As the University of Wisconsin-Madison CT protocol optimization team develops the second iteration of their imaging protocols for GE, they decided to look outside of the organization for inspiration. The team enlisted the help of 10 clinical radiologists from across the country with CT expertise in the areas of Body, Chest & Cardiovascular, Musculoskeletal, Neuroradiology, and Pediatrics. These clinical experts traveled to Madison for an all-day meeting to collaborate and share their unique expertise for improving upon the first-generation of CT protocols. They shared a plethora of ideas, some of which are in the process of implementation. The CT protocol team is planning another collaborative session with medical physicists in the Summer of 2016 to reaffirm the current protocol settings, while also identifying any areas for improvement.
As of December 2015, 342 GE scanners have shipped with UW protocols installed, including 72 to international partners such as China, Japan, India, and Australia. Additionally, Turkey’s Ministry of Health desires to standardize imaging protocols across Northwest Turkey, and Myron Pozniak, M.D., is currently in preliminary talks with representatives from the Eurasian country.