79 healthcare professionals gathered in Montreal, Quebec on September 29th and 30th for the SCMR Foundations of CMR Level I Workshop. The 2-day workshop was organized by Co-Chairs Dr. Matthias Friedrich from the host institution, McGill University Health Centre, and Dr. Kim Connelly from St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. The workshop began with opening remarks by Dr. Friedrich, providing an overview on the clinical value of CMR and the topics to be discussed over the course of the workshop.
The theme of the morning session was “How CMR Works: Sequences and Safety” and emphasized MRI sequences, safety, and CMR in patients with implanted devices. The morning closed with an overview of the two software platforms utilized during the case sessions (provided by NeoSoft and Circle Cardiovascular Imaging). Attendees then split into 3 groups and cycled between hands-on sessions focused on “typical CMR cases”.
Following the morning sessions was a lunchtime presentation by Dr. Anja Brau from GE Healthcare on the latest innovations for streamlined Cardiac MRI at 1.5T & 3.0T. The afternoon sessions focused on CMR in Cardiomyopathies, and quantitative CMR measurements and Dr. Steven Wolff presented a session titled Speed and Accuracy: How Deep Should Your Learning Be? Supported by NeoSoft. Day one closed with all participants, faculty, and sponsors enjoyed some networking time during the evening reception.
Day two began with several expert sessions covering CMR in the evaluation and management of patients with valvular heart disease, rhythm disorders, and vascular pathology. Next, Matthias Friedrich presented a session on time-efficient yet comprehensive evaluation of CMR images supported by Circle Cardiovascular Imaging. Attendees then split up for the first case sessions of the day covering valves, arrhythmia, and vascular pathology. The lunch presentation covered the Medis Suite MR: Designed to Improve Clinical Workflow presented by Gay Luebchow Clarkson and supported by Medis Medical Imaging. The final set of didactic sessions covered CMR of the Pericardium, Congenital Disease and Masses followed by the last set of case sessions on the same topics. Co-chairs Matthias Friedrich and Kim Connelly wrapped up the workshop with key take-a-ways and review questions.
The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive and the next Level I workshop will be held in Houston, Texas on December 1st and 2nd.
Faculty
- Jewish General Hospital – McGill University, Jonathan Afilalo, MD
- Carnegie Hill Radiology – Steven Wolff, MD, PhD
- IUCPQ – Eric Larose, MD
- McGill University Health Centre – Matthias Friedrich, MD (Program Co-Chair)
- Montreal Heart Institute – Francois-Pierre Mongeon, MD
- Northern Ontario School of Medicine – Andreas Kumar, MD
- St. Michael’s Hospital – Kim Connelly MD, PhD (Program Co-Chair)
- Stephenson Cardiac Imaging Centre – Carmen Lydell, MD
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre – Idan Roifman, MD and Laura Jimenez-Juan, MD
- University Health Network – Rachel Wald, MD
- University of Alberta – Ian Paterson, MD
- University of Calgary – Vamshi Kotha, MD
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute – Andrew Crean, MD
- University of Virginia – Michael Salerno, MD, PhD
Sponsors
- Arterys
- Circle Cardiovascular Imaging
- GE Healthcare
- Medis Medical Imaging
- NeoSoft
- PIA (Precision Image Analysis)
