The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) successfully held its New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) in Queenstown on 5 – 7 August 2022.
The three-day conference saw nearly 300 clinical radiologists, radiation oncologists, researchers, and allied health professionals from the USA, Australia, and New Zealand coming together to discuss cutting-edge medical imaging technology and key findings, discover the trend in radiology practices, and explore new solutions to the diagnosis and treatment of life-threatening cancers including breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer.
Clin A/Prof Sanjay Jeganathan, RANZCR President, said: “New Zealand has recently undergone a major milestone reform of its healthcare system, which has brought about many challenges and opportunities for our professions. Our annual scientific meeting is that time of the year for clinical radiologists and radiation oncologists to reflect on our learnings and embrace new techniques during the change to foster medical advancements that will improve patient outcomes.”
“It is of utmost importance that we take this opportunity to be away from busy, stressful day-to- day clinical practices to connect and reconnect – a way of taking care of our wellbeing,” added A/Prof Jeganathan.
Clinical Radiology
The second day of the conference highlighted the important role of cutting-edge imaging technologies in cancer detection, diagnosis, and treatment to improve men’s and women’s health outcomes.
Dr Gary Ulaner (USA) reviewed appropriate applications of prostate specific membrane antigen (PMSA) PET scans and tackled difficulties in scan interpretation that could determine the spread of prostate cancer and detect recurrence sites early for the best treatment plan. Dr Rachael McEwing (NZ) revealed advances in dynamic ultrasound techniques which could assess pelvic organ mobility and tenderness for early detection of endometriosis, a common chronic disease that affects around 120,000 women in New Zealand but often takes up to ten years to diagnose. Dr Iva Petkovska (USA) joined the session to highlight the value of MRI in detecting gynaecological tumours. Dr Helen Moore (NZ) spoke about rare cases of fibroids, a common condition detectable in 30% of New Zealand women over the age of 30.
Radiation Oncology
The last conference day focused on radiation oncology workforce shortages in New Zealand. Dr Shaun Castello presented the first-ever study using national-level data, putting forward a rhetorical question – ‘Are radiation oncologists endangered species?”
*The study predicted a large mismatch between the supply of radiation oncologists and the demand for radiation therapy in the coming decades, with high workload and burnout prevalent in radiation oncology staff. RANZCR reiterated its call for urgent actions in workforce planning to train, recruit, and retain radiation oncology staff in New Zealand where cancer patients are already experiencing significant waiting times and delays for radiation therapy treatment.
About 25,000 New Zealanders are diagnosed with cancer each year, which is expected to increase as the population ages. This study forecasts that New Zealand will need 85 radiation oncologists in 2031 if it maintains the current treatment level while only 69 radiation oncologists are currently practising, and that New Zealand will need 129 radiation oncologists by 2031 if it aims to achieve the level of radiation oncology services comparable to Australia.
On the previous day, A/Prof David Pryor as an invited key-note speaker examined liver stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), followed by Dr Susan Harden who discussed single fraction SABR for early lung cancer.
Roll of Honours
The New Zealand ASM is an exciting occasion to honour RANZCR Fellows in New Zealand for their strong commitment and outstanding contribution to the fields of clinical radiology and radiation oncology.
Dr Melissa James and Co-convenor Dr Ben Wilson
This year, Dr Melissa James (radiation oncologist) and Dr Michael Hurrell (clinical radiologist) garnered the NZRET Pikimairawea Awards for their dedication to research, teaching, and education. Pikimairawea is the Maori name for the jawbone and represents knowledge and heritage. Two NZRET Pikimairawea Awards are presented each year at the NZ ASM, one in the speciality of clinical radiology and one in radiation oncology.
The ASM offers ample learning opportunities for trainees and registrars, fostering excellence in the next generation of clinical radiologists and radiation oncologists.
OBEX Medical Registrar Research Award 2022 went to Dr Hugh McHugh for his presentation ‘IDH and 1p19q Diagnosis in Diffuse Glioma from Preoperative MRI Using Artificial Intelligence’.
New Zealand Radiology Education Trust Poster Prize went to Dr Harry Alexander for his presentation: Checklists for image-guided interventions: a systematic review.
Faculty of Radiation Oncology Training Network New Zealand Prize went to Dr Bomi Kim for his presentation about an initial experience with Active Breathing Coordinator™ in a regional hospital.
Looking Forward…
The 72 nd RANZCR Annual Scientific Meeting follows hot on the heels of the New Zealand ASM to welcome the radiology community at Adelaide Convention Centre, South Australia, on 27-30 October 2022.
Under the theme of Reflect, Revive, Reimagine, the 72nd RANZCR ASM expects to be the largest to date with over 200 presenters across both disciplines. It will feel great to once again connect with colleagues when the radiology community travels from everywhere to meet face-to-face for the first time in three years.
The multi-day conference has lined up leading international and local speakers from clinical radiology and radiation oncology professions, with a brand-new crossover session of space radiology to explore the role of radiology in spaceflight.
The conference will certainly inspire you with a wide range of selected presentations, panel discussions and forums, trainee workshops, industry exhibitions, and much more.
Source: RANZCR
To view the program, please visit: https://www.ranzcr2022.com/program/
