Robert Eberhardt, MD

The ASE strives to be the primary resource for education, knowledge exchange, and professional development in the field of cardiovascular ultrasound. As vascular ultrasound continues to grow in both scope and importance to the cardiovascular community, the Society has included education in vascular imaging as a key benchmark in its strategic plan. Offered from 2003–2006 as a joint offering with the Society for Vascular Medicine and Biology and co-sponsored by the ACC Foundation, The Vascular Imaging Symposium has evolved over the past two years into a unique educational tool: a smaller, specialized symposium that is geared toward a specific target audience of physicians, sonographers, fellows, medical students, and other allied healthcare providers interested in vascular ultrasound.

The 2 ^nd Annual Vascular Imaging Symposium will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 9, 2010. This symposium has been designed to focus on the tools necessary for developing better vascular ultrasound techniques. Similar to the previous year, the program features case studies by expert faculty in areas of cerebrovascular, renal, venous, and peripheral arterial diseases and examinations. After participating, attendees will be better able to define the anatomy and appreciate the pathophysiology of the carotid artery; appropriately utilize various imaging modalities to guide interventional vascular procedures; recognize and evaluate renal artery disease; apply ultrasound techniques to the evaluation of lower extremity arterial disease; and assess complications associated with procedures requiring vascular access.

This year, for the first time, Dr. Jeffrey Olin will give a case reading after each case study, illustrating diagnosis and interpretation in vascular pathology. Following a variety of cases, participants will once again be able to observe vascular ultrasound scanning on models, illustrating the steps and guidelines critical to high quality vascular imaging. With accreditation becoming more important, this symposium has dedicated a portion of its program content to lab and physician credentialing and how to start IMT in your lab. ASE, along with the Society for Vascular Medicine, with which it has formed an educational partnership, believes training and education for cardiologists in vascular ultrasound should be at the highest level.

The American Society of Echocardiography is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. American Society of Echocardiography designates this educational activity for a maximum of 8 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ . ARDMS and CCI recognize ASE’s certificates and have agreed to honor the credit hours toward their registry requirement for sonographers. This activity has been reviewed by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) and is acceptable for up to 8 hours of CME credit toward ICAVL laboratory accreditation requirements.

Registration for the Vascular Imaging Symposium is now open and available at www.asecho.org/education . The registration fee, which is offered at a discounted rate of $200 for physicians and $100 for allied health professional members of ASE or SVM, includes coffee breaks, a boxed lunch, up to 8 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ , and a memory stick with the course syllabus. This course is subject to space availability; please register by October 6, 2010.