ACR Bulletin

Covering topics relevant to the practice of radiology

Dispatches October 2023

An ACR leader on the first-ever TIME 100 AI List, a new name for ACR-designated breast imaging centers, a study on how people are scheduling mammograms and more.
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The ACR is offering up to 10 scholarships to allow medical students to travel to ACR 2024, the College’s annual meeting, in Washington, D.C., April 13–17, 2024.

October 02, 2023

This wrap-up features articles and links on several topics, including:

  • TIME 100 AI List Features ACR DSI Chief Science Officer
  • Facilities are Now Named ACR Designated Comprehensive Breast Imaging Centers
  • Younger Patients Are Taking More Interest in Self-Scheduled Mammograms
  • Videos Help Patients Understand Breast Imaging
  • 2024 Medical Student Scholarship Applications Open
  • New! Spanish Translations of the ACR Appropriateness Criteria®
  • New: CPI Gastrointestinal Tract Radiology Module 2023
  • New: CPI Ultrasonography Module 2023

TIME 100 AI List Features ACR DSI Chief Science Officer

ACR DSI Chief Science Officer Keith Dreyer , DO, PhD, FACR, was named to the TIME 100 AI list. This list, published for the first time, features 100 leaders, artists, innovators and more who have positively influenced the field of AI. Dreyer’s efforts have been seen in many areas of AI, including discussions on reimbursement regarding AI-based work, security of patient information featured in algorithms and how heavily AI should be featured in medicine. 

Dreyer also serves as associate professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School and has previously held board, chair, advisory and committee positions with many global healthcare corporations, both nationally and internationally. Read more on Dreyer's work. See the Time 100 list..


Facilities Are Now Named ACR Designated Comprehensive Breast Imaging Centers

The ACR Breast Imaging Centers of Excellence have a new name: ACR Designated Comprehensive Breast Imaging Centers. The designation is awarded to breast imaging centers that seek and earn accreditation in all the ACR voluntary breast-imaging accreditation programs and modules.  

Only the name has changed. Designated facilities continue to be recognized for the value they provide for patient care. “Breast cancer detection has evolved significantly over the past 15 years with expansion of the spectrum of imaging options,” says ACR CEO William T. Thorwarth Jr., MD, FACR. “The new designation — ACR Designated Comprehensive Breast Imaging Center (CBIC) — reflects that evolution and the capabilities of the CBIC facilities to optimize early and confident diagnosis.”

For more information on becoming an ACR Designated Comprehensive Breast Imaging Center, visit the ACR Accreditation website.


Younger Patients Are Taking More Interest in Self-Scheduled Mammograms

A new study published by the JACR® shows that younger patients are embracing scheduling their screening mammograms through online portals. The study used data from almost 75,000 patients treated at a multisite academic institution over a seven-year period from 2015 to 2022 and looked at more than 250,000 different screenings. 

With the recommended age for mammograms starting at 40, the average age of the patients in the study was 59, and 14.5% of the mammograms, 36,200, were self-scheduled through an online portal. The total number of patients using the online portal to schedule rose from 3.7% in 2015 to 36.9% in 2022, with the years spanning from 2019 to 2022 showing the biggest increase, likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The study suggests that online self-scheduling is continuing to rise in popularity. For more information, read the study here.


Breast cancer detection has evolved significantly over the past 15 years with expansion of the spectrum of imaging options.

—ACR CEO William T. Thorwarth Jr., MD, FACR

Videos Help Patients Understand Breast Imaging

In observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the ACR has several patient-friendly animated videos explaining breast cancer screening and breast imaging during pregnancy and lactation. The ACR Commission on Patient- and Family-Centered Care has developed this series of animated videos to share with referring providers to help patients better understand their breast imaging. The videos are aligned with the patient-friendly summaries of the ACR Appropriateness Criteria®.

Access the videos.  


2024 Medical Student Scholarship Applications Open

The ACR is offering up to 10 scholarships to allow medical students to travel to ACR 2024, the College’s annual meeting, in Washington, D.C., April 13–17, 2024. Attendance at the annual meeting provides an opportunity for medical students to meet leaders in the field and learn more about the College and the radiological professions. For more information, visit the Travel Scholarship page. Questions? Contact Joan Lynch.

Applications are being accepted through Oct. 31, 2023. Members can support this ACR program by sharing the application with medical students who are interested in radiology.


New! Spanish Translations of the ACR Appropriateness Criteria®

To make the ACR Appropriateness Criteria® (AC) accessible to a broader audience, 40 topics have been translated into Spanish by Colegio Interamericano de Radiología. Additional Spanish versions will be posted on a rolling basis as translations progress. Access the Spanish AC


New: CPI Gastrointestinal Tract Radiology Module 2023

The CPI Gastrointestinal Tract Radiology self-assessment module will help you assess your gastrointestinal imaging knowledge and earn eight CME. Part of the ACR Continuous Professional Improvement (CPI) program, the module features over 160 multimodality imaging examples including CT, MRI, upper GI series, radiography and others. 

Designed to be a teaching and learning tool for general diagnostic radiologists, subspecialists and residents, this module has 50 self-assessment questions to complete at your own pace — so you can learn and earn CME at your convenience. Choose the print or online format and receive a complimentary digital (e-book) download. Purchase your module today.


New: CPI Ultrasonography Module 2023

The new CPI Ultrasonography Module will help you assess your ultrasonography imaging knowledge and earn eight CME. Part of the ACR Continuous Professional Improvement (CPI) program, the module features more than 230 images of pathological conditions using US with applications in musculoskeletal, abdominal, gynecological and obstetric, pediatric and vascular imaging. Purchase your module.

 

Author Alexander Utano,  editorial assistant, ACR Press