Education and Programming

Overall Goal and Objectives

In order to maintain competence and improve performance, imaging professionals must assimilate and integrate knowledge spanning multiple areas, including clinical data, technical aspects of imaging, and appropriate application of imaging (e.g., clinical guidelines and appropriate use criteria).  Each of these areas is constantly evolving, particularly as innovative technologies and novel pharmacologic agents are introduced. ASNC2018 is an educational activity designed to help you and other imaging professionals obtain the latest information in clinical practice and review cutting-edge scientific advances in nuclear cardiology and cardiac imaging.

Target Audience
This course is intended for cardiologists, radiologists, nuclear medicine specialists, practice administrators, nuclear technologists, nurses, and other health care professionals with an interest in the field of nuclear cardiology and cardiac CT imaging.

Learner Objectives
After participating in this activity, learners will be able to:

• Demonstrate improved skills in image interpretation and reporting
• Learn how to recognize and minimize technical problems and artifacts that may be associated with cardiac imaging
• Learn the appropriate use of cardiac imaging techniques based on current guidelines
• Evaluate new imaging technologies, software, and stress techniques
• Understand the role of nuclear and cardiac CT imaging in overall patient care
• Learn the importance of balancing radiation exposure with image quality
• Describe future directions in cardiac PET, CT and SPECT/CT in order to anticipate training and equipment needs
• Understand the clinical implication of CT coronary angiography cases and recognize its value and limitations in clinical cardiology

This program design includes:

• A scientific forum featuring panel discussions on focused areas of cutting-edge research
• State-of-the-art reviews of the key aspects of nuclear cardiology by the world's experts
• A basic core curriculum addressing practical issues in the performance of nuclear cardiology procedures to include opportunities for maintenance of certification credit
• Scientific sessions on advances in nuclear cardiology
• Ethics session will offer case based scenarios dealing with ethical issues
• Educational track dealing with the pathophysiology of multimodality imaging
• Highlight sessions dealing with clinical value of pharmacologic PET
• Presentations addressing technical issues in nuclear cardiology
• Oral abstracts featuring the latest clinical studies in cardiovascular imaging
• Abstracts of original investigation programmed as eposter presentations
• Commercial exhibits displaying the latest in nuclear cardiology technology and services
• Cost-related information in the practice and business of nuclear cardiology
• Opportunities to convene and interact with experts in all aspects of nuclear cardiology and cardiovascular imaging
• The latest information on health policy reform

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Program Tracks

Create your own personalized educational experience with these tracks:

• Plenary: The big picture; healthcare leaders provide a glimpse of what’s coming in medicine and technology
• Abstracts/Research: Insights into the large and small research questions on nuclear cardiology’s radar, with sessions on how you can participate
• Advanced: Right on the cutting edge, plus insights on how applications are evolving around the latest innovations 
• Imaging-based Case Management: This signature track (formerly Read with the Experts) provides master clinicians detailing how to use imaging tomanage complex cases
• Cases with the Aces: Interactive Reading: Back by popular demand, this audience-participation-required track will use real-world commercial software to provide a reading-room experience
• Intersocietal Multimodality Imaging: Representatives from medical societies collaborating on nuclear cardiology guidelines will participate in this interactive track. You’ll learn how to implement the latest evidence based recommendations shaping quality, image-guided, patient-centered care.
• Scintillating Learning through Social Media: Discover ways social media helps your practice, advance your career and impact your patients.
• PET: A deep-dive on the clinical value of cardiac PET. Be sure to bring your questions.
• Policy: Keynote presentations forecasting how emerging technologies, applications and priorities impact our field.
• Special Sessions: Ethical Considerations; Walking Tours.
• Team-based Learning: Sessions for entire nuclear imaging team. Share solutions to day-to-day problems in clinical practice. 
• Technology and Techniques: Developed for technologists - Improve the quality of your imaging services by participating this unique track that brings together physicians and technologists for shared learning

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Statement of Need

Radionuclide-based cardiac imaging studies, including myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), play an important role in the diagnosis and management of patients with known or suspected heart disease. Today more than 5000 laboratories are performing an estimated 8 million myocardial perfusion studies of which 58% use pharmacological stress agents, either alone with exercise. [DAIC 2013] A large body of scientific evidence exists on the clinical value of MPI, based on studies performed on many thousands of patients. These studies are highly sensitive and specific for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response of coronary artery disease, as well as for selection of patients who may benefit from other types of intervention, including revascularization and device therapy. The value and justification of MPI for risk assessment is based on large observational outcome studies. As a result of the recognized clinical value and cost-effectiveness of these studies, they have been incorporated into many ACC/American Heart Association (AHA)/ASNC clinical management guidelines.
Nuclear cardiology is an evolving field with continuing advances in software, instrumentation and radiopharmaceuticals to provide high quality clinically relevant information for patient care. These advances require those involved in the providing nuclear cardiology studies to be continuously updated to ensure that the procedures are used appropriately and safely and that recent clinical and technological advances are incorporated in a timely manner to continue to improve the image quality and interpretation to provide the best clinical care.

Statement of Need and Learning Gaps

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Credits

Physicians: The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology designates this live activity for a maximum of 29.5* AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Technologists: The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology is a recognized provider of continuing education credit for technologists. ASNC’s Continuing Education credit is accepted by both NMTCB and ARRT.  ASNC2019 has been approved for a maximum of 27.0* ARRT Category A Credits. 

Physician Assistants: The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ from organizations accredited by ACCME.

Nurse Practitioners: The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCP) recognizes attendance at CE offerings which provide AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for the purpose of recertification.

Maintenance of Certification:
Successful completion of this CME activity enables the participant to earn up to 29.5* medical knowledge Maintenance of Certification (MOC) points in the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) MOC program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME for the activity. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC points.

*Credits subject to change.

ASNC has received the highest level of recognition, Accreditation with Commendation, from the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). Accreditation with Commendation is awarded to CME providers that demonstrate compliance in all aspects of accreditation requirements and for demonstrating exemplary engagement with the environment in support of physician learning and physician quality improvement.