Faculty Bibliography

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:As the field of medicine witnesses evolving attitudes towards work-life balance, barriers to family planning emerge as an important theme. Though these challenges have been investigated in many fields, there has been little work done on this subject within radiology. Here we present the first formal survey of radiologists on topics related to family planning. MATERIALS AND METHODS/METHODS:In this single-institution prospective study, a 40-question comprehensive survey was developed and distributed via email. Responses from 76 participants were analyzed. RESULTS:Of the 76 respondents, a diverse number of ages, points in the career path, and practice settings were represented. A majority of respondents were male (52/76; 68 %) and married (56/75; 73.7 %). Respondents reported a miscarriage rate of 25 %, which is slightly higher than the reported rate for the general population of 20 %. Significantly more female respondents reported a negative stigma associated with being pregnant as a radiologist as compared to their male colleagues (60.9 % vs. 15.4 %; p < 0.001)). Male respondents reported significantly less parental leave than their female colleagues, most commonly reporting zero weeks of leave as compared to 10 weeks for female respondents (p < 0.001). Numerous respondents cited lack of childcare support as a major issue. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:We have identified several key areas of concern, including a need for improving parental leave policies, addressing pregnancy stigma, and increasing access to childcare support. Overall, our study lays the groundwork for discussions and policy changes within radiology at both the institutional and national level to ensure the continued interest of trainees and satisfaction of radiologists.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) are rare tumors arising from Interstitial Cells of Cajal and require immunohistochemical marker c-kit (CD 117) for diagnosis. Imatinib Mesylate is an orally administered drug which competitively inhibits tyrosine kinase associated with the KIT protein. We present a rare case report highlighting role of Imatinib Mesylate in achieving euglycemic state in patient with GIST. Imatinib Mesylate is an effective form of treatment for patients with KIT (CD 117) positive unresectable and/ or metastatic malignant GIST. Proper patient selection and adequate treatment may help in achieving euglycemic state in patient with GIST.

OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was continuous quality improvement (CQI) of head and neck CT angiography (CTA) in the neuroradiology practice of a tertiary care medical center. MATERIALS AND METHODS/METHODS:We conducted baseline quality audits of 50 consecutive head or neck CTAs, including referrals for a variety of indications from emergency department, ambulatory, and inpatient settings. Neuroradiologists as a group used Likert-type questionnaire items to assess scan quality. Based on identified opportunities for CQI, the group evaluated alternative scanning methods, proposed action items, and implemented changes in scanning methods. After implementing the changes, the group performed follow-up quality audits of 61 consecutive CTAs. Quality of scans was compared for baseline and postimplementation patients using chi-square or McNemar tests. RESULTS:Several key opportunities for CQI were identified, namely related to coverage levels and timing. These opportunities were translated into protocol changes, standardization of methods, and in-service sessions to implement specific process changes. Using a Likert-type scale with 1 anchored at "excellent" and 5 at "poor," the overall quality of CTAs improved from 2.46 at baseline to 1.64 after implementation of QI measures (P < .01). There were significant improvements in timing and coverage, and fewer scans required quality disclaimers after CQI implementation. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Using basic CQI techniques of assessment, analysis, change implementation, and reassessment, the quality of CTA scans in a busy neuroradiology clinical practice can be improved. These techniques are amenable to repeated use, so that CQI can be a routine practice to help optimize the quality of care in radiology.