Could ultrasound be the primary screening test for breast cancer? Is the public served by the increasing use of handheld ultrasound? These questions and many more will be addressed at the upcoming RSNA meeting in Chicago.
On Sunday, November 25, RSNA attendees can check out a scientific session all about breast ultrasound -- both cancer diagnosis and screening (10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m., SSA01, Arie Crown Theater). There's also a session on physics research that ranges from exploring the use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound to monitor cancer treatment response to quantifying prostate motion during transrectal ultrasound imaging (10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m., SSA21, Room S405AB).
On Sunday afternoon, ultrasound practitioners will want to take advantage of a refresher course on 3D imaging topics in women's health (2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m., RC110, Room S403A), or a workshop about techniques for interventional sonography and thermal ablation (2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m., RC152, Room E264).
On Tuesday, November 27, don't miss the musculoskeletal ultrasound series (8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m., VSMK31, Room E450A). An afternoon scientific session will explore breast ultrasound topics, such as how automated breast ultrasound performs diagnostically and whether triple-negative breast cancer manifests certain ultrasound characteristics (3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., SSJ01, Arie Crown Theater).
On Wednesday, November 28, RSNA attendees can explore a multisession course on the essentials of ultrasound, including imaging the gallbladder and bile ducts, thyroid sonography, and carotid ultrasound (8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m., MSES41, Room S100AB). Refresher courses on Wednesday morning will highlight topics such as hematuria and flank pain (8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m., RC507, Room E353B), clinical ultrasound technology (8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m., RC510, Room N229), and ultrasound for thyroid cancer (8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m., RC531, Room E352).
Also on Wednesday, be sure to check out a "controversy session" during which a panel that includes experts from radiology, emergency medicine, and industry will discuss whether handheld ultrasound is a threat to radiology (4:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m., SPSC41, Room S404CD).
What's happening on Thursday, November 29? Take a new look at an old topic -- ultrasound of the bowel -- at a morning refresher course (8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m., RC610, Room S405AB). In the afternoon, RSNA attendees can check out a "hot topic" session on imaging evaluation of inflammatory arthritis (3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., SPSH52, Room E451B) or avail themselves of one of a number of refresher courses, from adrenal imaging (4:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m., RC707, Room E353B), to mistakes to avoid in obstetric ultrasound (4:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m., RC710, Room E451B), to real-time interventional ultrasound (4:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m., RC752, Room E264).
On Friday, November 30, courses will include abdominal ultrasound case studies (8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m., RC810, Room S402AB), breast ultrasound (8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m., RC815, Room E451B), or a workshop on ultrasound-guided breast procedures (8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m., RC852, Room E264).
For highlights of the many ultrasound papers scheduled for presentation at the RSNA 2012 meeting, read on. To view the RSNA's listing of abstracts for this year's scientific and educational program, click here.
![Examples of ultrasound findings and techniques. (A) Images in a 39-year-old male patient with a mass in the left thigh. The mass is heterogeneous on the B-mode US image (compared with the patient in D) and showed increased microvascularity (superb microvascular imaging [SMI]) and shear-wave elastography (SWE) values. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy (with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma in surgical specimen). (B) Images in an 18-year-old male patient with a mass in the left leg. The mass is hypoechoic on the B-mode image, with no other findings suggestive of malignancy. The lesion is in contact with the cortex of the tibia, which is slightly irregular. CT revealed a doubtful anteromedial tibial erosion. The microvascular study demonstrated high vascularization, suggestive of malignancy. Periosteal Ewing sarcoma was diagnosed with both histologic and immunohistochemical confirmation. (C) Images in a 69-year-old female patient with a lump growing on the outside of the left leg. Multiple SWE examinations were performed (please note the high values obtained in the measurements, whereas the color map highlights the stiffness relative to adjacent tissues). SMI showed areas of increased vascularization to target for sampling. Undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with residual leiomyosarcoma in the surgical specimen after neoadjuvant therapy. (D) Images in a 56-year-old female patient with a mass in the right thigh. The mass is heterogeneous at both B-mode ultrasound (similar to patient A) and MRI (coronal T2-weighted spectral attenuated inversion recovery [SPAIR]; T1-weighted pre-contrast and postcontrast imaging), which even shows uptake after the administration of paramagnetic contrast material, which is traditionally suggestive of malignancy. Low values at SMI and elastography are suggestive of benignity. Spindle cell lipoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with atypical spindle cell lipomatous tumor in the surgical specimen.](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/08/images-radiol250278fig2.APCFLSvX6p.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
