Country Presents Sessions Feature Australia, New Zealand and the Nordic Countries

This year RSNA honors two multinational radiology associations with its “Country Presents” series: the Nordic Society of Medical Radiology, which comprises the societies of medical radiology in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR).

Australia and New Zealand Look at the Expanding Role of Interventional Radiology 

The RSNA 2018 session, “Australia and New Zealand Present: Clinical Radiology and Radiation Oncology,” held on Monday, Nov. 26, will be highlighted by a discussion on the close relationship between radiation oncology and interventional oncology.

“The treatment of malignant disease has for many years been managed by a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation oncology, but interventional oncology has rapidly expanded over the past few decades and many now consider this discipline to represent a ‘fourth pillar of oncology,’” said John Slavotinek, MBBS, Dean, Faculty of Clinical
Radiology, RANZCR.

“Interventional oncology uses image guidance to deliver appropriate and minimally invasive therapies to oncology patients and with radiation oncology, shares imaging guidance as an integral part of patient treatment,” he said, adding that since radiology and radiation oncology also represent sister disciplines, “close integration and collaboration between the two are important.”

The presentation, “Radiation Oncology and Interventional Oncology: A Marriage Made in Heaven,” will be given by Lizbeth Kenny, MD, senior radiation oncologist at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Queensland, Australia.

Another presentation will look specifically at interventional radiology in Australia and New Zealand.

The regulatory and health care environments in Australia and New Zealand have facilitated the conduct of leading-edge research in the area of interventional radiology, Dr. Slavotinek said. This presentation, “A Journey in Vascular Interventional Research: Lessons Learnt and Future Prospects,” will highlight the contributions made by the two countries to the development of interventional radiology, particularly as they relate to “first in man” trials.

Other presentations will include discussions on the role of iron in neurodegeneration, and education, training and reform initiatives in Australia and New Zealand radiology.

The Nordic Countries Focus on Education and Training 

The RSNA 2018 session “The Nordic Countries Present: Radiology the Scandinavian Way, Future Potentials,” held on Tuesday, Nov. 27, will focus on how current and future radiologists are being educated and trained.

According to Birthe H. Bech, MD, president of the Nordic Society of Medical Radiology, a radiologist shortage in the Nordic countries (which mirrors shortages elsewhere in Europe) has led to an increased focus on the importance of
educating and training. For example,
Dr. Bech said, “we are introducing simulation training here and we think it will give us a great opportunity to educate more radiologists.”

One of the presentations, “Education of Future Radiologists with Simulation-Based Training: Is This the Way to Go?” will look at the present status of simulation training in ultrasound and how a simulation-based curriculum could be structured and implemented.

In another presentation, “Healthcare and Radiology in the Nordic Countries,” Marianna Gardarsdottir, MD, will provide a broad look at medical education, training and healthcare in the Nordic Countries, while in the presentation, “Future Challenges in Nordic Education in Emergency Radiology,” Seppo K. Koskinen, MD, PhD, will focus more specifically on the status of and future challenges related to emergency radiology training.

Ilse Vejborg, MD, will speak on, “Mammography Screening in Denmark: Implementation of a Population Based Service Cancer Screening Program, Quality Assurance, Results, and Future Potentials.”

“This will have a particular focus on quality assurance, which is very important in mammography screening,” said Dr. Bech, who will wrap up the “Nordic Countries Present” session with a look at next year’s Nordic Congress in Radiology, which will be held May 22–24, 2019, in Copenhagen.

Visit The Nordic Society of Medical Radiology in the South Hall, featuring Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and explore a range of topics from radiology education to mammography research. Attendees from participating countries will be recognized with badge ribbons during Country Presents sessions.