RSNA 2024 Highlights

This year’s RSNA annual meeting drew more than 38,000 radiologists, imaging scientists, and industry colleagues to Chicago to discuss the latest in clinical care, research, and technology. UCSF radiology faculty and trainees delivered lectures, moderated panels, and led courses and scientific sessions.

Congratulations to our award recipients, who were recognized for their contributions to research, teaching, and clinical care:

Awards & Honors

• Cindy Folefack – RSNA Research Medical Student Grant
• Ibukunoluwa Ibrahim – RSNA Research Medical Student Grant
• Jonathan Shih – RSNA Research Medical Student Grant
• Luke Bonham, MD – GE Healthcare/RSNA Research Resident Grant
• Lohith Kini, MD, PhD – RSNA Research Resident Grant
• Tician Schnitzler, MD – Ralph Schlaeger Charitable Foundation/RSNA Research Fellow Grant
• Maggie Chung, MD – RSNA Research Scholar Grant
• Elizabeth George, MBBS – RSNA Research Scholar Grant
• Jaehoon Shin, MD, PhD – Canon Medical Systems USA, Inc./ RSNA Research Scholar Grant
• Sean Alexander Woolen, MD – Emerging Issues Topic: Environmental impact and Sustainability of Radiology
• UCSF Radiology Residents – First place, Resident Imaging Interpretation Competition

The exhibition halls showcase the latest high tech imaging hardware and software. At many of the booths, attendees tested augmented reality goggles as they manipulated imaging interfaces in midair. But more significant are the chance meetings and conversations between colleagues from around the world.

The conference plenary and keynote sessions addressed a range of topics from social AI to physician well-being and mental health.  Attendees could listen to experts explain how imaging technology has been used to learn more about the cultures that made ancient Peruvian mummies. Convention goers tested their wits at Radiology Jeopardy, where a panel of attendees battled over lightning diagnosis and medical trivia. Surgeon Carrie Cunningham, MD, discussed the mental health crisis among healthcare professionals, while another session examined how AI is transforming medicine.

We congratulate all our department colleagues who presented and moderated panels. Here are just a few highlights among many: Kambiz Nael, MD, explained how parasites can imitate tumors. Thomas Link, MD, PhD, showed how sneaky snowboarders’ bone injuries can be and shared research conducted with Zehra Akkaya, MD, on the correlation between ultra-processed food consumption and intramuscular fat in thigh muscles, regardless of caloric intake. Kimberly Kallianos, MD, cautioned how responses to treatment can be mistakenly read as lung cancer recurrence. Christine Glastonbury, MBBS, described imaging signs that differentiate benign and malignant salivary lesions. Hailey Choi, MD, explained how placental anatomy influences post-pregnancy hemorrhage, and Lori Strachowski, MD, detailed the reasoning behind the new lexicon for First Trimester Ultrasound. Soonmee Cha, MD, led a mock glioblastoma tumor board with neuro-oncology, neurosurgery, and radiation oncology faculty.

Department members shared expertise on topics that affect radiology clinical care, education, and imaging science such as sustainability, DEI, mentoring, career development, and publishing. Matthew Bucknor, MD, MFA, explained how California’s legal history allowed UCSF to build a DEI environment that can survive the end of affirmative action nationwide. Christopher Hess, MD, PhD, and Sean Woolen, MD, joined a panel on the RSNA Taskforce for Sustainability’s work to identify initiatives that can reduce the environmental impact of medical imaging and address environmental sustainability in radiology. Eric Davis, MD, moderated a panel on the trainee editorial board for Radiology: Imaging Cancer. Brandon K.K. Fields, MD, hosted and spoke on several career and professional development panels for medical students and residents.

UCSF trainees also won the Resident Competition for ultrasound, CT, MRI and X-Ray interpretation. This year it consisted of some of the most challenging RadioGraphics cases from years past. All the teams took the same cases, and the two teams with the most correct cases from the preliminary rounds then competed in a final on stage to determine the winner.