RSL Invited Speaker Series

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Title:

Advances in fast imaging acquisition and workflow solutions for clinical MRI

Abstract:

Radiology departments face increasingly difficult trade-offs between the demand for medical imaging services, access to imaging resources, and length of exams in an era of declining reimbursements. Practical strategies for expanding and expediting patient access to high fixed-cost imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) promise to improve patient care and satisfaction. I will provide an overview of the collaborative work we have undertaken over the last decade to create cutting-edge MRI technologies branded as "fast MRI." These advancements have dramatically reduced the duration of MRI exams from the conventional 40 minutes to 30 minutes or less, significantly improving patient comfort and scan throughput. The reduction in scan times not only alleviates patient discomfort and anxiety but also minimizes motion artifacts, leading to superior image quality. I will highlight recent findings from the Mass General Brigham Outpatient Imaging Center at Assembly Row launched in 2022, which demonstrate a substantial decrease in imaging slot times, turnaround times, and enhanced patient satisfaction scores compared to traditional MRI facilities. The broader implications and model for clinical translation of technological innovations in MRI will be explored, emphasizing how to integrate these advances into clinical workflows to enhance imaging quality, patient experience, and diagnostic accuracy.

Bio: 

Susie Huang, MD, PhD, is Associate Professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School, Associate Chair for Faculty Affairs in the Department of Radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Associate Director of the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging.  She received her Bachelor of Arts degree summa cum laude in Chemistry from Harvard University, her PhD in Chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles, and her medical degree magna cum laude from Harvard Medical School.  Dr. Huang completed her Diagnostic Radiology residency and Neuroradiology fellowship at MGH and joined the MGH Radiology faculty in 2016.  Dr. Huang is recognized as an international expert in the field of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology development and translation.  As Director of Translational Neuro MR Imaging in the Department of Radiology, she has spearheaded initiatives to develop, validate, and translate fast MR imaging sequences into clinical practice and to enable highly efficient MRI exams at the Assembly Row outpatient imaging center.  Dr. Huang’s current research focuses on the development and translation of advanced diffusion MRI methods for probing tissue microstructure in the central nervous system.  She led the development of the next-generation Connectome MRI scanner for multiscale imaging of the human brain funded by the NIH BRAIN Initiative and has led recent initiatives to update the MRI technology and core infrastructure at the Martinos Center. Dr. Huang has received numerous research grants from the NIH, foundations, and industry and serves on the Board of Trustees of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.