Biography:

Gregory G Passmore earned his PhD and MS in Nuclear Medicine Technology from the University of Missouri, USA. He is a tenured Professor and the Director of the Nuclear Medicine Technology Program at the Augusta University, USA. His research interests include both Nuclear Imaging Physics and Nuclear Medicine Education. He has over 100 publications, abstracts and presentations.

Abstract:

Gamma camera imaging of myocardium perfusion with either Tl-201 or Tc-99 m is dependent upon maintaining usable geometry between the detector and the view of the patient through the use of an attached lead (Pb) collimator. Both radioisotopes can indicate the perfusion characteristics of the myocardium. However, only Tl-201 has the capability to indicate if the cardiac tissue retains its viability, or if it is scarred. Current dual-isotope myocardial single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging protocols require two scans. Simultaneous imaging of Tl-201 and Tc-99m would have the benefits of optimal perfusion imaging and tissue viability signaling, eliminating potential errors caused by position misalignment between scans, and significantly reducing study time. This would further enhance the diagnostic ability of the modality, especially for those patients contraindicated for other functional imaging. However, the 99mTc Compton down-scatter components and K-shell X-rays from the Pb collimator interfere with imaging the ~70-80 keV 201Tl photons. This cross-talk reduces image resolution and obscures 201Tl defects, falsely indicating viable myocardium. This project suggested replacing the Pb collimator with one of higher density tungsten (W) to reduce the 99mTc cross-talk photons in the 201Tl photo peak range by decreasing the down-scatter component through increased absorption and shifting the k-shell x-ray out of the 201Tl photo peak. The aim of the project was to test the ability of a W pinhole attenuator in reducing the detrimental effects of Pb generated cross-talk during simultaneous dual-isotope201Tl/99mTc imaging. Outcomes indicate a significant reduction in down-scatter cross-talk using W attenuators compared to Pb attenuators.

Biography:

Jan S Lewin is a Professor in the Head and Neck Surgery Department and Section Chief of Speech Pathology and Audiology at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Michigan and her PhD from Michigan State University. She is a recognized authority on functional outcomes in oncology patients. She is a regularly invited participant to national and international cancer survivorship programs and public education networks. Under her direction, the speech pathology and audiology program at MD Anderson is recognized as the premier program for functional rehabilitation of oncology patients.

Abstract:

Speech and swallowing dysfunction are frequent consequences of head and neck cancer and its treatment. Combined modality treatment has replaced highly morbid operations for the treatment of patients with advanced disease. Endoscopic transoral laser and robotic surgeries along with intensity modulated radiation therapy regimens of photons or protons, offer alternatives for functional preservation by sparing uninvolved tissues, essentially saving critical physiology. Despite the often remarkable therapeutic gains, even organ sparing treatment regimens have frequently been accompanied by significant early and late toxicities, including dysphagia and chronic aspiration. Findings from laryngeal preservation trials show aspiration rates up to 40% in unselected groups of head and neck cancer patients. Up to 80% of symptomatic patients will aspirate when laryngopharyngeal function is impaired; and 50% of those who aspirate will do so silently without indication (coughing or throat clearing). Treatment de-intensification is critical, especially for patients with HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers who are younger, nonsmokers, who have better cancer treatment response and an increased life expectancy. Recent data support proactive, preventative exercise models as best practice to optimize long-term functional outcomes. Appropriate functional evaluations can provide clear prognostic indicators and guide treatment selection especially for patients in whom cancer cure and survival are comparable. Data demonstrate that prospective implementation of appropriately designed treatment regimens offers the best methods for avoiding long-term dysfunction. This session provides a comprehensive overview of the tumor characteristics, risk factors, treatment regimens and associated toxicities as they relate to the long-term functional outcomes of patients with head and neck cancer.

Biography:

Sang Y Lee is an Assistant Professor in the Neurosurgery Department of the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine (PSUCOM). His research focuses on the role of iron metabolism in neurodegenerative diseases and cancers. His research interests also include drug development for cancers, especially brain cancer, lung cancer, and neuroblastoma. He is a recipient of innovation award from the PSUCOM. He is an active member of BioIron, AACR and SNO. He has published more than 34 peer-reviewed papers and his research has been recognized by multiple private foundations and state and federal governments including NIH. He served grant reviewers for NCI and NIH.

Abstract:

Gliomas account for 28% of all primary brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumors, and 80% of them are malignant. Among gliomas, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common malignant type. The median survival time for GBM patients is 14.6 months. The 2 year survival rate of GBM patients is just 10.4% for those treated with radiotherapy alone and 26.5% for patients treated with both chemotherapy, temozolomide (TMZ), and radiation. The current chemotherapeutic standard for GBM is TMZ - an oral alkylating agent. However, at least 50% of TMZ treated patients do not respond to TMZ. This is due primarily to the over-expression of O6-methylguanine methyltransferase (MGMT) and/or lack of a DNA repair pathway in GBM cells. Multiple GBM cell lines are known to contain TMZ resistant cells and several acquired TMZ resistant GBM cell lines have been developed for use in experiments designed to define the mechanism of TMZ resistance and the testing of potential therapeutics. The characteristics of intrinsic and adaptive TMZ resistant GBM cells, however, have not been systemically compared. In this presentation, I will i) compare the characteristics and mechanisms of TMZ resistance in natural and adapted TMZ resistant GBM cell lines, ii) summarizes potential treatment options for TMZ resistant GBMs, and iii) drug development using TMZ resistant cells.

Biography:

Suzanne Alves is currently working as Clinical Nurse Specialist in research and education for peritoneal malignancy. She has a BA in cancer nursing and MSc in Cancer care and wide experience in the care of patients with pseudomyxoma peritonei and education.

Abstract:

Peritoneal malignancy encompasses pseudomyxoma, colorectal carcinoma, ovarian carcinoma and other rare cancers that are suitable for cytoreductive surgery and heated intra-operative intra-peritoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). Surgery is extensive with multiple visceral and peritoneal resections. Nursing these patients presents challenges, in terms of pain relief, nutrition, stoma care, hallucinations, and post-operative complications. The patient stay averages 21 days and all spend a minimum of 24 hours in ITU and have total parenteral nutrition. Nutrition is difficult and depending on the resections, remains so for some time. Quality of life is poor following surgery and can take up to six months before a good quality is achieved. Those patients unable to have a complete cytoreduction have as much tumour removed as possible, and live with the certainty of further problems at some time in the future with a reduction in life span. Palliative care is an essential part of long term care. A telephone nurse-led follow up provides support and an environment of trust for the patient. The length of follow up for some patients creates a psychological trauma that is revisited annually due to CT scans and tumour markers; however there is 86% survival rate at five years for pseudomyxoma. End of life and survivorship are aspects of care that require considerable long term input and support.

Biography:

Priscila Feliciano de Oliveira is pursuing her Doctorate in Health Sciences from Sergipe Federal University (UFS). She earned her Master of Speech Therapy and Audiology degree from Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (2007). In addition, she is post-graduated in Hospitalar Speech Therapy and Audiology and in Hospital Administration. She is a specialist in audiology by Federal Council of Speech Therapy and Audiology and is Adjunct Professor of Audiology at UFS. She is Coordinator of Audiology Monitor Program and Coordinator of Audiological Diagnosis research in Oncology conducted at a Public Hospital of Medical Emergency in Sergipe.

Abstract:

In Brazil, the estimation of cancer for 2015 was 576 thousands of new cases. In the Northeast of Brazil, Aracaju (Sergipe), the numbers have been increasing significantly, once Brazilian National Cancer Institute had notified 3.610 cases in 2010 and in 2015, 4.755 cases. Treatment methods have been widely used given their increase in the successful outcomes and cure of some cancers, but they lead to collateral effects. One of them is the hearing loss, which can affect the middle or inner ear. Generally, hearing loss is sensorineural, bilateral and irreversible, tends to be permanent and can come with tinnitus. The major damage occurs in the basal turn of the cochlea and hits the outer hair cells before some days or weeks after the treatment. In this perspective, a research project was set up in a public hospital in Sergipe, which is reference in cancer ward for the state. In 2012, 30.3% of 43 subjects were identified with some damage in hearing organ. In 2013, were evaluated 63 patients, and 11 of them were followed up monthly. We diagnosed 32.3% with hearing loss and 45.5% had worsening of hearing thresholds. In 2014 and 2015, our hearing assessment was extended for children and elderly, and sensorioneural cases were diagnosed. Furthermore, most of them reported tinnitus (62.2%) and it was identified that poorer quality of life was associated with late diagnosis. To sum up hearing loss cases were referred to use a hearing aid and all cases were discussed with the medical team.

Biography:

Sanjit Kumar founded DiaScan, Inc. along with four others in order to further integrate medicine with data science. We are funded by Christopher Klaus, CEO at Kaneva and former Founder and CTO at Internet Security Systems. DiaScan received the Audience Choice Award at the TechCrunch Pitch-Off in Atlanta in 2016. Additionally, we were accepted into the Cyberlaunch Accelerator program for summer 2016.

Abstract:

Among all types of cancers, lung cancer ranks highest on mortality rate. The only way to diagnose malignant lung cancer is by performing a biopsy or seeing the growth of a malignant tumor between scans, both of which usually lead to late diagnosis and metastasis. This decreases chances of survival dramatically. To make matters worse, current softwares that radiologists use do not really help with analysis, diagnosis, and prognosis. Most CAD softwares do not even automatically calculate pertinent tumor features. Because of this, the false positive rate hovers around 90% nationally, with one NIH study having a false positive rate of 96.4%. DiaScan uses deep learning and feature extraction on CT scans and medical data in order to accurately characterize lung cancer. DiaScan strives to detect cancer at an early stage, reduce the high false positive rate, decrease the amount of unneeded biopsies and repeat scans, assist radiologists by offering better tools and features, and minimize overall costs. DiaScan recieved over 10,000 patients from the National Cancer Institute in order to pursue their research, and is in the middle of developing this software to replace current methods of analyzation. DiaScan’s software will be able to intelligently extract tumor characteristics (size, density, calcifications, spiculations, etc.), predict factors of prognosis (type, stage, grade, etc.), and put all this information into a huge deep neural network in order to classify the tumor as benign or malignant, without invasive procedures. Overall, DiaScan’s research has the potential to help millions of lives around the world.

Biography:

Zoya Vinokur is an alumn of New York City College of Technology. She teaches Radiographic Procedures and Clinical Education. She completed her BSc from Long Island University, MSc in Health Services Management and Policy from New School University and holds advanced certification in Mammography. With over 20 years of professional and teaching experience, she has taught a variety of courses in the medical imaging discipline including, Radiographic Procedures and Positioning, Pediatric Radiography, Advanced Medical Imaging II in a baccalaureate degree program. She is a frequently invited speaker at professional conferences both locally and regionaly. Her areas of concentration and interest includes “Teaching and Technology
Chalenges, Mammography, and MusicTharapy”. She currently serves on various educational advisory boards and has held other board positions in professional organizations including Vice President, Coresponding Secretary, and Nominating Chair.

Abstract:

Radiologic technology education has shifted significantly from the hospital to college-based degree programs. Academically strong programs offer considerable advantage for the health professionals. Radiologic technology education generally has not kept pace with this trend. Traditional learning process, integrating teaching and learning pyramids will be discussed during the presentation. Radiologic technology educators must be mindful of how college students are motivated and use various instructional strategies to increase students’ motivation in the classroom and clinical setting. We as educators must accept differences among students and between students and faculty. One of the challenges we are facing today is, our student’s exhibit increased motivation in classes while educators have high expectations. Implementing different instructional styles such as connecting with students, creating an interactive classroom, and guiding students will result in improved student motivation.

Biography:

Lin Sheng has completed his studies from The General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army hospital. He is the Director of the Department of Interventional Ultrasound, Yuquan Hosiptal, Tsinghua University. He has published more than 25 papers and books in reputed journals and has been five invention patents.

Abstract:

Microwave ablation is used for the treatment of hypersplenism; image guidance and ablation volume assessment is very important to ensure that the ablation is successful. In this study, 3-D ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were compared with regard to their accuracy in determining the ablation parameters for microwave ablation in a canine splenomegaly model. Microwave ablation was carried out in the spleen of 13 dogs with congestive splenomegaly. Different combinations of power output and ablation time were used: 60 W for 300 s, 50 W for 360 s and 40 W for 450 s. The volume of the ablation zone was measured by 3-D US and 3-D MRI immediately after microwave ablation, and at one, two and eight weeks thereafter. Compared with 3-D MRI, the ablation zone reconstruction rate was lower with 3-D US (92% vs. 100%). However, there was no significant difference with regard to the ablation volume calculated soon after the ablation and one week and two months later. Therefore, 3-D US may be a useful technique for quantifying the volume of microwave ablation zones in the spleens of experimental animals and may be a promising method for clinical examinations.

Biography:

Christian G Chaussy was a Professor of Urology and Head of the Stone Centre from the year 1984-1986. He left this tenure position in 1986 to become Chairman of the Department of Urology Klinikum Harlaching in Munich. In 1996, he started the use of HIFU for the treatment of Localized Prostate Cancer. In 2011 he became the President of the Endourological Society and is currently holding a position of Consultant Professor at the Department of Urology, University of Regensburg. He is also a Clinical Professor of Urology at the Keck School of Medicine, USC.

Abstract:

Currently, on average, prostate cancer is diagnosed 10 years earlier and men live almost 4 years longer than 25 years ago. This means that the therapeutic necessity is more than double the time than it was then. None of the classical therapies is effective enough to cover this time frame as a monotherapy without a significant risk of aggressive recurrence during these years. Therefore, new concepts of multimodal and sequential therapies need to be introduced to cover the longer treatment period effectively to maintain the patient’s quality of life (QOL). One of these new therapeutic modalities is the treatment of prostate cancer with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is an emerging, noninvasive, local treatment of prostate cancer with 20 years of clinical experience, during which about 40,000 HIFU treatments have been performed worldwide. This presentation reviews the outcomes of HIFU by Ablatherm (EDAP TMS, Lyon, France), and the evolution currently underway regarding how prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated. This presentation shows the potential of HIFU to be used as local therapy for men with any stage of prostate cancer as an effective tool for salvage therapy and the possibilities for focal therapy of prostate cancer and how these additional therapeutic options can fit within the future armamentarium of a sequential multimodal therapy concept.

Biography:

Saifeng Liu has completed his PhD in 2014 from McMaster University. He is now a Research Scientist in the MRI Institute for Biomedical Research, directed by Dr. E. Mark Haacke. He has published 14 papers on Susceptibility Weighted Imaging (SWI) and Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM) in top journals on MRI. He has developed several data processing algorithms and software packages for SWI and QSM, which are being widely used by researchers in this field.

Abstract:

Susceptibility Weighted Imaging (SWI) has been widely used in clinical applications such as imaging stroke, traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases. Its exquisite sensitivity to susceptibility effects is attributed to the use of MR phase images which contain valuable information of in vivo tissue properties. Despite its success in visualizing cerebral vasculature and differentiating calcium from iron content, SWI only provides qualitative measure and is dependent on imaging parameters such as field strength, echo time and orientation. This problem is solved by the quantitative version of SWI, Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM). In QSM, an inverse problem is solved to extract the susceptibility distribution from the magnetic phase images. The potential of QSM in quantifying iron content in grey matter structures has been demonstrated in various studies. Furthermore, QSM can be combined with SWI to provide true susceptibility weighted imaging (tSWI) which solves the orientation dependence problem in conventional SWI. SWI and QSM have also been extended to body imaging, such as quantifying liver iron concentration and imaging the spine. In this presentation, the recent technical developments in SWI and QSM are introduced, with examples of clinical applications of SWI and QSM in the brain and the liver. In addition, a new imaging protocol named Strategically Acquired Gradient Echo (STAGE) is presented, which enables rapidly imaging of the entire brain in less than 10 minutes and yet provides information for a comprehensive diagnosis of neurovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, based on the recent technical developments in SWI and QSM.

Biography:

A Dommann is heading the Department of Materials Meet Life at Empa. He received his PhD in Solid State Physics in 1988 from ETH Zurich in Switzerland. His research concentrates on the surface analysis, bio surface interactions, structuring, coating and characterization of thin films. He is the member of different national and international committees and teaches Biomaterials, Crystallography and MEMS technology at different Swiss Universities and has published more than 130 papers. He is the member of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Science (SATW) and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Berne, Switzerland.

Abstract:

In the human body, we encounter very often between the strong absorbing bone structures also weakly absorbing structures like cartilage, which needs to be analyzed at different length-scales to understand it completely. This makes them challenging objects for classical X-ray imaging. Research on cartilage is becoming a major topic for medical imaging. The Center for X-ray Analytics at Empa was created to combine all major analytical X-ray technologies in one common platform and to facilitate the development of new instruments and methods exploiting numerous physical interaction mechanisms to address current and future challenges. This expertise of wide-ranging contrast-mechanisms is combined with developments in data-processing and image analysis as well as instrument improvements through the application of novel detector and source concepts, image reconstruction and artefact correction algorithms. Novel developments like phase-contrast and dark-field X-ray imaging, spectral CT or iterative reconstruction help to improve the sensitivity and the contrast of medical imaging. With such tools it might soon be possible to image challenging objects like cartilage or to segment cancerous and normal tissue. Together with micro-CT and diffraction based analytics they have the potential to advance X-ray techniques also into fields where they are not used today. The Empa Center for X-ray Analytics pushes these technologies in close collaboration with radiologists and equipment manufactures to explore synergies between laboratory and clinical equipment.

Biography:

Mariyah Selmi is a Junior Doctor at The Royal Oldham Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom. She has done MBChB in Imaging Sciences from Kings’ College London. She has multiple publications and international presentation in the field of Radiology with a special interest in Radiation Awareness and Dosimetry.

Abstract:

CT head examinations may result in significant and unnecessary irradiation to the lens of the eye, one of the most radiosensitive tissues in the body. Thus, increasing the likelihood of damage and accelerating cataract formation. Standard CT head examinations expose the lens to approximately 25-103 mGy. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) estimates opacity formation with doses as low as 0.5 Gy. A retrospective study of CT head scans for a 2 week period in November 2015 was conducted. The indication and age of patient were noted, and images were analyzed to identify lens inclusion. Of the 321 scans analyzed, 62% had the lens included, with 52% of this group under the age of 65. Of the 48% where the lens was not included, indications were varied, ranging from head injury to seizures. This suggests exclusion of the lens is possible even in challenging clinical circumstances. Common reasons for mal-positioning includes confusion and arthritis, which are generally less prominent features in this age group. Departmental teaching on positioning of radiographic baseline, setting region of interest and use of head rests to achieve optimum positioning has led to radiographers obtaining anatomically sound images without the need to angulate the gantry incurring a radiation dose penalty; with promising initial re-audit results.

Using our findings a new protocol is being developed, with the hope to reduce the unnecessary radiation burden to the lens during CT head scans minimizing the risk of visual impairment.

Biography:

Mariyah Selmi is a Junior Doctor at The Royal Oldham Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom. She has done MBChB in Imaging Sciences from Kings’ College London. She has multiple publications and international presentation in the field of Radiology with a special interest in Radiation Awareness and Dosimetry.

Abstract:

CT head examinations may result in significant and unnecessary irradiation to the lens of the eye, one of the most radiosensitive tissues in the body. Thus, increasing the likelihood of damage and accelerating cataract formation. Standard CT head examinations expose the lens to approximately 25-103 mGy. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) estimates opacity formation with doses as low as 0.5 Gy. A retrospective study of CT head scans for a 2 week period in November 2015 was conducted. The indication and age of patient were noted, and images were analyzed to identify lens inclusion. Of the 321 scans analyzed, 62% had the lens included, with 52% of this group under the age of 65. Of the 48% where the lens was not included, indications were varied, ranging from head injury to seizures. This suggests exclusion of the lens is possible even in challenging clinical circumstances. Common reasons for mal-positioning includes confusion and arthritis, which are generally less prominent features in this age group. Departmental teaching on positioning of radiographic baseline, setting region of interest and use of head rests to achieve optimum positioning has led to radiographers obtaining anatomically sound images without the need to angulate the gantry incurring a radiation dose penalty; with promising initial re-audit results.

Using our findings a new protocol is being developed, with the hope to reduce the unnecessary radiation burden to the lens during CT head scans minimizing the risk of visual impairment.