American Society of Spine Radiology (ASSR) 2019 Annual Symposium

A Letter from the President,

So, how well do you know spine? As a practicing academic neuroradiologist, spine imaging comprises up to 50% of my academic practice. I keep up to date by fastidiously reading journals, participating in multi-specialty conferences with my medical colleagues, but find that targeted meetings are the best way to keep up to date with my knowledge base, learn new and innovative techniques in my field, as well as meet and collaborate with experts from around the world in the field of spine imaging and interventions.
I would like to invite you to the 2019 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Spine Radiology which will be held in Miami, Florida, February 20-24th, 2019, at the Intercontinental Miami in Downtown Miami.
The ASSR is the pre-eminent society in Radiology related to the imaging diagnosis and image guided treatment of spine disorders. National and international experts in the field of Neuroradiology, Musculoskeletal Radiology, Pediatric Radiology, Pain Management, and Spine Interventions will be participating in this meeting to review topics relevant to you in both academic and private practice that you can immediately utilize and implement in your programs. Basic and advanced spine interventional topics include vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, pain management procedures, use of stimulators, and ablation techniques will be covered. Topics relevant to your practice including spine trauma and emergencies, spine vascular imaging, degenerative spine, infectious and inflammatory disorders, new and upcoming imaging techniques, spine oncology, pediatric spine, as well as sessions on advancements in computer post processing techniques, 3D printing, and artificial intelligence will be covered. A special Vascular Imaging Symposium has also been included which I would like to dedicate to Brian C. Bowen, PhD, MD, our 11th past President, who passed away last year.
Truly an international meeting, our society is in collaboration with the European Society of Neuroradiology and SILAN, the Ibero Latin American Society of Neuroradiology, with speakers from both groups participating in our meeting.
Miami in February is a great time to come with average temperatures in the low 80’s during the day and low 60’s at night. The Intercontinental Miami is set in the heart of Downtown’s thriving financial and business district, with 641 guestrooms and breathtaking views of Biscayne Bay. The hotel has undergone major renovations and is a stunning state-of-the-art hotel — located by the hot Brickell shopping district — as well as Museum Row. Little Havana, the Arts district, and South Beach are minutes away from the hotel. A free tram is across the street from the hotel which can take you to the museums and the famous Brickell shopping area.
I am truly excited about this meeting and know that you will love the
sessions that the Program Committee and I have created. Submission of
abstracts for oral paper presentation and electronic exhibits will begin soon. Mark your calendars and I look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones in February, 2019!

Best regards,
John L. Go, MD, FACR
ASSR President and Program Chair

About the Symposium

The ASSR 2019 Annual Symposium, #ASSR19, will provide a forum for presentation and discussion of new and important developments in spine radiology and spine interventions. Topically organized focus sessions will concentrate on various aspects of diagnostic and interventional spine techniques. Nationally and internationally recognized experts will share their experiences through didactic lectures, discussions and case-based reviews. Speakers and Moderators are by design multidisciplinary including interventional, musculoskeletal and neuroradiologists, spine surgeons, pain management physicians and oncologists. Scientific sessions will address the newest applications and techniques in spine imaging and intervention, while Electronic Educational Exhibits will help to reinforce and review new concepts. In addition, the oral scientific paper sessions will present new and exciting investigations in spine research. Special sessions will target trainees and young investigators and clinical development.

Diagnostic Spine Sessions will highlight the latest in advanced imaging across a wide variety of topics including infectious disease, oncologic imaging/management, etiology of pain generators, spine trauma diffusion tensor imaging and MR neurography.

Interventional Spine Sessions will give participants the opportunity to review and master basic and advanced spine interventional skills, covering topics such as novel augmentation procedures, epidural therapeutics, advanced nerve blocks and tumor ablation techniques. There will be an in-depth update about the current technology and indications for spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulators, pain pumps and regenerative cellular treatments.

Economics and Healthcare Policy: Our meeting will feature a dedicated session on economics and health care policy specifically pertinent to spine specialists. This CME session will include presentations on billing and coding, just culture, MOC, MACRA and potential futuristic spine health care models.

Multidisciplinary Clinical Case Management Conference: Moderators will lead panels of experts from multiple disciplines to present and discuss spine management dilemmas with regard to the role of diagnostic imaging and minimally invasive spine procedures. The sessions will illustrate best practice scenarios that highlight the outcomes and economic benefits of comprehensive multidisciplinary spine care.

Non-CME Vendor-Sponsored Breakfast & Learn and Lunch & Learn Sessions will complement the formal scientific program and will address specific technical advances in imaging and/or interventional procedures and products.

Interventional Roundtable for Trainees and Aspiring Interventional Spine Physicians will provide a forum for attendees to interact with interventional experts and vendors in an informal non-CME setting, to discuss best practices for starting and sustaining a successful spine intervention practice (attendance will be limited!).

Non-CME Vendor-Sponsored Spine Procedures Workshops will feature the latest technologies.

No special educational preparation is required for this CME activity.

Educational Objectives

Attendees should, at the completion of this Symposium, be able to:

•  Review some of the controversies in diagnostic and interventional spine including discography, discogenic pain, the utility of cervical epidurals, the impact of IR residency programs on spine radiologists, when to image degenerative pain, the use of CT or fluoroscopy for image guided procedures, and the common nomenclature for degenerative spine.
•  Review the basics and pathophysiology of spine trauma and the imaging of traumatic and nontraumatic injuries to the spine in the emergency room setting and learn the new AO classification and TLIC score for spinal trauma.
•  Review various vascular lesions of the spine as well as learning basic and techniques in CTA and MRA to image these lesions.
•  Discuss updates on imaging and treatment of spinal cord injury and the utility of advanced imaging techniques to image the spinal cord. Special consideration regarding children and athletes will also be included.
•  Demonstrate an increased understanding of basic and advanced techniques of vertebral augmentation that can be used in your daily practice as well as innovative treatments for spinal stenosis, CSF leak, and percutaneous discectomy.
•  Understand new imaging techniques to image the spine including dual energy CT, high field MRI, new MR pulse sequences on the horizon, diffusion tensor imaging, perfusion imaging of the spinal cord, and new techniques to image the disc.
•  Learn how to implant and perform advanced interventional techniques including the use of stimulators, pumps, interspinous spacers, different type of ablation techniques including cryoablation, RF ablation, microwave ablation, and basivertebral nerve ablation, as well as the MILD technique.
•  Gain a better understanding about spine conditions in the pediatric population including open and closed spinal dysraphisms, trauma, tumor, vascular lesions, syndromes in children, drop metastasis imaging, as well as unusual and rare disorders in children.
•  Develop greater understanding healthcare policy relevant to you and your practice including an update on policy, MACRA, Medicaid and the spine radiologist, CPT and RUC basics, ways to optimize your practice, utilization management, and alternative spinal care models.
•  Review topics in degenerative spine including implants and devices, describing neural foraminal and spinal stenosis, spondyloarthropathies, and post-operative imaging, as well as ancillary findings in spine that you don’t want to miss when reviewing studies.
•  Learn about advanced computer techniques being used now or the near future including artificial intelligence and 3D printing, as well as reviewing cognitive errors which can lead to misinterpretation or missed findings.
•  Review the basics of regenerative medicine including the use of stem cells, PRP, and Speranza treatment, as well as an update on multiple sclerosis and spine infection.
•  Discuss topics in spine oncology including assessment and reporting of metastasis as well as advanced imaging of bony metastasis, hematologic metastasis and the imaging of post treatment complications to the spine and spinal cord.

Target Audience

This CME activity is primarily intended and designed to educate radiologists, neuroradiologists, musculoskeletal radiologists, interventional radiologists, spine surgeons, pain management and rehabilitation physicians, anesthesiologists, as well as fellows and residents in these specialties. Course material is also aimed at allied health professionals, including physician assistants and nurse practitioners who specialize, or have particular interest, in conditions affecting imaging and treatment of the spine.

Accreditation

The International Institute for Continuing Medical Education, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Designation

The International Institute for Continuing Medical Education, Inc., designates this live activity for a maximum of [acf field=”iicme_course_credits”] AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.