Jorge Soto, MD, chair of the RSNA Annual Meeting Program Planning Committee, chief of radiology, Boston Medical Center, and professor of medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, offers an overview of the trends, hot topics, and innovative research and technology at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2022 meeting.

He mentioned several areas that were noteworthy this year:

RSNA attendance hits 40,000

Prior to COVID, RSNA averaged about 50,000-55,000 attendees, roughly split between vendors and professionals. Soto said the meeting appears to be rebounding from lows during the 2020 virtual meeting and the 2021 in-person meeting with about 40,000 attendees. About 35,000 people were pre-registered for the event , and he said there was an influx of last minute registrations during the first couple days of the event.

Return to late-breaking science and new technology at RSNA

Soto said there has been a renewed focus on late-breaking science studies in RSNA sessions. He said 90 of these studies were presented at the RSNA learning center in a theater format. There was a lot of disruption of studies during the pandemic and a very heavy focus on COVID as the main issue on everyone's minds in 2020 and 2021. He said there is now a return to a much wider diversity of studies and trials.

In all, Soto said there were more than 900 speakers that presented in 330 educational courses at RSNA this year.

Key technology trends at RSNA 2022

Photon-counting computed tomography (CT) was at the top of the list for key trends in new technology presented in these sessions, Soto explained. 

"It is really one of the hottest topics at this year's RSNA," Soto said. "It really allows us to use CT technology at its best and improve image quality, decrease artifacts, and reduce radiation dose to our patients. There is a lot of emphasis across the meeting being placed on photon-counting CT." 

Molecular imaging advances were also very prominent at RSNA this year, Soto said. This includes new targeted therapies and radiotracer imaging agents aimed at increasing precision medicine. Technology advances on hardware in the last few years have increased interest by hospitals in replacing older nuclear imaging systems. These advances include digital detector technology and systems using newer SPECT, PET and CT technology to improve image quality. PET has seen increased interest the past couple of years at RSNA, as the modality is starting to see wider market penetration. 

"Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be the biggest area of attention for our scientists across the world," Soto explained. "It is just incredible to see how far the technology has evolved and how it has allowed us to increase our diagnostic confidence and our workflow." 

RSNA's AI showcase grew this year from 2021 with many first time vendors and more FDA-cleared products. AI was also seen across both expo floors as many vendors partner with AI companies to integrate these products into seamless workflows in PACS, advanced visualization or even on the imaging systems themselves.

Lingering effects of COVID still a big topic for radiology

While COVID news does not necessarily make for blockbuster headlines anymore, there is still a of interest how to manage patients with long-COVID symptoms, Soto said. Two of the late-breaking studies involved use of MRI and ultrasound elastography to track damage in the brain and liver. Other sessions discussed what to look for when monitoring post-COVID patients over the long term or to assess new health issues the patient did not have prior to COVID infection. 

Read more in the article 'Significant' brain abnormalities shown to persist 6 months after COVID recovery, and COVID-19 Patients Show Liver Injury Months After Infection.

Addressing clinician burnout in radiology

Soto said a number of sessions this year also addressed the need to combat radiologist and technologist burnout. Many issues that led to the mass resignation or retirement in radiology after COVID were present in the workplace for years prior to the pandemic, but COVID magnified the issues and made many clinicians rethink their lives and what they are doing professionally. 

"We received a lot of abstracts focused on wellness, how to best handle burnout, flexibility of schedules, and really trying to react to the pandemic effects, which have been multiple," Soto explained. "We have seen radiologists rethink how they live their lives, including going part-time or retiring. We as radiologists are flexible and dynamic and have found ways to improve the way we work. We are trying to find ways to bring these people back to work or for those having second thoughts about their career."

Addressing healthcare disparities in medical imaging

Soto said RSNA also has been working to not only raise awareness, but also how to address health disparities in radiology. He said several sessions discussed this, and the RSNA announced a new program, Building Connections Across the Americas: Addressing Access to Radiology. The program held its first seminar at this year's RSNA meeting to discuss how to break down issues that prevent access to care in low-income and rural areas. 

"The RSNA feels it is best positioned to address this and we are starting from the very basic, fundamental science and the interventions that can be done at our own institutions," he said.