World Class CME, a Fort Mill, S.C.-based physician-founded company that provides continuing medical education in the areas of radiology, ultrasound, gynecology, and sleep medicine, is now accepting registrations for a breast biopsy workshop designed to provide radiologists with the FDA-mandated eight hours of case-based training in three-dimensional digital mammography (breast tomosynthesis) interpretation. The FDA handed down the mandate following its recent approval of a three-dimensional digital mammography system developed by Hologic, Inc.
To be held at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. on March 29 and March 30, the workshop represents only the second time tomosynthesis training will be offered in the U.S. and the first time it will be available in the Carolinas. Participants will sit at clinical workstations and review more than 100 clinical tomosynthesis datasets with accompanying standard mammography while being guided by experts in tomosynthesis interpretation. In addition to fulfilling the FDA training requirement, the class will provide attendees with an opportunity to assess the potential impact of tomosynthesis on physicians’ practices while receiving individual instruction.
The tomosynthesis course is a component of a larger, more comprehensive five-day educational forum organized by World Class CME to provide area physicians, radiologists, and surgeons with training in each of the three options for guided needle biopsy, namely, stereotactic, ultrasound, and MRI. These three modalities will each be addressed in full-day comprehensive training sessions scheduled for March 26 through March 28 at the Harris Conference Center, also in Charlotte. All sessions will feature classroom-style instruction on aspects of interpretation as well as hands-on experience in biopsy performance.
The tomosynthesis course will be led by Elizabeth Rafferty, MD, who serves as director of breast imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Mass. and is a nationally-recognized expert in breast imaging as well as the Principal Investigator for the clinical development of breast tomosynthesis. Other faculty will include: Phoebe Freer, MD, Avon Comprehensive Breast Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Diane Georgian-Smith, MD, instructor in radiology, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston; and Cynthia L. Rapp, BS, RDMS, FSDMS, FAIUM, University of Colorado Hospital, Aurora, Colo.
Breast tomosynthesis is being touted as having the potential to detect more cancers while resulting in fewer unnecessary diagnostic imaging studies and procedures. Its proponents note that unlike standard mammography, its detection capability is not impeded by dense overlapping structures in the breast that can hide cancers.
Participants may register by for the events by visiting www.WorldClassCME.com. Registration is limited to 40 participants for the tomosynthesis course and 30 participants for each breast biopsy workshop.
