NCBCSM - 34th National Conference on Breast Cancer

  • Overview
  • Registration
  • Programs & Objectives
  • Faculty
  • Hotel & Travel
  • Exibitor Information
  • Testimonials

About NCBCSM

NCBC is the bi-annual conference that ACR provides as an educational service in the field of breast imaging, including breast cancer screening and treatment

34th National Conference on Breast Cancer

Date:
April 9-11, 2010

Location:
Desert Spring JW Marriot Resort & Spa
Palm Desert, Calif.

CME Disclosure:
The American College of Radiology (ACR) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The ACR designates this educational activity for a maximum of 16.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Presenters at this conference have disclosed any conflict of interest or their intention to discuss off-label use, if applicable, in accordance with ACCME Standards and FDA requirements. Disclosure information will be presented either verbally or printed in the final program material.

The ACR has received no commercial support for this activity

 

Registration Information

Rates.

Registration Fees Early Bird Registration Fees
on or before 1/29/10
Regular Registration Fees
after 1/30/10
ACR Member $945 $995
Nonmember $1345 $1395
Technologist $545 $595
Technologist One Day Rate $200 $200
Resident $445 $495

Pre-registration has ended. Please register on-site.

Download brochure

Meeting Cancellation/Refund Policy

All cancellations must be made in writing and received by Monday, March 29, 2010. A $75 administrative fee will be charged for all cancellations. NO REFUNDS will be given for cancellations after March 29, 2010 or for no-shows.

Registration Form Information

Please complete all sections of the registration form and return by mail or fax.

34th National Conference on Breast Cancer
PO Box 2348
Merrifield, VA 22116-2348
FAX: 703-648-1863

For questions regarding your registration form, or if you do not receive a confirmation by email within two weeks after submitting your form, please call 800-373-2204

 

Learning Objectives

After the course, attendees will be to:

  • Identify the appropriate imaging modalities for screening women at high risk for developing breast cancer, and ways to apply these modalities to reduce risk.
  • Illustrate the basic and more advanced principles of breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) interpretation and lesion evaluation, and the pathologic correlations to breast MRI lesions.
  • Describe the technical and display advances in breast MRI, including 3T magnets and more sophisticated CAD applications.
  • Report on the status of digital mammography, including image optimization, interconnectivity issues with PACS and RIS systems, workstation design and adaptations to digital mammography, and newer digital techniques such as tomosynthesis and CAD.
  • Relate the latest information regarding emerging breast imaging technology.
  • Interpret the new role of breast imagers as clinicians, and learn about the new responsibilities they assume with that role.
  • Evaluate the current status of MQSA regulations, and government plans such as pay-for-performance for reimbursing breast imaging services.
  • Describe the progress of the Centers of Excellence program, and other ways to develop Best Practices standards within their own practice settings.
  • Report on their participation in case-based education through the deployment of electronic audience response techniques.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Time: LectureTopic: Modality:
7:00 am - 7:50 am Registration Opens  
7:30 am - 7:50 am Breakfast On Your Own: Beverage Service Provided  
7:50 am - 8:00 am Morning Announcements
Michael N. Linver, M.D., FACR
 
8:00 am - 12: 00 pm Diagnosis: The Multi-Modality Approach Session
Michael N. Linver, M.D., FACR, Moderator
 
8:00 am - 8:30 am Proper Use of the Probably Benign (Bi-Rads3) Assessment at Mammography, Ultrasound and MRI
Edward A. Sickles, M.D., FACR
D, MR, US
8:30 am - 9:00 am Biopsy: Current Concepts in Technology and Patient Management
Debra L. Monticciolo, M.D., FACR
SD, MR, US
9:00 am - 9:30 am Nodal Evaluation
Barbara S. Monsees, M.D., FACR
D, MR, US
9:30 am - 10:00 am BREAK  
10:00 am - 10:30 am Assessing Extent of Tumor in the Breast with MRI: Part 1
Christopher E. Comstock, M.D
MR
10:30 am - 11:00 am Assessing Extent of Tumor in the Breast with MRI: Part 2
Carol H. Lee, M.D., FACR
MR
11:00 am - 11:30 am Imaging the Biology of the Breast
Elizabeth A. Morris, MD, FACR
MR, US
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Panel Q & A
Morning Faculty, Linver Moderator
 
12:00 pm - 1:15 pm LUNCH in Exhibit Hall  
1:15 pm - 2:45 pm Case Based Panel: How the Experts Do It
Bassett, Monsees, Sickles, Lee, Monticciolo
D, MR, US
2:45 pm - 3: 15 pm BREAK in Exhibit Hall  
3:15 pm - 4:15 pm Workshops  
Workshop 1 Challenging Cases: MR
Elizabeth A. Morris, MD, FACR
MR
Workshop 2 Challenging Cases:Multi-Modality
Carol H. Lee, M.D., FACR
D, MR, US
Workshop 3 MR Interpretation
Debra L. Monticciolo, M.D., FACR
MR
Workshop 4 Post Surgical Breast: Multi-Modality
Jennifer A. Harvey MD
D, MR, US
Workshop 5 Planning for Inspections: Technologists
Priscilla Butler, M.S.
 
4:15 pm - 4:30 pm BREAK in Exhibit Hall  
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Workshops  
Workshop 1 Challenging Cases: MR
Constance D. Lehman, M.D., Ph.D.
MR
Workshop 2 MR Guided Biopsy (with video)
Christopher E. Comstock, M.D.
MR
Workshop 3 Screening Mammography Interpretation at the Threshold for Recall
Edward A. Sickles, M.D., FACR
D
Workshop 4 Challenging Cases: Ultrasound
Bruno D. Fornage MD
US
Workshop 5 Digital QC: Technologists
Priscilla Butler, M.S.
D
5:30 - 7:00 pm Welcome Reception in Exhibit Hall  

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Time: LectureTopic: Modality:
7:00 am - 7:50 am Registration Opens  
7:30 am - 7:50 am Breakfast On Your Own: Beverage Service Provided  
7:50 am - 8:00 am Morning Announcements
Michael N. Linver, MD, FACR
 
8:00 am - 12:00 pm Screening Session
Barbara S. Monsees, M.D., FACR, Moderator
 
8:00 am - 8:30 am Considerations of High Risk Assessment
Jennifer A. Harvey, M.D.
D, MR, US
8:30 am - 9:00 am Ultrasound Screening
W. Phil Evans III, M.D., FACR
US
9:00 am - 9:30 am MR Screening
Constance D. Lehman, M.D., Ph.D.
MR
9:30 am - 10:00 am In Defense of Mammographic Screening
Carl J. D'Orsi, M.D., FACR
D
10:00 am - 10:30 am BREAK in Exhibit Hall  
10:30 am - 11:00 am Panel Q&A
Morning Faculty, Monsees Moderator
 
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Wendell Scott Lecture: Breast Imaging in the new Medical Political Environment: Looking into the Crystal Ball
William T Thorwarth Jr MD, FACR
 
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm Lunch in Exhibit Hall  
1:30 pm - 5:00 pm Practice Issues Session
W. Phil Evans III, M.D., FACR, Moderator
 
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Accreditation and Regulation Issues
Pamela Wilcox, R.N., M.B.A.
 
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Performance Benchmarks and Pay for Performance Initaitives
Edward A. Sickles, M.D., FACR
 
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Political Activism in Breast Imaging: Making a Difference
Congressman Marsha Blackburn (TN-7)
 
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm BREAK in Exhibit Hall  
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Optimizing Workflow
Christopher E. Comstock, M.D.
D
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm Medicolegal
Debra L. Monticciolo, M.D., FACR
 
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm Panel Q & A
Afternoon Faculty, Evans Moderator
 
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm Evening Reception in Exhibit Hall  

Saturday, April 10, 2010 (Afternoon) Technologist Program

Time: LectureTopic: Modality:
1:20 pm - 1:30 pm Welcome and Announcements
Louise Miller, R.T., Program Chair
 
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Understanding Breast Cancer
Carl J. D'Orsi, M.D., FACR
 
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Assessing Image Quality
Lawrence W. Bassett, M.D., FACR
D
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Diagnostic Views
Barbara S. Monsees, M.D., FACR
D
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Break
Exhibit Hall
 
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Transition to Digital Positioning Challenges
Louise Miller, R.T.
D
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Positioning Demo
Louise Miller, R.T.
D

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Time: LectureTopic: Modality:
7:30 am - 7:50 am Registration Opens  
7:30 am - 7:50 am Breakfast On Your Own: Beverage Service Provided  
8:00 – 9:00 am Workshops  
Workshop 1 The Coding and Reimbursement System: How does it Work? 
William T Thorwarth Jr MD, FACR
 
Workshop 2 Challenging Cases:MR
Elizabeth A. Morris, MD, FACR
MR
Workshop 3 Challenging Cases: Multi-Modality
Carol H. Lee, M.D., FACR
D, MR, US
Workshop 4 MR Interpretation
Debra L. Monticciolo, M.D.
MR
Workshop 5 Dealing with Difficult People
W. Phil Evans, III, M.D.
 
9:00 am - 9: 15 am BREAK  
9:15 am - 10:15 am Workshops  
Workshop 1 Clinical Role of Breast Imagers
Michael N. Linver, MD, FACR
 
Workshop 2 Challenging Cases: MR
Constance D. Lehman, M.D., Ph.D.
MR
Workshop 3 Post Surgical Breast: Multi-Modality
Jennifer A. Harvey, M.D.
D, MR, US
Workshop 4 Challenging Cases: Ultrasound
Bruno D. Fornage, M.D.
US
Workshop 5 Accreditation: Technologists
Pamela Wilcox, R.N., M.B.A.
 
10:15 am - 10:30 am BREAK  
10:30 am - 11:30 am Workshops  
Workshop 1 Screening Mammography Interpretation at the Threshold for Recall
Edward A. Sickles, M.D., FACR
D, MR, US
Workshop 2 Rad/Path Correlation
Lawrence W. Bassett, M.D., FACR
D, MR, US
Workshop 3 MR Guided Biopsy (with video)
Christopher E. Comstock, M.D.
MR
Workshop 4 Difficult Positioning: Technologist
Louise Miller, R.T.
D
11:30 AM Meeting Adjourns  

* Program schedule and faculty are subject to change.

Modality Legend - S: Stereotactic, MR: Magnetic Resonance, D: Digital, US: Breast Ultrasound


Digital Mammography Self Assessment Sessions - Concurrent Session

DAY 1, Friday, April 9, 2010  
8:30 am - 9:30 am Digital Mammography Self Assessment Session
9:30 am - 10:00 am  Break
10:00 am - 11:00 am Digital Mammography Self Assessment Session
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Digital Mammography Self Assessment Session
12:00 pm - 1:15 pm  LUNCH
1:15 pm - 2:15 pm Digital Mammography Self Assessment Session
2:15 pm - 2:45 pm  No Sessions
2:45 pm - 3:15 pm  Break
3:15 pm - 4:15 pm Digital Mammography Self Assessment Session
4:15 pm - 4:30 pm Break
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Digital Mammography Self Assessment Session
Day 2, Saturday, April 10, 2010  
8:00 am - 9:00 am Digital Mammography Self Assessment Session
9:00 am - 10:00 am Digital Mammography Self Assessment Session
10:00 am - 10:30 am  Break
10:30 am - 11:30 am Digital Mammography Self Assessment Session
11:30 am - 12:30 pm No Sessions
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm LUNCH
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Digital Mammography Self Assessment Session
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm No Sessions
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Break
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm Digital Mammography Self Assessment Session
Day 3, Sunday, April 11, 2010  
8:00 am - 9:00 am Digital Mammography Self Assessment Session
9:00 am - 9:15 am Break
9:15 am - 10:15 am Digital Mammography Self Assessment Session
10:15 am - 10:30 am Break
10:30 am - 11:30 am Digital Mammography Self Assessment Session

Faculty

The NCBC Program Committee has assembled a faculty of the nation’s finest experts in breast imaging, get to know a little about each of our faculty members before the meeting.

Michael N. Linver, M.D., FACR (Program Chair) is Director of Mammography for X-Ray Associates of New Mexico, P.C., in Albuquerque, and Clinical Professor of Radiology at the University of New Mexico.  He has been a specialist in Breast Imaging in the private practice setting for the past 23 years.  At the same time, Dr. Linver’s passion for teaching has taken him across most of the United States and abroad, where he has presented over 500 lectures.  He is the author of over 40 published articles and chapters of textbooks on mammography.  In addition, he has been very active politically within the ACR and other organizations as a strong proponent of quality mammography on both a national and international level.  He is a Fellow of both the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging.

Lawrence W. Bassett, M.D., FACR (Program Committee Member) Iris Cantor Professor of Breast Imaging at UCLA is the Director of Breast Imaging at UCLA Radiology since 1976, Vice Chair for Academic Affairs since 2002, and an Assistant Dean for Student Affairs in the UCLA Medical School since 1985. Dr. Bassett's research interests include new breast imaging technologies and improving the quality of the practice of Breast Imaging through innovative educational programs. Dr. Bassett has served on numerous ACR Breast Imaging Committees, including being a founding member or Chair of important committees such as BI-RADS, the Accreditation Programs, and the new ACR Commission on Breast Imaging. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging.

Priscilla F. Butler, M.S., FAAPM, FACR is the Senior Director for Breast Imaging Accreditation Programs in the ACR’s Department of Quality and Safety. She is also an adjunct professor at the George Washington University Medical Center. Prior to joining the College she spent 13 years as a medical physicist and faculty member in the Department of Radiology at the George Washington University Hospital. Ms. Butler also served for 10 years as a US Public Health Service commissioned officer in the FDA’s Centers for Devices and Radiological Health and participated in the start-up and conduct of their Breast Exposure: Nationwide Trends (BENT) program. She is a fellow of both the ACR and the American Association of Medical Physicists and is certified by the American Board of Radiology in Diagnostic Radiological Physics. She was a member of the DHHS Agency for Health Care Policy and Research's Panel for the Quality Determinants of Mammography and the Food and Drug Administration's National Mammography Quality Assurance Advisory Committee.

Christopher E. Comstock, M.D.  is Clinical Professor and Director of Breast Imaging at UCSD Dept of Radiology. Dr Comstock has worked as an Assistant Professor of Radiology at the University of Chicago and later at Northwestern University Hospital’s Lynn Sage Breast Center. While in Chicago, Dr Comstock was involved in several projects studying computer-aided detection and diagnosis (CAD) of breast cancer and participated in clinical trials evaluating GE’s first full-field digital mammography unit.  For 2 years, he was the medical director of the West Suburban Hospital’s Center for Breast Care in River Forest Illinois and later worked at Memorial Care’s breast centers in Long Beach and Orange Coast California. In 2006 he completed a 2 year ACRIN fellowship in clinical trials in medical imaging. In November 2009, Dr Comstock will join the MSKCC faculty as an attending radiologist at their new breast cancer center in New York.

Peter J. Dempsey, MD, FACR is a Professor of Radiology in the Breast Imaging Section of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, and is on the regular clinical schedule at that facility.  He is a member of the RSNA, the ACR, and is a Fellow in the Society of Breast Imaging.  He is also an Associate Editor in Breast Imaging for Radiology and also reviews manuscripts for other peer reviewed journals.  He also recently was named to the Committee of the American Board of Radiology that will design the new final examination for finishing radiology residents in the area of Breast Imaging. 

D. David Dershaw, M.D., FACR is the director of the breast imaging section in the department of radiology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and professor of radiology at the Weill College of Medicine at Cornell University. He has published over 100 peer reviewed articles on breast imaging and has authored half a dozen books on the topic, as well as multiple book chapters. Dr. Dershaw is a former President of the Society of Breast Imaging and is a member of multiple advisory and editorial boards. He is a popular lecturer in the US and internationally on breast imaging topics.

Carl J. D’Orsi, M.D., FACR is Professor of Radiology, Hematology/Oncology and Director of the Breast Imaging Center at Emory University Hospital and affiliated hospitals.  He is the current Chair of the committee on BI-RADS.  Dr. D’Orsi is a co-founder of the Society of Breast Imaging which had it’s beginning in the mid-nineties.  He has had a long-term working relationship with the FDA, NIH and the ACR and has been on numerous committees with these organizations.  Dr. D’Orsi’s interest in research has been evident over the years, and he is currently working on research involving breast tomosynthesis, dedicated breast CT, and stereoscopic digital mammography. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging.

W. Phil Evans III, M.D., FACR (Program Committee Member) is the Associate Vice President for Clinical Imaging Services and the Director of the Center for Breast Care at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Evans has served as Chairman of the American College of Radiology Accreditation Chairs Committee and is a senior reviewer for the Mammography, Breast Ultrasound, and Stereotactic Breast Biopsy Accreditation Programs. He has served as an examiner in Breast Imaging for the American Board of Radiology.  Dr. Evans’ clinical research interests are in the field of percutaneous biopsies of breast lesions, digital imaging, computer-assisted detection of mammographic lesions, and breast MRI.  He is the principal investigator at UT Southwestern for the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) sponsored trials. He is the President of the Society of Breast Imaging and a Fellow of both the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging.

Bruno D. Fornage, M.D. is Professor of Radiology and Surgical Oncology in the Breast Imaging Section of M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. A former Chief of the Section of Ultrasound (US) and associate Medical Director of the Breast Diagnostic Center, Dr. Fornage has pioneered breast US and US-guided procedures. After launching breast US at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in 1987, he developed two crucial applications of breast US, which are becoming standard practice worldwide: the evaluation of the lymphatic spread in the staging of breast cancer and the evaluation of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Dr. Fornage published the first article on US-guided needle biopsy of the breast in 1987. He also pioneered the field of percutaneous ablation of breast tumors with a leading article on radiofrequency ablation of breast cancer in 2004. Dr. Fornage is Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Clinical Ultrasound. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound and the Society of Breast Imaging. Dr. Fornage gives hands-on training courses in breast US and US-guided interventions worldwide.

Jennifer Harvey, M.D. is a Professor of Radiology at the University of Virginia Health System, where she serves as Head of the Division of Breast Imaging and Co-Director of the UVA Breast Care Program. She attended medical school and did her diagnostic radiology residency at the University of Arizona. She is a fellow of the Society of Breast Imaging. Her publications cover a range of practical topics in breast imaging, but her primary research interest is breast density and its relationship with breast cancer risk.

Valerie P. Jackson, M.D., FACR (Program Committee Member) is currently the John A. Campbell Professor of Radiology, Chairman of the Department of Radiology at Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Jackson has been involved in research, education, and national service, primarily in the area of breast imaging, for many years.  She was a member of the American College of Radiology Board of Chancellors from 1996 – 2003, serving as the Chair of the Commission on Education.  She is a Past President of the Society of Breast Imaging and of the American College of Radiology.  She is currently on the Board of Trustees of the American Board of Radiology, in charge of the breast imaging section. She is a Fellow of both the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging.

Carol H. Lee, M.D., FACR (Program Committee Member) is an attending radiologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. She received her MD degree from Yale University School of Medicine and did her residency in radiology at Yale New-Haven Hospital. She has been specializing in breast imaging for more than 20 years and has particular interest in magnetic resonance imaging of the breast. She is currently chair of the Commission on Breast Imaging of the American College of Radiology and is immediate past president of the Society of Breast Imaging. She is a Fellow of both the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging.

Constance D. Lehman, M.D., Ph.D. is a professor and vice chair of radiology and the section head of breast imaging at the University of Washington. She is also the director of imaging at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.  Dr. Lehman is chair of the breast committee for the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN ), a member of the breast disease committee of the National Cancer Institute, and chair of the ACR committee for breast MRI accreditation.  She is a co-investigator for the National Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium and has served as a principal investigator and a co-investigator on multi-institution National Cancer Institute clinical trials in breast MRI and ultrasound. Dr. Lehman has been a pioneer in the use of MRI for evaluating breast cancer, and she has been recognized nationally and internationally for her excellence in clinical work, teaching, and research.

Louise Miller, R.T., R.M. (Program Committee Member and Chair, Technologist Program) is the Co-director of the Mammography Practicum at the School of Medicine, University of California in San Diego and instructor of Mammography at San Diego Mesa College.  From 1990 - 2008 she served as coordinator and faculty of the QCC Mammography Seminars which trained over 17,000 technologists in the US and Canada.  She has also served on numerous national committees, including the ACR and ASRT which developed education and training standards for mammography in the US.  Ms. Miller has volunteered her time to help coordinate mammography screening programs and education for Mammography technologists in numerous foreign countries including Cuba, the Ukraine, China, Jordan and Costa Rica.  She has been a consultant and invited lecturer for noted institutions and radiologists including Harvard, Stanford, Mayo Clinic and UCSF and Drs. Tabar, Sickles, Kopans and Linver.  When at home in San Diego she works full time as a mammographer and supervisor at UCSD Medical Center and continues to provide on-site consulting and educational services for Mammography facilities in the US and Canada.

Barbara S. Monsees, M.D., FACR (Program Committee Member)

Debra L. Monticciolo, M.D., FACR (Program Committee Member) is Professor of Radiology, Vice-Chair for Research, and Section Chief of Breast Imaging at Texas A&M University’s College of Medicine and Scott & White Healthcare System in Temple, Texas.  She is Vice-President for the Society of Breast Imaging.  She is currently Chair of the Mammography Accreditation Program committee for the ACR and serves as Vice-Chair of the ACR Commission on Quality and Safety for Accreditation Programs as well as Vice-Chair for the ACR Commission on Education.  Dr. Monticciolo served as Chair of the 2008 National Conference on Breast Cancer.

Elizabeth A. Morris, M.D., FACR is an associate professor of radiology at Weill Cornell Medical College and is the Director of Breast MRI at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center since 1995 interpreting mammograms, breast ultrasounds, breast MRIs, and performing breast biopsies under imaging guidance. Her particular area of expertise is using MRI to detect breast cancer. Her research focus is on how best to use newer techniques such as MRI for early breast cancer detection and to improve the workup of breast lesions. In collaboration with her colleagues, she has written many papers, chapters, and books about breast disease with an emphasis on the use of MRI.

Edward A. Sickles, M.D., FACR (Program Committee Member) is Professor Emeritus of Radiology at the UCSF School of Medicine and served as Chief of the Breast Imaging Section at the UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco for almost 30 years.  Dr. Sickles is a prolific contributor to breast imaging education and the scientific literature.  Dr. Sickles has also served on many breast imaging committees of the American College of Radiology since 1980, and has chaired the ACR Committee on Mammography Interpretive Skills Assessment since its inception in 1992.  He is a founding member and past president of the Society of Breast Imaging.  He has been the recipient of numerous awards and special recognitions for his dedication, service, and contributions to breast imaging, including the Gold Medal of the Society of Breast Imaging and honorary membership in four international radiological societies. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging.

William Thorwarth, M.D., FACR (Wendell Scott Lecture) is a practicing diagnostic and interventional radiologist with Catawba Radiological Associates in Hickory, NC. He has been involved in radiology and medical economics since 1995, primarily through his activities with the American College of Radiology, where he has served as the ACR advisor to the AMA Relative Value Update Committee (RUC) and CPT Editorial Panel, chairman of the Committee on Coding and Nomenclature, chairman of the Commission on Economics, and President. Since 1999 he has also served on the AMA CPT Editorial Panel, responsible for maintaining the CPT code set for all physician reimbursement, and currently is chairman of the Panel. In 2001, as chairman of the Economics Commission, he was a member of the multi-society task force which developed strategies for improving mammography reimbursement through the RUC 5 Year Review. He has been actively involved in political processes at the state and federal level working to educate legislators and regulators on radiology specific issues. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging.

Michael J. Ulissey, M.D. is an Associate Professor of Radiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas and Director of Breast Imaging at Parkland Memorial Hospital.  He graduated from Texas A&M University College of Medicine, joined the US Navy, and did his internship in Family Practice.  He practiced with the Navy for three years before completing his residency in Diagnostic Radiology.  He is fellowship trained in Breast Imaging as well as Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Pamela A. Wilcox, R.N., M.B. A. (Program Committee Member) is the Assistant Executive Director for Quality and Safety at the American College of Radiology. Pam joined the ACR Department of Standards and Accreditation in 1987 with the advent of the voluntary Mammography Accreditation Program. Over the past 22 years she has provided professional support and oversight for the development and implementation of 8 more accreditation programs; ultrasound, MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine, PET, stereotactic breast biopsy, breast ultrasound, and radiation oncology.  Her department has grown from four people 1987 to over 60 staff in 2009.  In 2000, the department was renamed Quality and Safety and, in addition to guidelines and accreditation, Pam oversees all of the ACR quality initiatives including Appropriateness Criteria, BIRADS™ (a breast imaging reporting system), RADPEER™ (a peer review program for radiologists), as well as the Committee on Safety and all Pay for Performance activities. 

Margarita L. Zuley, M.D. is an Associate Professor of Radiology at the University of Pittsburgh and the Medical Director of Breast Imaging at Magee-Womens Hospital.  She sits on several committees for the American College of Radiology, the American Board of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging, as well as serving as a reviewer for NIH grants and as a consultant to the FDA Radiologic Devices Panel.  Her active areas of research currently include new technology evaluation including digital breast tomosynthesis and cone beam CT. Dr. Zuley is currently the principal investigator on grants from the Susan G. Komen Foundation and from Industry to investigate these new technologies.  

 

Hotel, Travel, & Local Information

ACR has negotiated preferred rates at the Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort & Spa for hotel accommodations, with American Airlines for air travel, and with Enterprise Rent-a-Car for car rental. For reservations, please see the information and instructions below. General information about ground transportation, local attractions and ADA assistance, is also provided below.

Hotel Information

A premier Palm Desert resort hotel, the Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort & Spa provides stylish surroundings, views and amenities that will be appreciated by the conference attendees. Plan to make time to enjoy the dining, fitness center, tennis, golf, full-service spa, pools, a water gondola ride, bicycling, retail shops and more. A business center, concierge, Starbucks, Hertz car rental, valet and self-parking, and Kids Klub activities are all offered at the resort.

Luxurious guest rooms with Marriott's "Revive" bedding feature a patio or balcony; upscale bathrooms with granite, limestone and Italian marble with deluxe bath amenities; high-speed internet; a workspace with convenient data ports and electrical outlets; phones with voice mail; in-room safe; Sony CD player and clock radio alarm clock, 37” flat screen television; mini bar and a complimentary coffee maker with coffee and tea.

A 38,000+ square foot fitness facility, complete with a full range of fitness classes and personal training sessions, is available and offers 22 state-of-the-art Body Master stations, variable resistance weight training stations, treadmills, life cycles, Stairmasters, free weights and an elliptical trainer. Walking and jogging paths are also available throughout the resort for optimal cardiovascular workouts.

The resort's Tennis & Lawn Club is the only one in the world with the combination of all three tennis court surfaces--15 hard surface, three clay and two stadium grass courts--as well as a variety of lawn games and the exciting SportsPC, a computerized hitting wall.

The resort features two exceptional 18-hole championship courses, set against the towering backdrop of the Santa Rosa Mountains. Both the Palm and Valley courses were designed by acclaimed architect Ted Robinson, "King of Waterscapes."

On both 18-hole courses, you can take a high tech drive in one of the golf carts with state-of-the-art navigational and computing systems. In addition, the Greens at Desert Springs Putting Course--an 18-hole championship all-natural turf putting course--was created to provide golfers of all ages and abilities an enjoyable golf adventure.

Visit http://www.desertspringsresort.com/ for more details or to schedule a tee-time, spa appointment, dinner reservations, or other resort activity.

Hotel Reservation Information

Rates: $249 single / double, plus state and local taxes of 9%, plus $.30 California Tourism Fee, per room, per night, and subject to change. The resort fee is an additional, optional fee, which can be 'opted out' with the clerk at check-in at the hotel registration desk.

Reservation Methods: Contact Marriott Reservations at 1-800-266-9432, or visit their Web site.

Group Codes: American College of Radiology

Hotel Reservation Policies

Reservation Deadlines: The ACR has reserved sleeping rooms for meeting attendees. Rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and the ACR cannot guarantee that rooms will be available after the reservation deadline of Wednesday, March 17, 2010.

Reservations made after Wednesday, March 17, 2010, will be accepted on a space available basis and may not be at the ACR room rate.

Deposit: First night room deposit or guarantee with a major credit card.

Cancellation: If you wish to cancel your reservation, please notify the hotel at least 72 hours before arrival to avoid paying for one night of accommodations, plus taxes,

Airline Information

American Airlines is pleased to offer a group travel discount of 5% off the lowest applicable, eligible fare for travel to your events and meetings.

For reservations, call Meeting Services at 1-800-433-1790 from anywhere in the United States or Canada, seven days a week, from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight (Central Time), and refer to the authorization number A1410SS. Reservations for the hearing and speech impaired are also available at 1-800-543-1586. There is a $20.00USD reservations service fee for tickets issued through AA reservations, and a $30.00USD ticketing fee for tickets issued at the airport. (Please note: The STARFile number cannot be applied online for discounts).

Car Rental

Special fares have been negotiated with Enterprise Rent-a-Car. Attendees may book online at http://www.enterprise.com/. Select the Date, Time, and Location of the rental and enter 16MT127 in the field labeled, “Optional: Coupon, Customer, or Corporate Number.” Click “search”, and you will be prompted for a PIN number. The PIN is AME.

Ground Transportation

Palm Desert is serviced by the Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), which is approximately 11 miles from the resort. Taxi fare between the airport and the resort is about $45, one way and a listing of ground transportation service providers is available at http://www.ci.palm-springs.ca.us/.

The Ontario International Airport is a 75 minute drive from Palm Desert and the Los Angeles and San Diego international airports are an approximately two hour drive to the resort.

Local Attractions

Palm Desert is quintessential Southern California, ringed by three magnificent mountain ranges and has 350 days of sunshine a year. Attractions include: the Joshua Tree National Monument; El Paseo, the "Rodeo Drive of the Desert," a mile-long eclectic mix of shops offering jewelry, apparel, art, home décor and haute couture and restaurants and a landscaped median showcasing Palm Desert's Art In Public Places which includes more than 130 works of art; the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens featuring spectacular desert plants and animals; the McCallum Theatre, which hosts a variety of world-class artists and distinguished ensembles and companies; the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway's "360° of Wow" where rotating tramcars whisk people up 8,516 feet to the Mountain Station; and more. Visit www.palm-desert.org for more information.

American’s with Disability Act

If you need auxiliary aids or services, as identified in the American with Disabilities Act, please contact Justine Wood at jwood@acr-arrs.org or at 800-227-5463 ext. 4957

Exhibitor Information

Companies in the breast imaging community, make plans to attend the ACR National Conference on Breast Cancer
April 9 - 10, 2010
Desert Springs JW Marriott, Palm Desert, Calif.

General Information for Exhibitors

At the ACR National Conference on Breast Cancer, you’ll connect with a highly targeted audience of approximately 400 radiologists and 100 technologists specifically interested in breast imaging. The conference features an outstanding program that attracts a concentration of qualified breast imaging customers with the capacity to purchase your company’s equipment and services.

The conference schedule features 13.5 hours of exhibit hall time, of which, seven hours are dedicated exclusively to exhibit hall hours and do not compete with conference sessions.

10’ x 10’ exhibit booths are available for $2,500.

Submit your company’s booth application prior to December 7, 2009 to qualify for valuable booth assignment priority points.

Download Exhibitor Prospectus
Download Exhibit Application and Rules
Download Exhibit Hall Floorplan

Meeting Planner Contact Information

Justine Wood
jwood@acr-arrs.org
800-227-5463, ext. 4957

 

Letter from the Program Chair

Dear Colleagues:

As Program Chair for the 2010 ACR National Conference on Breast Cancer, I have the distinct pleasure of extending you my personal invitation to attend our 34th rendition, to be held April 9-11, 2010 at the spectacular Desert Springs JW Marriot Resort and Spa in Palm Desert, California.

Our Program Committee has assembled a faculty of the nation’s finest experts in breast imaging, and has chosen a rich and varied program touching on a variety of critical areas of ongoing importance.  These will include plenary sessions on the Multimodality Approach to Diagnosis with emphasis on Breast MRI, Screening Methodologies featuring high-risk screening, and Practice Issues including the impact of the proposed health care legislation and the Pay for Performance initiatives.  In addition, we will be offering a large selection of individual workshops with more in-depth discussions and interactive opportunities, and a dynamic program specifically for technologists.  Special Full-field Digital Mammography screening workshops courtesy of Hologic will also be available for attendees to test and hone their screening interpretation skills.  A vast array of other vendors will have the latest technology related to breast imaging available for your perusal.

In all, I believe we have created one of the strongest and most exciting NCBC programs ever offered.  I hope you will seize the opportunity to join us for a weekend of camaraderie and consummate learning in the beautiful Palm Springs area of southern California!

Sincerely,

Michael N. Linver, M.D., FACR
Program Chair, ACR 34th National Conference on Breast Cancer

Testimonials from Past Meeting Attendees

Comprehensive, pertinent, well executed & delivered

One of the most pertinent, informative and well organized courses I have attended!!

Overall exceeded my expectation

Very helpful. Keep it up. Great to include SAMS and all ACR required areas i.e. MR, US, Digital, and Stereotactic

I have been attending since the early 1990s. Excellent, high caliber course.

I have been attending for over 15yrs. This was one of the best I’ve been too.

Fantastic as usual.

Enlightening

Great course Thank you

Thank you for a very informative set of lectures and workshops. I look forward to sharing the information with our mammography department.

This was such an informative and awesome learning conference. I think it is just so great that this is held yearly

Audience Response was outstanding! Excellent way to assess one's skills.

Well balanced and useful overall information, I will be back in 2010.

Clear, logical explanation; Easy to understand & interesting

Unbelievably necessary for future breast imaging

Case Based Panel was excellent! It was great to hear the opinions of the experts.

Digital Self Assessment Concurrent Session Testimonials:

Valuable Opportunity!

Very worthwhile course. I would highly recommend for anyone starting the digital process.

Fabulous! Should be used in all residency training programs or be made available at testing centers

Great experience

This was the 1st time I did this workshop & it was really excellent. One of the most worthwhile workshops offered.