Interventional Radiology Resources Cover Stroke, Carotid Artery Disease

Publications Available; Online Registration Opens for Society’s Catheter Lysis of Thromboembolic Stroke (CLOTS) Course Oct. 24–28

May is American Stroke Month, and the Society of Interventional Radiology offers numerous resources—including publications and the second Catheter Lysis of Thromboembolic Stroke (CLOTS) course—for interventional radiologists, neurointerventionalists, vascular neurologists, and IR and neuro fellows to aid in the understanding of stroke and carotid artery disease.

These publications are welcome additions to libraries for those who want to learn more about minimally invasive treatments for carotid artery disease and stroke, which is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Statistics show that every 45 seconds someone in this country has a stroke and every three minutes someone dies from a stroke.

“Carotid Disease: The Role of Imaging in Diagnosis and Management” (Gillard, Graves, Hatsukami and Yuan, 2006, hardbound, 556 pages, 184 illustrations): This book offers comprehensive coverage of the pathogenesis and management of carotid disease with specific focus on the role imaging has to play in the early recognition of symptomatic and asymptomatic disease as well as the treatment of the developed condition. It includes technological advances in imaging modalities that now allow detailed analysis of the disease progression, the prediction of critical events leading to a stroke, and the identification of the most effective surgical or other interventional treatments.

“3D Angiographic Atlas of Neurovascular Anatomy and Pathology” (Borden, 2006, hardbound, 284 pages, 609 illustrations): This is the first atlas to present neurovascular information and images based on catheter 3D rotational angiographic studies. In it, 3D images are extensively labeled and juxtaposed with conventional 2D angiograms for orientation and comparison.

“Cardiovascular Haemodynamics and Doppler Waveforms Explained” (Oates, 2008, paperback, 192 pages): This book provides the necessary understanding of the physical principles of blood flow in the body to produce clear and diagnostically secure scans; emphasizes practical application of the principles used in obtaining and interpreting Doppler scans in clinical practice; and includes explanatory line diagrams and real Doppler images.

SIR's Catheter Lysis of Thromboembolic Stroke (CLOTS) is a five-day didactic course—designed with lectures, panel discussions, teaching files, case scenarios and hands-on interaction with flow models—and intended for physicians with ACGME training and experience in the fundamentals of neuroimaging, catheter-directed cerebral angiography and subselective peripheral or neuro-endovascular catheter-directed therapy who seek to incorporate acute ischemic stroke care into their practice and/or upgrade their knowledge and skill base. This course will also be useful for nurses and technologists who desire to increase their knowledge concerning the fundamentals of stroke and emergency stroke therapy. CLOTS provides educational content that a physician is required to know to meet the SIR Training Guidelines for Intra-arterial Catheter-directed Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Online registration is now open. Space is limited to the first 60 registrants. CLOTS will be held Oct. 24–28 at the Grand Hyatt in Dallas, Texas. For more information or to register for CLOTS, visit online at www.SIRweb.org/CLOTS or phone (703) 691-1805.

SIR also offers the "Stroke Therapy—Flush Lines and Guide Catheters: How They Work" CD, an educational video on intra-arterial stroke therapy shown during the ASITN/ASNR/SCVIR Stroke Therapy Conference. More information about stroke and carotid artery disease can be found in SIR's Patients and Medical Professionals sections on its Web site. SIR provides a select reference list of the more relevant papers on stroke and interventional radiology treatments.

Also available is the newly updated “Patient Care in Vascular and Interventional Radiology,” which is ideal for physicians in their fellowship or in training, for certification or recertification or for those who want to brush up on crucial areas of patient care. SIR’s popular syllabus covers major aspects such as vascular, neurologic, hepatobiliary, cardiac, pulmonary and genitourinary evaluation; management of hypertension, renal insufficiency, hematologic disorders, antiobiotics, analgesia and sedation, cardiopulmonary emergencies, vascular complications, liver and renal failure, postprocedural pain and nutrition; and postprocedural wound management. The spiral-bound book includes detailed tables and charts for handy reference, figures for illustration and bibliographies for further reading. Its compact size and spiral binding make it easy to carry for on-the-go learning. Also available is the “Study Guide”; it is designed to complement “Patient Care in Vascular and Interventional Radiology,” presenting both questions for each of the 28 chapters covered in the syllabus and detailed answers with explanations. Buy both text and study guide at a discount.

For more information on any of these publications, visit the Society of Interventional Radiology’s Web site (click on IR Store) or call (888) 695-9733. More information about the Society of Interventional Radiology, interventional radiologists and how to find an interventional radiologist in your area can be found online at www.SIRweb.org.

SIR members receive a discount on most products in the IR Store. If you are an SIR member, please log in to obtain discounted prices.