The ACR Resident and Fellow Section

Welcome to the MRI Teaching File Project
In a recent survey conducted by the ACR Resident and Fellow Section (RFS), residents nationwide expressed concerns over the lack of MRI teaching in their respective residency programs [Wald et.al. JACR 2004, 1(5): 331-337]. Specifically the number and variety of Body, MSK and Cardiac MRI cases was perceived as insufficient in many, while exposure to Neuro MRI cases was felt to be adequate. As a result, the RFS set out to create the MRI Teaching File Project with the support of the ACR, created by residents for residents, to supplement resident's learning experience in MRI. We hope you find cases in this database to be a useful addition to the educational MRI experience in your own program... enjoy!

We need you!!!
Not only do we hope you find the cases informational and supplemental to your every day learning, we also hope that you can help contribute to the success of this database. We depend on case submissions from residents and their staff to build the database - without your submissions, this database will not succeed. In appreciation for your submission, the ACR will pay $80 a case to the submitting residents for an accepted case. For every three cases submitted and accepted to the database you'll earn your choice of $300 -or- an 8 gigabyte Apple iPod Touch; for 4 cases you’ll receive a 16-gigabyte iPod Touch.

General Instructions for Submission:

Identify a suitable case and WRITE TO THE ASSISTANT EDITOR OF THE APPROPRIATE SECTION TO GET APPROVAL FOR YOUR TOPIC.
The ACR has created specific email addresses for each large category of MRI cases: the format is MRI-Cardiac@acr.org, MRI-Body@acr.org, or MRI-MSK@acr.org (ie, to submit a case of telangiectatic osteosarcoma, send a request to MRI-MSK@acr.org)
Preliminary acceptance will largely depend on the number of preexisting cases of a similar diagnosis. You will receive a response to this effect from an assistant section editor. Our primary focus will be to collect a comprehensive database of classic or common presentations of specific disease entity or pertinent normal anatomy, not limited to a single example per entity.
Once you hear back from the Assistant Editor that your idea is approved, begin preparing your case submission. You may download the case submission requirements; click here for a pdf version.
Email the completed case submission materials to the same editor who granted approval for the case. Please include the diagnosis and your contact email and phone number.
Once the case is accepted for final publication on the MRI Teaching File Project site, you become eligible for reward credit as outlined under the payment procedure section. Reimbursement may be requested at the time of acceptance and submission of all materials and is NOT dependent on the actual publication of the case on the website.
Once the case is accepted for final publication on the MRI Teaching File Project site, you become eligible for reward credit as outlined under the payment procedure section. Remiburesment may be requested at the time of acceptance and is not dependent on the actual publication of the case on the website.

Case Submission Requirements:
Cases will be presented much like the Case in Point Submission, for those who are familiar with the style and format. Each case must have a faculty or practicing radiologist co-author for acceptance.

Name of Author and Coauthor. Name of Submitting Institution.
Brief Patient History
Questions (minimum of three) with responses for each answer should be formulated for each case submission. They may be true/false or multiple choice. These may deal with MRI basics, anatomy, or the disease process (including MRI physics, protocols and artifacts). The multiple choice question responses should include brief explanations as to why the answer is incorrect when pertinent. (Example: Vertebra Plana caused by EG would be unlikely given the age of this patient. Please try again.)
Annotated and Non-annotated images should be included, with each image including relevant pulse sequences and planar orientation (axial, sagittal, etc). It is possible to do such things like "Click on the abnormality", which needs to be included with the image as the authors intent for the image along with the annotated finding as the correlative image. Images can be submitted in jpeg or tiff format.
Differential Diagnosis for the pertinent finding where applicable should be included.
Short Discussion with pertinent references should be the final component to each case.

Example Cases:
Dural Sinus Thrombosis (pdf)
Pineal Cyst (pdf)

Reimbursement Procedure

Reimbursement is based on the "acceptance" of a submitted case. After a case has been submitted, it will undergo "peer-review" by the associate section editors and the managing editor for that particular section [i.e. a case of telangiectatic osteosarcoma of the femur would be reviewed by the resident and attending section editors (Drs. Kirby and Beall) for MSK MRI and by the managing editor (Dr. Mitchell).]
Upon acceptance of a single case, the submitter may request reimbursement of $80, or may "bank" that case for future credit. Credits may be banked for the following reimbursement –
- 3 cases for $300 or an 8-gigabyte Apple iPod Touch
- 4 cases for a 16-gigabyte Apple iPod Touch
Associate editors will maintain a database of cases submitted. Submitters may email the resident section editors for questions about reimbursement or to request reimbursement for any accepted cases. Reimbursement will be in the form of a check from the ACR. If the submitter opts for an Apple iPod, ACR staff will coordinate to have the iPod shipped directly from Apple to the submitter.
When emailing resident associate editors for reimbursement, please enclose an address to which you want the check/iPod sent and a contact phone number.

Visit the MRI Teaching File

Editors:

	Managing Editor Don Mitchell, MD Dept of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University			Body Assistant Section Editor Arman Forouzannia, MD Virginia Mason Medical Center
	MSK Section Editor Lee D. Katz, MD Professor of Diagnostic Radiology Chief of Musculoskeletal Imaging Yale University School of Medicine			Body Assistant Section Editor Amy Kirby, MD Yale University School of Medicine
	MSK Assistant Section Editor Soterios Gyftopoulos, MD Beth Israel Medical Center			Cardiac Section Editor (Adult) Eric Williamson, MD Mayo
	MSK Assistant Section Editor Christopher Murdock, D.O. Saint Louis University			Cardiac Assistant Section Editor (Adult) Carolyn Lee Wang, MD University of Michigan
	Body Section Editor Jerry Tkacz, MD Boston Medical Center			Cardiac Section Editor (Pediatric) Laureen Sena, MD Boston Children's Hospital
	Body Section Editor Avneesh Gupta, MD Boston Medical Center			Cardiac Assistant Section Editor (Pediatric) Vernon Chapman, MD Denver Children's Hospital