by Gary P. Siskin, MD, FSIR
More than 5,000 physicians, scientists and allied health professionals are expected to attend the Society of Interventional Radiology’s 38th Annual Scientific Meeting April 13–18 in “the Crescent City”—New Orleans—at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. At SIR 2013 attendees will explore the latest interventional radiology research, evidence, techniques and technologies through a host of symposia, workshops and plenary and scientific sessions led by interventional radiology’s key leaders.
“The theme of SIR 2013 is ‘IR : Reaching Out,’ ” explained Gary P. Siskin, MD , FSIR , SIR ’s 38th Annual Scientific Meeting chair. “Our Annual Scientific Meeting attendees come from all areas: They are community- or universitybased physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and radiology assistants, nurses, technologists, hospital administrators and industry partners. To complement our theme of inclusion, we’ve designed sessions that will meet the educational needs of all these various groups,” he said.
Siskin noted that this year’s meeting includes contributions from several SIR service lines—SIR ’s disease experts— including interventional oncology, peripheral arterial disease, interventional neuroradiology and venous disease. “This is a successful model of collaboration that promotes interventional radiology’s role across disease states and provides attendees with insight into the specialty’s clinical and multidisciplinary nature among varied practice settings,” said Siskin.
For example, Mark J. Garcia, MD , FSIR , chair of SIR ’s Venous Service Line, is one of the coordinators of the symposium Creating a Venous Practice: Nuts to Bolts, which will include frank discussions on the economics of outpatient vein centers, how to market a freestanding center and a complete overview of the vein care accreditation and credentialing process. “Because interventional radiologists are continually developing and improving
the techniques and tools necessary to change the way DVT and its long-term effects are treated, this symposium will also assist in educating attendees on state-of-the-art management of DVT to help prevent adverse outcomes. We’ve designed it for both the clinician looking to enhance a vein practice or a practitioner who is curious about the potential this model has to offer,” explained Garcia, who is chief vascular interventional radiology, medical director, heart and vascular peripheral labs, Christiana Care Health Services, Newark, DE .
The Critical Limb Ischemia and Interventional Radiology: The Time Is Now symposium is designed to include input from interventional radiologists from around the world, said Robert Lookstein, MD , FSIR , chief, division of interventional radiology, Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. “We’ve asked experts to provide both an in-depth review of the global impact of CLI and their forecast for the future of its treatment and management,” said Lookstein, who serves as chair of SIR ’s Peripheral Arterial Disease Service Line. The session will include a review of the state of the science of CLI and recommendations of opportunities for research trials and registries.
IR in the Trenches is a session designed with the unique needs of the community-based practitioner in mind. Siskin also noted that since the specialty is seeing some significant innovations in interventional radiology coming from south of the border, the 2013 program will feature SIR Global: Destination…Latin America, to focus on these and other areas of IR practice. “The experience will be complete with attendance at one of our new Meet the Professors sessions where attendees can have quality time with today’s top interventional radiology thought leaders or, as we call them, ‘the Professors,’ ” Siskin added.
“The SIR Annual Scientific Meeting scientific sessions have always had a wide scope of vein programming and this year’s schedule proves there will be no exception to that rule,” said Daniel B. Brown, MD , FSIR , the 2013 SIR Annual Scientific Meeting scientific program chair. “SIR 2013 will feature 400 abstracts, including 237 oral presentations. Abstracts will highlight state-of-the-art technology and research evidence of best practices in the management and treatment of deep venous insufficiency and the most current research on clinical trials, evidence and innovation,” added Brown, who is chief of interventional radiology and interventional oncology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
“SIR 2013 includes workshops that will delve into all interventional radiology procedures, such as aortic, iliac, infrainguinal and renal/visceral occlusive disease, visceral aneurysms and many more, and will also showcase new treatments, such as prostatic artery embolization and renal denervation,” said Jafar Golzarian, MD , FSIR , the 2013 Annual Scientific Meeting workshop chair. “To keep things fresh, workshops will be formatted as Q&A discussions featuring coordinators and faculty experts from around the globe,” added Golzarian, who is division head, interventional radiology and vascular imaging, University of Minnesota, MN .
For more information about SIR and/or to register for the 38th Annual Scientific Meeting, visit www.SIRweb.org or www. SIR meeting.org. The advance registration deadline is March 8. At SIR 2013, attendees will have eight unopposed hours in the Technical Exhibit Hall, with no worry about missing educational content. A trip to “The Big Easy” also affords attendees the opportunity to visit one of the south’s most interesting and entertaining cities. This year, on Sunday, April 14, the SIR Foundation will again hold its annual fundraising Gala. For more on this showcase of New Orleans’ famous food, music and élan, visit www.SIRFoundation.org.
