Cancer Course Alert: The Mayo Clinic offered diagnostic imaging class for practicing radiologists

As the Mayo Clinic’s College of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, participation in the course was eligible for a maximum of 24 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits ™.  Registrants who required credit for state nursing boards, specialty societies or other professional associations received a record of attendance as proof of credit eligibility.

In addition to practicing radiologists, the course was open to residents, fellows-in-training, oncologists, including mesothelioma doctors, and nurses.  However, course participation does not guarantee competence or proficiency in the procedures discussed or taught.

Mesothelioma disease is a rare type of cancer that occurs in the lining of the chest or the abdomen. It is more likely develop in individuals who have been exposed to airborne asbestos particles, and treatment can include mesothelioma radiation, surgery, chemotherapy or a combination of the three.  Because mesothelioma is usually detected when the disease is already quite extended, advances in the diagnostic imaging field may well be the key to earlier detection and the saving of lives.

The Mayo Clinic’s course was composed of state-of-the-art imaging lectures covering multiple subspecialties of radiology and cardiothoracic, abdominal imaging, and neuroradiology self-assessment modules.  The lectures and modules were led by faculty from all three Mayo Clinic campuses, and included such highlights as:

            Dual-Energy CT: What Is It and How Can It Help Me?

Amy K. Hara, MD

Advanced Statistical Iterative Reconstruction (ASIR) and Other Radiation Dose Reduction Techniques for Body CT
Amy K. Hara, MD

Imaging the Patient with Non-Coronary Acute Chest Pain Syndrome

Prasad M. Panse, MD

CT and MR Evaluation of the Pericardium
Prasad M. Panse, MD

Interesting Cardiothoracic Case Conference

James F. Gruden, MD

Small Airway Disease: CT Appearance

John R. Muhm, Sr., MD

Participants who completed the full five days should expect to be able to describe unique outcome measures for monitoring quality and safety in medical imaging, apply a working knowledge of dual-energy CT and its potential clinical applications and review the steps and infrastructure necessary to implement and sustain a radiology quality assurance program.  Additional course objectives included assessing the improved clinical imaging afforded by a new state-of-the-art CT scanner which can achieve high-resolution imaging with reduced patient radiation exposure and integrating current guidelines for the management of small incidentally-detected pulmonary nodules into daily radiology practice.

For a course syllabus and more course information visit: http://www.mayo.edu/cme/index.cfm?objectid=AB4F57C5-19BD-49F9-8D852485B125F873&sectionID=4A8E7D84-8803-479F-BEE6F2BD52D6AB8B

Or contact the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine by email mca.cme@mayo.edu or telephone (480) 301-4580.

Mesothelioma.com encourages all mesothelioma doctors and other medical professionals who may work with patients suffering from this cancer to participate in continuing education related to the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. For more information about mesothelioma please visit Mesothelioma.com, or follow Mesothelioma.com on Twitter @Mesodotcom.