Hands-On MRI Workshop for Physicists

Hands-On MRI Workshop for Physicists

Overview

About this Course

Annual testing and certification is a growing requirement of MRI facilities under the imaging standards of the Joint Commission and the MIPPA regulations. Clinical medical physicists have an important role to play in assessing the performance of MRI units under these programs, as well as assisting facilities to implement applications which will expand their MRI services. This course combines a series of lectures on the technology of MRI with six hands-on lab sessions to provide practical demonstrations of key concepts and testing procedures. The University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center in Cleveland, OH has graciously offered the use of MRI units for the laboratories. This is a unique opportunity to learn both theory and testing of MRI units from an experienced and knowledgeable faculty. Participation will provide the continuing education credit required for supporting certified MRI facilities.

The workshop will be partially conducted in a classroom lecture format, and partially in a hands-on laboratory format utilizing MRI units, work stations and various phantoms. The workshop will commence at 2:00 pm Friday and end at 3:45 pm on Sunday. A pizza dinner will be provided on Friday evening, as well as a continental breakfast, and lunch on both Saturday and Sunday. Attendees will be divided into small groups and rotated through the six 1.5 hour hands-on laboratory demonstrations. A syllabus with supporting material for presentations and labs will be provided. 

This workshop is sponsored by the Medical Technology Management Institute (MTMI) in collaboration with University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center (UHCMC).


Masks will be required.  Registration for this workshop will be limited due to the hands-on-format. You are encouraged to register early. 

Educational Objectives

At the completion of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Describe the factors affecting MR image quality.
  • Understand routine clinical pulse sequences and sources of artifacts.
  • Understand the assessment of MRI performance using the ACR MRI phantom.
  • Describe RF coil and field homogeneity testing techniques.
  • Organize and perform quality control tests on an MRI unit.
  • Recognize artifacts in MR images.
  • Understand concepts and applications of parallel imaging in MRI.

 

Schedule

Workshop Schedule

Day One

12:00 pmRegistration and Package of Course Materials Pick Up at Hotel
1:30 pmClinical Perspective on MRI Physics
... D. Jordan
2:00 pmIntroduction to NMR Physics (SAM #1)
... M. Smith
3:00 pmPrinciples of MR Image Formation (SAM #2)
... J. Debbins
4:00 pmBasic MR Pulse Sequences (SAM #3)
... P. Pattany
5:00 pmPizza Break
5:30 pmMRI System Hardware (SAM #4)
... N. Yanasak
6:30 pmAccreditation Program Requirements 
... D. Jordan
7:00 pmAdjourn for the Day

Day Two

7:00 amContinental Breakfast
7:30 amIntrinsic MR Image Quality Parameters (SAM #5)
... P. Pattany
8:30 amAccreditation Testing: Phantom Image Measurements (SAM #6)
... D. Jordan
9:30 amQuestions and Discussion 
... Faculty
9:45 amInformal Discussion and Break
10:00 amMR Safety Expert - An Introduction (SAM #7)
... M. Amurao
11:00 amAnnual Testing: Magnet Homogeneity Evaluation
... P. Pattany
11:30 amAnnual Testing: RF Coil Evaluation
... J. Debbins
12:00 pmLunch (provided)
12:45 pmLab Session #1
2:15 pmLab Session #2
3:45 pmInformal Discussion and Break
4:00 pmLab Session #3
5:30 pmQuestions and Discussion
5:45 pmAdjourn for the Day

Day Three

7:00 amContinental Breakfast
7:30 amEstablishing and Reviewing Technologist QC Programs
... N. Yanasak
8:15 amMRI Artifacts
... M. Smith
9:00 amInformal Discussion and Break
9:15 amLab Session #4
10:45 amLunch (provided)
12:15 pmLab Session #5
1:00 pmLab Session #6
2:30 pmQuestions and Evaluation
2:45 pmAdjourn Course        
 ~ schedule subject to change ~

LABS:

Lab A - Scanning the ACR Phantom for Accreditation and Daily QC

Lab B - Magnetic Field Homogeneity Testing

Lab C - MR Safety

Lab D - RF Coil Quality Control Testing

Lab E - Image Evaluation and QC Measurements using the ACR MRI Phantom

Lab F - Basic Image Quality Measurements and Evaluation

Audience

This seminar is for medical physicists and others wanting to learn more about the technical aspects of MR imaging and those wishing to obtain the continuing education credits required for physicists by the ACR MRI facility certification requirements. It is also appropriate for medical physics students and residents, technically oriented radiologists, MRI technologists and MRI company personnel will also find it of value.

Faculty

Name

David Jordan, PhD - Program Director

University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center 
Cleveland, OH

Name

Josef Debbins, PhD, PE

Barrow Neurological Institute
Phoenix, AZ

Name

Pradip M. Pattany, PhD

University of Miami
Miami, FL

Name

Mark Smith, MS, RT(R)(MR), ABMP, MRSO (MRSC)

Nationwide Children's Hospital
Columbus, OH

Name

Nathan Yanasak, PhD

Georgia Regents University
Augusta, GA

Credits

CAMPEP

This program provides 19.75 hours of continuing education for medical physicists. The program has been approved by CAMPEP for Medical Physics Continuing Education Credit (MPCEC) for qualified medical physicists.

ASRT Category A

ASRT

This program provides 23.5 hours of Category A continuing education credit for radiologic technologists approved by ASRT and recognized by the ARRT and various licensure states.  Category A credit is also recognized by CAMRT’s Continuing Education Credit Approval Program for CE credit in Canada.  You must attend the entire program to receive your certificate of completion.  

Tuition
AudiencePriceEarly PriceMember PriceMember Early Price
Physicist$1,145.00$1,050.00$1,100.00$1,005.00
Learn about membership

Early Pricing Guidelines

Qualifying 'Early' registrations must be made at least 21 days in advance for the program.

Cancellation Policy

“Hands-On” Courses

Refunds, minus a $50 processing fee, will be granted for cancellations received prior to 10 days before the program. Cancellations received within 10 days of the program will receive a credit toward a future MTMI program, minus the $50 processing fee. No refunds will be made after the program starts. MTMI reserves the right to cancel any scheduled program because of low advance registration or other reasons. MTMI’s liability is limited to a refund of any program tuition paid. MTMI recommends that attendees use refundable airline tickets. In case of cancellation of a program for any reason, MTMI is not responsible for travel costs incurred by attendees including non-refundable airline tickets.  

SAMs

SAMs

This activity includes 7 approved SAM credits for Physicists.

To cover approval, tracking and reporting costs, MTMI charges $30 for each SAM credit awarded. SAM credits may be purchased in advance or if at a live program, at the site.

The American Board of Radiology (ABR) as part of its Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program for diplomats in radiology, radiation oncology and medical physics with time-limited or continuous certificates, requires participation in LifeLong Learning and Self Assessment. The ABR requires each diplomat to attain at least 75 continuing education credits (CE) every 3 years which includes at least 25 self-assessment CE (SA-CE) credits. One form of SA-CE credits are ABR approved Self-Assessment Modules (SAMs). Participants are expected to self-report their SAM credits to the ABR. Go to www.theabr.org for more information about their MOC program and requirements.

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