which seeks to inform the public about the role of radiologists in healthcare.
Publications and Outreach Enhanced
Editors and editorial boards of RSNA's peer-reviewed journals and monthly newsmagazine met during RSNA 2008 and discussed increasing online features of all the publications. Radiology has launched a monthly podcast featuring Editor Herbert Y. Kressel, M.D., while RadioGraphics continues to enhance its online CME offerings. In 2009, RSNA News will begin posting online recordings of sources interviewed for each month's magazine.
More than 160 members of the medical news media attended RSNA 2008, providing coverage of the meeting via newspaper, television, radio and the Internet. Popular stories from the meeting included a study of self-embedding disorder in teens, new developments in autism research and a study of how including a patient's photo can enhance a radiologist's reading of an exam.
Burton P. Drayer, M.D.
Chairman, 2009 RSNA Board of Directors
