Tag: radiologic technologists

AI Enables Single-Click Cardiac MRI

Posted on by Brian Casey

Cardiac MRI is one of the most powerful imaging tools for assessing heart function, but it’s difficult and time-consuming to perform. Could automated AI planning offer a solution? A new research paper shows how AI-based software can speed up cardiac MRI workflow. 

Cardiac MRI has a variety of useful clinical applications, generating high-resolution images for tissue characterization and functional assessment without the ionizing radiation of angiography or CT.

  • But cardiac MR also requires highly trained MR technologists to perform complex tasks like finding reference cardiac planes, adjusting parameters for every sequence, and interacting with patients – all challenges in today’s era of workforce shortages. 

Cardiac MRI’s complexity also increases the number of clicks required by technologists to plan exams. 

  • This can introduce scan errors and produces inter-operator variability between exams. 

Fortunately, vendors are developing AI-based software that automates cardiac MR planning – in this case, Siemens Healthineers’ myExam Cardiac Assist and AI Cardiac Scan Companion. 

  • The solution enables single-click cardiac MR planning with a pre-defined protocol that includes auto-positioning to identify the center of the heart and shift the scanner table to isocenter, as well as positioning localizers to perform auto-align without manual intervention. 

How well does it work in the real world? Researchers tested the AI software against conventional manual cardiac MR exam planning in 82 patients from August 2023 to February 2024, finding that automated protocols had … 

  • A lower mean rate of procedure errors (0.45 vs. 1.13).
  • A higher rate of error-free exams (71% vs. 45%).
  • Shorter duration of free-breathing studies (30 vs. 37 minutes).
  • But similar duration of breath-hold exams (42 vs. 44 minutes, p=0.42).
  • While reducing the error gap between more and less experienced technologists. 

In their discussion of the study’s significance, the researchers note that most of the recent literature on AI in medical imaging has focused on its use for image reconstruction, analysis, and reporting.

  • Meanwhile, there’s been relatively little attention paid to one of radiology’s biggest pain points – exam preparation and planning. 

The Takeaway

The new study’s results are exciting in that they offer not only a method for performing cardiac MR more easily (potentially expanding patient access), but also address the persistent shortage of technologists. What’s not to like?

6 Solutions to the RT Shortage

Posted on by Brian Casey

Earlier this week, we described the looming shortage of radiologists in the US; this week the focus turns to radiologic technologists. A new report from the ASRT and other groups suggests the shortage of RT positions is severe, but offers some solutions. 

The healthcare industry has suffered in the post-COVID era as the need for medical services has surged due to the aging population while the number of personnel has dropped as staff leave because of retirement, burnout, and other reasons.

  • At the same time, fewer trainees are entering healthcare, a phenomenon that’s particularly problematic with allied health personnel like nurses and technologists. 

The numbers are dire, based on previously collected data …

  • Vacancy rates for all medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals are at the highest levels since the ASRT began tracking staffing in 2003
  • The radiographer vacancy rate nearly tripled in 2023 compared to 2021 (18% vs. 6.2%)
  • The number of people taking the ARRT’s radiography certification exam in 2022 fell 18% compared to 2006 (14.3k vs. 17.5k)

To address the problem, ASRT collaborated with 17 other radiological sciences groups including ARRT and JRCERT to first conduct a survey of 8.7k medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals to assess their work environment. 

  • The groups then convened a two-day meeting in February at ASRT headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

They agreed on six major solutions to address the workforce crisis …

  • Raise awareness through campaigns such as via social media to attract new students
  • Articulate clear career pathways so professionals can choose careers in clinical practice, management, or education at different levels and roles. This would include a new entry-level role, imaging medical aide (IMA), that would be offered by high schools and community colleges as a stepping stone to RT status
  • Create a pipeline from educational programs to the workplace, and make AI a mandatory part of the educational curriculum
  • Build a career ladder that defines different clinical titles for professionals in clinical and leadership roles 
  • Expand educational opportunities such as in rural and underserved communities, and create a one-stop-shop portal for educators
  • Improve workplace satisfaction through tools such as awards programs and CE opportunities on workplace satisfaction

The Takeaway

Trying to work against powerful demographic trends can sometimes seem like swimming upstream. But the new report is a good first start toward a more organized and unified response to the radiologic technologist staffing shortage.

RTs and Radiation Dose

Posted on by Brian Casey

There’s good news and bad news from a new study in Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology that tracks 40 years of occupational radiation dose to radiologic technologists who assist with fluoroscopically guided interventional procedures. The good news is that radiation dose is low and trending lower over time; the bad news is that dose to RTs can vary based on work setting. 

As we discussed last month, interventional radiology has delivered major benefits in patient care, replacing invasive surgery for many clinical applications. 

  • But the downside of interventional procedures is that they are performed for extended periods under fluoroscopy guidance, and more complex procedures are requiring longer times with the fluoro beam on – potentially leading to more radiation exposure. 

Researchers from the NIH wanted to investigate how changes in interventional use over the past 40 years affected occupational radiation dose exposure to RTs, while also looking at the impact of radiation exposure control methods. 

  • They reviewed records from 1980 to 2020, starting with RTs participating in the US Radiologic Technologists (USRT) research study who they then linked to data submitted to radiation dosimeter badge maker Landauer. 

In all, 19.7k RTs who reported assisting with fluoroscopically guided interventional procedures over the study period were included, with researchers finding … 

  • Median annual radiation dose of 0.65 mSv, well below the occupational limit of 20 mSv
  • Median doses were highest in the 1980s and decreased over time, reflecting greater awareness of patient radiation dose and better radiation protection gear
  • A second peak in radiation dose happened from 1999-2011, most likely due to more sensitive dosimeters
  • RTs who worked closer to patients (<3 feet) had higher median annual dose, at 1.20 mSv
  • RTs who reported assisting with ≥ 20 procedures per month had higher dose, at 0.75 mSv

The researchers concluded that their findings show that radiation dose control measures are working, and better radiation dosimetry technology offers a far more accurate picture of how much dose RTs are actually exposed to. 

The Takeaway

The study’s findings should give technologists who assist with interventional procedures peace of mind that their radiation dose exposure is well within established limits. But as always with radiation exposure, vigilance is warranted. 

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