Gordon J. Harris PhD, Presenter: Medical Advisory Board, Fovia, Inc Scientific Advisory Board, Tele3D Advantage, LLC

Discussion of the revolution in radiology made possible by the integration of advanced visualization techniques into radiology clinical practice, including the development of standardized 3D protocols, determination of whether 3D technologists vs radiologists process exams, and discussion of workflow and informatics for both 3D imaging and the use of quantitative analyses in clinical practice and clinical trials. Demonstration of feasibility for centralized 3D and quantitative analysis services across sites.

Examples presented of successful translation of advanced visualization techniques from research to clinical practice, and examples of implementation of workflow and informatics at Mass General Hospital (MGH) to manage providing 3D and quantitative analyses with rapid turnaround and high attention to consistency and quality.

The MGH 3D Imaging Service has successfully pioneered and translated a variety of advanced visualization techniques into clinical practice, and has developed workflow to process consistently and reliably over 100 exams per day, as well as an additional 100 exams per month for other hospitals. The Tumor Imaging Metrics Core manages workflow, ordering, and reporting for over 500 active clinical trials across the 5 Harvard hospitals, and is working to implement this system at other cancer centers.

Advanced visualization is essential to the recent explosion of innovation in radiology and has become an integral part of clinical practice, with advances in technology leading the way in the widespread adoption and accessibility of many procedures such as cardiac CT angiography, breast MR, CT colonography, and others, that were not clinically available a decade ago. However, in order for successful implementation of new technologies in clinical practice, attention to the details of workflow and informatics is as essential as the advanced visualization algorithms themselves, so that 3D processing and quantitative analysis can be made routinely available on request with consistent reliability and quality.

Advanced visualization is central to current best-practices in radiology, while integration of image processing workflow and informatics is necessary for successful translation from R&D to practice.

Harris, G, Informatics Keynote Speaker: Advanced Visualization.  Radiological Society of North America 2012 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 25 - November 30, 2012 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2012/12038670.html