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MAY 2013 • Vol. 2, Issue 2 |
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Cardiac Magnetic Resonance is Topic for Latest Home Study |
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| We are
pleased to present the SMRT Educational Seminars,
Volume 16, Number 1: “Cardiac MRI: Ischemic and
Valvular Heart Disease.” This is the 59th accredited
home study developed by the SMRT, exclusively for
the SMRT members. The accreditation is conducted by
the SMRT acting as a RCEEM (Recognized Continuing
Education Evaluation Mechanism) for the ARRT.
Category A credits are assigned to each home study,
which can be used to maintain one’s ARRT advanced
registry. SMRT home studies are also approved for
AIR (Australian Institute of Radiography) and CPD
Now (The College of Radiographers, United Kingdom)
continuing professional development (CPD)
activities. Two recently published articles have
been selected for this issue, “Cardiovascular
Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Ischemic Heart
Disease” and “Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Valvular
Heart Disease: Clinical Application and Current Role
for Patient Management.” Innovative techniques to
image fast enough to overcome the motion of the
heart and lungs, and improvements in tissue contrast
through the use of new contrast agents and novel
imaging sequences, continue to propel MRI of the
heart and major vessels into the future. In the first article, the authors sum it up nicely by saying “Ischemic heart disease is the most frequent etiology for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Early detection and accurate monitoring are essential to guide optimal patient treatment and assess the individual’s prognosis.” And “CMR has proven accuracy and is a robust technique for the assessment of myocardial function both at rest and during stress. It also allows stress perfusion analysis with high spatial and temporal resolution, and provides a means by which to differentiate tissue such as distinguishing between reversibly and irreversibly injured myocardium.” In the second article, the authors provide a comprehensive review of the depiction and assessment of valvular heart disease provided by CMR. “Noninvasive imaging provides important information on cardiac anatomy and function and is a key element in clinical management of valvular heart disease (VHD). Beside echocardiography, which is still considered the first-line modality for assessment of valvular anatomy and longitudinal evaluation of VHD, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has evolved during the last two decades as an essential tool for evaluation of cardiac diseases. Today, CMR not only represents the reference standard for measuring cardiac volumes, function, and mass, but also enables accurate assessment of morphology and function of cardiac valves.” Many thanks to Rhonda Walcarius, B.Sc., R.T.(R)(MR), Chair of the SMRT Publications Committee from Toronto, Ontario, Canada for writing the questions that compose the quiz necessary for accreditation, and for acting as the Expert Reviewer for this home study. Thanks also to Heidi Berns, M.S., R.T.(R)(MR), FSMRT, Chair of the SMRT RCEEM Ad-hoc committee from Coralville, Iowa, USA and all those who participate on this committee by reviewing the home studies for accreditation. Finally, thanks to Jennifer Olson, Associate Executive Director, Mary Keydash, Publications Director, Linda O-Brown, SMRT Coordinator, and the entire staff in the Berkeley, California, USA office of the ISMRM and SMRT for their insight and long hours spent supporting these educations symposia. We would also like to thank John Wilkie and all of the individuals at Invivo Corporation (Philips Healthcare) who generously support our home studies program. Their continuing investment advances technologist and radiographer knowledge and brings quality continuing education to the SMRT membership worldwide. Save the date for the 2014 SMRT Annual Meeting - Setting the Trends for Global MR Education 10 – 11 May 2014, Milan, Italy |
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