In keeping with the unprecedented nature of 2020, the annual Radiology Society of North America meeting was, for the first time ever, held in a virtual format. It marked only the third time in the society’s history of over 100 years that it did not converge in person. The previous two times? 1943 and 1945, due to transportation and gasoline supply issues during and immediately following World War II.

Fortunately, the virtual meeting had much to offer, including an abundance of industry unveilings, partnerships and promising research findings. Here are some of the stories from RSNA that were most read in our online news:

Addressing bias in AI
During a session looking at bias in artificial intelligence, Dr. Ziad Obermeyer, an associate professor of health policy and management at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, spoke about the “pain gap” between Black and white patients when evaluating them as candidates for a knee replacement.

He noted that moving away from the Kellgren and Lawrence (KLG) system for classification of osteoarthritis, and finding data sets that link images to a patient’s experience of pain, could more than double the number of Black patients deemed eligible for knee replacement surgery.

“There’s a big difference between predicting what the radiologist says about the knee and predicting what the patient experience is,” Obermeyer said.

GE enters 3D surgical imaging market
GE Healthcare entered the $200 million 3D surgical imaging market with the unveiling of OEC 3D, a C-arm designed to provide surgeons with 2D and 3D views of a patient's anatomy during operations.

The solution is designed to integrate into existing surgical workflows and is equipped with a 3D image reconstruction engine that is meant to provide high-resolution volume reconstructed CT-like images. These scans are expected to allow surgeons to visualize exactly where they are operating in 3D so they can be precise in their actions.

OEC 3D was among 27 new products and features released by GE at RSNA, with many aligned with its focus on COVID-19 care.

Resolving global disparities with tech
More than half of the world has little or no access to radiology services, according to the World Health Organization. Neuroradiologist Dr. Bhavya Rehani, president and co-founder of Health4TheWorld, attributes this to a lack of education and training, and says modern technology can help resolve the problem.

She and her team developed online courses for CT dose reduction, breast imaging calcifications, imaging of cardiac masses and ultrasound of the head and spine. Because many countries cannot join the virtual classrooms due to time differences, Rehani and her team created a learning management system allowing students to access training in their own time.

Agfa ramps up X-ray automation
Agfa introduced SmartXR, a solution designed to help radiographers capture quality images, while reducing their workload and preventing common mistakes that lead to retakes.

SmartXR combines integrated sensors and cameras with AI software, 3D machine vision, deep learning and machine intelligence to help radiographers acquire quality images the first time around. It reduces the need for retakes through four main capabilities: smart positioning, smart alignment, smart rotation, and smart dose.

The SmartXR tools are available for use on the DR 600 ceiling-mounted X-ray room and the DR 100s mobile DR imaging solution for bedside imaging.

Four tips for equalizing care opportunities
In the opening session of RSNA 2020, president Dr. James Borgstede, was optimistic and upbeat in his global vision for radiologists, but stressed that the world needs more from medical imaging.

Borgstede highlighted four strategies for how radiologists working domestically and as a worldwide specialty can equalize care for all patients.
1) While imaging is a technology-driven specialty, more than ever, human interaction is needed for patient care.
2) As patients become consumers, radiologists must earn trust and make themselves available.
3) AI can be used to guide and prioritize, to flatten the curve of interpretive skills.
4) Embracing connectivity through professional associations like RSNA, ESR and others.

Philips debuts vendor-neutral cybersecurity solution
In partnership with CyberMDX, Philips launched its Cybersecurity Services, an end-to-end suite of technologies and services that can be customized to help define and implement strategic and tactical software and device protection across different vendor technologies.

"CyberMDX can provide hospitals with unparalleled visibility into their medical environments, enabling proactive management of security risks of connected medical devices,” Conrad Smits, head of Global Services and Solutions at Philips, told HCB News. “This capability complements Philips' ability to help hospitals address these risks cost-effectively, by integrating cybersecurity workflows and vendor-neutral technical maintenance workflows into a single efficient and effective workflow."

Konica Minolta debuts point-of-care ultrasound
The SONIMAGE HS2 Compact Ultrasound System is designed to provide improved image quality with Konica Minolta’s Dual Sonic technology, which utilizes an algorithm that transmits two waveforms, depending on the focal length, to increase clarity and provide a high enough signal for deep tissue imaging.

Improved Tissue Harmonics technology suppresses acoustic noise and increases both frequency and sensitivity for both deep tissue and superficial imaging.

The product provides Simple Needle Visualization software for needle guidance, as well as higher resolution and faster frame rates that enable more clear visualization of slow blood flow.

A call for greater price transparency
An RSNA session looked at progress and hurdles on the road to empowering patients to control their health spending. Dr. Yoshimi Anzai, a neuroradiologist and associate chief medical quality officer at University of Utah Health Care, compared healthcare to opening a restaurant menu with no prices.

She says part of the problem lies in the wide price variation for many healthcare services, including imaging. An abdominal and pelvis CT with contrast, for example, can vary from $250 to $2,200, depending upon location. High deductible health insurance plans have increased out-of-pocket costs by 63 percent in the past five years, with premium increases of 19 percent. Meanwhile, wages have only increased by 11 percent. “That is not sustainable,” said Anzai.

United Imaging launches 640-slice CT
uCT ATLAS, a 510k-pending, ultra-wide bore 640-slice CT, is fitted with an 82-cm bore for enhanced comfort and an AI-empowered workflow that provides it with a 0.25-second rotation speed, a low-dose 60 kVp capability and other features that improve positioning and make exams simpler.

“It will be a full-service scanner. The speed of the system will certainly have customers who are interested in looking at it for cardiac applications, in particular for the emergency room,” Jeffrey Bundy, CEO of United Imaging Healthcare Solutions, told HCB News.

It also consists of a 16 cm detector and a 700-lbs table weight capacity.

Siemens debuts two-in-one fluoro/rad system
Siemens Healthineers introduces the LUMINOS Lotus Max at RSNA, a two-in-one remote-controlled system integrating fluoroscopy and radiography for increased productivity.

Designed to be operated remotely from a control room, the LUMINOS Lotus Max also can be used tableside via an optional second remote control console. It combines radiographic and fluoroscopic imaging with orthopedic studies such as long-leg or full-spine examinations and basic interventions.

In addition, the system automatically encrypts all images and patient data. This encryption, combined with regular software updates and an elaborate role-based access control, helps ensure compliance with the highest cybersecurity standards.