Richard L Morin

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research | MMS · Department of Diagnostic Radiology

Purpose: To investigate the potential for decreasing radiation dose when utilizing a third generation versus second generation dual-source dual-energy CT scanner, while maintaining diagnostic image quality and acceptable image noise. Materials and methods: Retrospective analysis of patients who underwent dual-source dual-energy CT (dsDECT) for c...

Purpose To develop diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) and achievable doses (ADs) for the 10 most common adult computed tomographic (CT) examinations in the United States as a function of patient size by using the CT Dose Index Registry. Materials and Methods Data from the 10 most commonly performed adult CT head, neck, and body examinations from 58...

Purpose: To propose new dose point measurement-based metrics to characterize the dose distributions and the mean dose from a single partial rotation of an automatic exposure control-enabled, C-arm-based, wide cone angle CT system over a stationary, large, body-shaped phantom. Methods: A small 0.6 cc ion chamber (IC) was used to measure the radiat...

DICOM Index Tracker (DIT) is an integrated platform to harvest rich information available from Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) to improve quality assurance in radiology practices. It is designed to capture and maintain longitudinal patient-specific exam indices of interests for all diagnostic and procedural uses of imaging mo...

Quality and safety improvements in radiology and medical imaging are substantially affected by radiation dose and its relationship to image quality and patient safety. Because radiation dose has many definitions and meanings, familiarity with and understanding of the basic nuances are important; modalities in general use radiation dose metrics that...

Education, justification, and optimization are the cornerstones to enhancing the radiation safety of medical imaging. Education regarding the benefits and risks of imaging and the principles of radiation safety is required for all clinicians in order for them to be able to use imaging optimally. Empowering patients with knowledge of the benefits an...

Radiation exposure and the potential risks from medical imaging continue to be highly visible issues, especially for the medical imaging community. There has been progress with dose management, particularly dose reduction, due to both technical and application advancements. There are various existing actions focusing on the collection and analysis...

Purpose: Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) is an emerging imaging modality with the unique capability of determining urinary stone composition. This study compares radiation exposure of DECT, standard single-energy CT (SECT), and low-dose renal stone protocol single-energy CT (LDSECT) for the evaluation of nephrolithiasis in a single in vivo...

The Medical Physics community lost one of its prominent leaders in April, 2013 with the passing of Donald D. Tolbert, PhD. He received his Doctorate at the University of Kansas followed by post Doctoral training at Florida State University and the University of Wisconsin. He was Chief of Radiation Therapy Medical Physics at the University of Wiscon...

To reduce the radiation dose associated with CT scans, much attention is focused on CT protocol review and improvement. In fact, annual protocol reviews will soon be required for ACR CT accreditation. A major challenge in the protocol review process is determining whether a current protocol is optimal and deciding what steps to take to improve it....

Purpose The aim of this study was to determine whether providing radiologic technologists with audit feedback on doses from CT examinations they conduct and education on dose-reduction strategies reduces patients' radiation exposure. Methods This prospective, controlled pilot study was conducted within an integrated health care system from Novembe...

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1) Understand how registries perform. 2) Understand the way in which registries have altered physician behavior and improve patient care. 3) Identify the parameters involved in optimizing radiation dose in clinical practice. 4) Apply this knowledge by participating in a dose index registry and utilizing these techniques in Maint...

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1) To understand the use and value of dose index registries. 2) To understand what patients want to know about their radiation exposure from medical imaging examinations. 3) To explore how best to work with payers on radiation protection programs. 4) To identify issues related to state regulations and accreditation for the use o...

LEARNING OBJECTIVES View learning objectives under main course title.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES View learning objectives under main course title.

Radiation awareness and protection of patients have been the fundamental responsibilities in diagnostic imaging since the discovery of x-rays late in 1895 and the first reports of radiation injury in 1896. In the ensuing years, there have been significant advancements in equipment that uses either x-rays to form images, such as fluoroscopy or compu...

Learning objectives: 1. Understand how registries perform. 2. Understand the way in which registries have altered physician behavior and improve patient care. 3. Identify the parameters involved in optimizing radiation dose in clinical practice. 4. Apply this knowledge by participating in a dose index registry and utilizing these techniques in Mai...

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of peak x-ray tube voltage and the size of the Z field of view (FOV) on body image quality of a cone-beam C-arm CT system with automatic exposure control. Methods: We measured dose accumulated in an elliptical-shaped body phantom with tissue equivalent density using a small ion chamber at 23 distributed points...

Size specific dose estimation on the basis of radiation exposure metrics such as volumetric CT dose index is a great step forward in our ability to monitor and control the radiation dose associated with CT imaging.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES This lecture will enable attendees to understand the regulations involved in the use of ionizing radiation in medical imaging and how to manage radiation dose to their patients through the use of dose index registries. The attendee will be able to: 1) Identify the important regulations involved in medical imaging using ionizing...

Over the past several years, the cancer risks associated with radiation from diagnostic imaging have received increased attention in both the medical literature and the lay press. In the midst of this heightened scrutiny, there has been growing support for the idea of tracking cumulative dose estimates that longitudinally document the accumulated m...

CONCLUSION The AAPM-ICRU CT phantom has been designed to provide a streamlined and simplified CT dose index while accommodating a wider class of CT design geometries. BACKGROUND Over the past several years the universally utilized CT dose indices, CTDIvol and DLP, have come under close scrutiny, motivated in part by the advent of very wide fan bea...

CONCLUSION A national registry using standard methods of data collection and transmission has been successfully piloted and is now available. The registry has the ability to establish national benchmarks and to allow practices to monitor dose indices and compare practice patterns. BACKGROUND Radiation exposure due to the growing use of imaging pr...

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1) Understand the linear non-threshold dose response theory. 2) Identify the areas of controversy. 3) Learn the evidence for each point of view. Sub-Events

PURPOSE To determine the feasiblity of quantifying iron within liver tissue using second-generation Dual Source (DS) Dual Energy (DE) CT scanners. Simulations show that iron concentrations as low as 1 mg/mL can be measured with CT. Early results from first generation DSDE systems were not very convincing, however, due to significantly improved spec...

Exposure to ionizing radiation due to the growing use of imaging procedures in the United States has been a recent concern of radiologists,medical physicists, other healthcare providers, and the public in general. Despite significant improvements in CT acquisition and dose reduction technologies, the ability to compare and monitor doses delivered f...

The exposure index is currently a method by which digital radiography manufacturers provide feedback to the technologist regarding the estimated exposure on the detector, as a surrogate for image signal-to-noise ratio and an indirect indication of digital image quality. Unfortunately, there are as many exposure index values and methods as there are...

The U.S. National Press has brought to full public discussion concerns regarding the use of medical radiation, specifically x-ray computed tomography (CT), in diagnosis. A need exists for developing methods whereby assurance is given that all diagnostic medical radiation use is properly prescribed, and all patients' radiation exposure is monitored....

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Define the relationship between radiation dose and image quality in diagnostic medical imaging. Review current protocols to assess the amount of radiation used to produce diagnostic images. Review current acquisition perimeters to optimize the use of radiation while producing high quality diagnostic images. Define the controvers...

Advances in CT imaging technology, including the introduction of multidetector row systems with electrocardiographic gating, have made imaging of the heart and the coronary arteries feasible. The potential to obtain information noninvasively comparable to that provided by invasive coronary angiography has been the major driving force behind the rap...

This document was developed by the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) Task Force on Clinical Expert Consensus Documents (ECDs) and cosponsored by the American College of Radiology (ACR), American Heart Association (AHA), American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC), North American

The high radiation dose for certain CT examinations has been a subject of recent reports. Concern is amplified when patients have a large number of repeated examinations. This course will describe recent efforts to report the CT dose from patient examinations and will discuss how effective dose can be estimated from dose reports. Learning Objective...

Dual energy computed tomography (CT) has been previously shown to be capable of quantifying iron concentration in a phantom model. In this work, a commercial three material decomposition algorithm was investigated with the aim of quantifying iron concentration in vivo with dual energy CT. Iron (III) nitrate solutions of five/seven different concent...

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1) Be aware of the changes in the requirements for primary certification in radiologic physics. 2) Be aware of the status of the requirements for maintenance of certification for radiologic physicists. 3) Be aware of the changes in the primary certification requirements for diagnostic radiologists and their effects on the teachi...

The ABR began issuing time?limited certificates for physicists in 2002. As a result, many physicists are two?thirds the way through their MOC cycles, and should have reached several milestones by now. This course will discuss the origins of the MOC program, the requirements for physicists, and some of the opportunities available for meeting the req...

A preliminary report on medical radiation exposures to the US population based on publicly available sources of data estimated that the collective dose received from medical uses of radiation has increased by >700% between 1980 and 2006.1 Computed tomography (CT) has had an annual growth rate of >10% per year and accounted for ≈50% of the collectiv...

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1) Be aware of the changes in the requirements for primary certification in radiologic physics. 2) Be aware of the status of the requirements for maintenance of certification for radiologic physicists. 3) Be aware of the changes in the primary certification requirements for diagnostic radiologists and their effects on the teachi...

This paper will discuss the history of human subjects in research and the subsequent regulations and requirements that now govern human subject research. Also presented are the requirements and definitions of the oversight bodies which govern human use research in the United States.

This course will review that status of the various aspects of accreditation by the American Board of Radiology. There have been a number of important changes in the process. Among the topics covered will be: 1) Changes in the requirements for the primary certificate for medical physicists. This section will discuss the changes that will require tra...

Dual-energy x-ray material decomposition has been proposed as a noninvasive quantitative imaging technique for more than 20 years. In this paper, we summarize previously developed dual-energy material decomposition methods and propose a simple yet accurate method for quantitatively measuring chemical composition in vivo. In order to take advantage...

This article is a progress report on the four specific concerns targeted for the Dallas summit and presents the recommendations and remaining uncertainties emanating from the meeting.

Recent initiatives of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) in the area of maintenance of certification (MOC) have been reflective of the response of the medical community to address public concerns regarding quality of care, medical error reduction, and patient safety. In March 2000, the 24 member boards of the ABMS representing all med...

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. Understand the unique characteristics of large data sets in medical imaging. 2. Forecast the data volume for individual medical imaging practices. 3. Understand the difficulties encountered with large image data sets and programs to assess this problem such as the SIIM TRIP™ Initiative.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1) Understand the basic terminology and applications of information technology in medical imaging. 2) Learn the interaction of information technology principles in the acquisition, transmission, and interpretation of medical images. 3) Develop plans for the use of information technology in individual medical imaging practices.

Medical physics education for diagnostic radiology residents is undergoing major challenges, and a number of significant changes are being considered. In January of 2006, a Forum on Physics Education was held to examine medical physics education of diagnostic radiology residents, radiation oncology residents and medical physics residents. At that t...

Practice Performance Improvement is a key component for analyzing and improving the practice of medical physics. It is also an important component of the maintenance of Certification Process for physicists certified by the American Board of Radiology. In order to use Practice Performance Improvement effectively physicists should have training in th...

The benefits of diagnostic imaging are immense and have revolutionized the practice of medicine. The increased sophistication and clinical efficacy of imaging have resulted in its dramatic growth over the past quarter century. Although data derived from the atomic bomb survivors in Japan and other events suggest that the expanding use of imaging mo...

We assess dose and image quality of a state-of-the-art angiographic C-arm system (Axiom Artis dTA, Siemens Medical Solutions, Forchheim, Germany) for three-dimensional neuro-imaging at various dose levels and tube voltages and an associated measurement method. Unlike conventional CT, the beam length covers the entire phantom, hence, the concept of...

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. Understand the unique characteristics of large data sets in medical imaging. 2. Forecast the data volume for individual medical imaging practices. 3. Understand the difficulties encountered with large image data sets and programs to assess this problem such as the SIIM TRIP� Initiative.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1) Understand the basic terminology and applications of information technology in medical imaging. 2) Learn the interaction of information technology principles in the acquisition, transmission, and interpretation of medical images.3) Develop plans for the use of information technology in individual medical imaging practices

This paper on digital mammography image storage, retrieval, and transmission is 1 of 3 papers written as part of an intersociety effort to establish image quality standards for digital mammography. The information included in this paper is intended to support the development of an American College of Radiology (ACR) guideline on image quality for d...

Order-entry systems have the potential to improve department workflow, patient safety, device and modality utilization, and business efficiency in radiology. The systems can also improve accuracy of examinations ordered, save work for schedulers, save time for patients, and improve the quality of care physicians offer their patients. The order-entr...

In March 2000, the twenty‐four member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) formally agreed that all boards would develop programs for Maintenance of Certification (MOC). In some cases, MOC would be replacing existing or evolving programs for recertification of diplomates. As initiated by The ABR in 2002, certification in the 3...

The discipline of radiation oncology has incorporated significant technological advances into its practice during recent years. Examples of these advances are the implementation of intensity-modulated radiotherapy, image-guided radiotherapy, and respiratory-gated radiotherapy. The technology and integration of these advances into clinical practice...

The First Society for Computer Applications in Radiology (SCAR) Transforming the Radiological Interpretation Process (TRIP) Conference and Workshop, "Transforming Medical Imaging" was held on January 31-February 1, 2005 in Bethesda, MD. Representatives from all areas of medical and scientific imaging-academia, research, industry, and government age...

Computed tomographic coronary angiography (CT-CA) is a direct but minimally invasive method of visualizing coronary arteries. Multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) is currently the CT modality most commonly used for coronary artery imaging. MDCT has been successfully used to detect stenoses in coronary arteries and coronary artery bypass gra...

PURPOSE To evaluate the precision of clinical CT measurements of liver tumors and the reliability of the two-point treatment evaluation of liver lesions according to RECIST criteria. METHOD AND MATERIALS A group of eleven experienced CT radiologists was presented with 46 different clinical CT liver images containing previously identified lesions....

PURPOSE To investigate dose distribution and image quality in 3D images reconstructed from projections acquired on a flat-panel C-arm system. METHOD AND MATERIALS A Siemens AXIOM Artis dTA C-arm system was used to acquire 2D projections. Using a CTDI phantom (16 cm diam, 14 cm length) and a 0.6 cc Farmer chamber, the exposure was measured at the c...

We sought to examine effects of tube voltage and current on radiation dose and image quality for minimally invasive coronary angiography with a 16-slice multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) scanner. We scanned the phantom used in the American College of Radiology Computed Tomography Accreditation Program at tube voltages of 80 and 120 kVp a...

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The official beginning of the ABR Maintenance of Certification program for medical physicists began this year. Many have registered and many more have questions. The purpose of this session is to present a brief review of the ABR MOC program, its current status and to delve into some of the details related to successfully fulfilling the MOC process...

With increasing clinical use of cardiac CT imaging it is important that all health care providers referring for or administering such examinations are familiar with the concepts and values of radiation dosimetry in CT as well as with the basic principles of radiation protection. There are important technical differences pertinent to radiation dose...

The Society for Computer Applications in Radiology (SCAR) Transforming the Radiological Interpretation Process (TRIP) Initiative aims to spearhead research, education, and discovery of innovative solutions to address the problem of information and image data overload. The initiative will foster interdisciplinary research on technological, environme...