AIRP radiologic pathologic correlation course

Four Week Radiologic Pathology Correlation Course

Virtual and In-Person

AIRP Case Submission Instructions

Residents attending the four-week course must submit a case report demonstrating radiologic-pathologic correlation. Ideally, this case report will encourage multidisciplinary interaction with your surgical and pathology colleagues.

Your submissions are also vital to maintaining the AIRP case archive. The diversity of high-quality cases in the archive allows for continued study of disease processes with pathologic correlation and provides teaching material to emphasize radiologic-pathologic correlation for current and future attendees. It is through your efforts that we can continue AIRP educational excellence.

We understand that completing the case submission can be difficult. We are available to help. Please reach out to individual section chiefs for assistance. Please note, it is possible to buy a waiver in those rare cases that a case submission cannot be completed; please contact AIRPregistrations@acr.org for additional information.

Please review the case and slide submission instructions below and our FAQ page before beginning your case submission. Be sure as well to review the instructions by organ system below prior to selecting a case for submission. Cases are due two weeks after registration. Any case submission later than 30 days before the start of the course will need to follow case waiver procedures.

Ready to start your case submission?



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Case Submission Deadlines

Course Dates

Case Submission Due

Format

February 6 – March 3, 2023 January 7 Virtual
March 13 – April 7, 2023 February 11 In-person
July 24 – August 18, 2023 June 24 Virtual
September 11 – October 6, 2023 August 12 In-person
October 16 – November 10, 2023 September 16 Virtual
February 5 – March 1, 2024 January 6 Virtual
March 11 – April 5, 2024 February 10 Hybrid
July 29 – August 23, 2024 June 29 Virtual
September 9 – October 4, 2024 August 10 In-person
October 21 – November 15, 2024 September 20 Virtual

Waiver Process for Case Submission Requirement

If you're unable to submit a case and wish to waive the submission requirement, please obtain a letter from your program director granting permission to waive this requirement. A $500 fee applies for waiving. Forward the letter to airpsupport@acr.org.

Step 1: Case Summary


The case summary describes the clinical characteristics, imaging features, pathology findings, treatment and prognosis, along with representative radiology and pathology images from your patient. A case with an excellent summary may be selected for an online publication with AIRP.

Representative images

Representative images is the most critical component to a successful case summary. Please include all appropriate imaging modalities in your submission. Imaging planes should match gross images to best appreciate radiologic-pathologic correlation. Images must be anonymized, cropped and free of PHI components.

For all representative images:

  • Images must be in JPEG format only.
  • Two identical sets (one clean image and one annotated image) of representative images are required for gross, histologic and radiologic images.
    • The first image should be a clean image. The caption should state only the imaging modality (and appropriate sequence, if applicable) for radiology images, and the magnification and stain for histology images.
    • The second, identical image can be marked using an annotation program or other photo editor such as Photoshop or Microsoft Paint. Use arrows, circles, etc., to indicate the areas of significance in each image.
  • Use captions to describe the annotated findings.
  • Captioning image examples provided on pages 2-3 below.

For gross and histologic pathology images:

  • Two identical sets (one clean image and one annotated image) of representative JPEG images are required. The images should illustrate the features of the radiologic studies.
  • Specimen numbers must be removed.
  • For histology images, note the magnification and stain.

For radiologic representative images:

  • Two identical sets (one clean image and one annotated image) of representative JPEG images are required.
    • US should include gray scale and Doppler.
    • CT should have appropriate windows, or sometimes multiple windows for the same image slice.
    • Radiographs should include images from more than one plane when possible.
    • MRI should have at least one image depicting appropriate sequences such as T1, fluid-sensitive sequence (T2 or STIR), pre- and post-contrast, etc.

Literature references:
References must come from either peer-reviewed journals or from textbooks. Reference websites only if they are registries for the diagnosis (e.g., Pleuropulmonary Blastoma Registry). Use AMA style for reference citations.

This video walks you through completion of the case summary:

Breast

Breast imaging cases using multiple imaging modalities are particularly valuable. Gross photographs are required. The provision of a quality gross photograph of the resected specimen greatly adds to the teaching value of the case.

Exceptions to the gross photograph requirement are made for rare diagnoses or presentations, but only with advance permission. Email Dr. Harvey for permission before submission.

Faculty contact:    Dr. Cherie M. Kuzmiak; cherie_kuzmiak@med.unc.edu

Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular cases require histologic or culture proof. Gross anatomic images are also helpful, if available. Exceptions must be cleared by Dr. Frazier (see below). Complete anatomic and functional imaging evaluations (CXR, CT, PET CT, MRI, echocardiography, angiography) should be provided as appropriate. Any well-correlated case will be accepted. However, the following subject areas are of particular interest:

  • Acute aortic syndromes (intramural hematoma, aortic dissection, penetrating aortic ulcer)
  • Infiltrative myocardial diseases
  • Cardiomyopathies (dilated, restrictive, hypertrophic)
  • Myocarditis
  • Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia
  • Congenital heart disease (pediatric and adult)
  • Valvular heart disease
  • Cardiac or vascular neoplasia
  • Vasculitis (large, medium, small vessel disorders)
  • Vascular malformations
  • Pericardial diseases

Faculty contact: Dr. Aletta A. Frazier (anniefrazier@me.com)

Gastrointestinal

All cases require histologic or culture proof. No cases will be accepted without gross pathology unless previously cleared by Dr. Manning (see below). The best correlation with pathologic material is provided by working with your pathologist and sectioning specimens in similar planes to imaging. Please upload the complete imaging studies, not just the selected images. We are especially interested in the following cases:

  • Diseases of the esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, spleen, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, mesentery and peritoneum with multimodality imaging correlation (especially including MRI)
  • Systemic diseases
  • Infectious and inflammatory processes
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Radiologic-pathologic correlation of staging of neoplasms
  • Cases that include advanced imaging techniques

Please do not submit cases of ordinary appendicitis; however, we are interested in unusual cases of appendicitis associated with tumors, parasites or other uncommon entities.

Retroperitoneal cases are considered genitourinary.

Faculty contact: Dr. Maria Manning (mmanning@acr.org)

Genitourinary

All GU cases require histologic or culture proof.  No cases will be accepted without gross pathology unless previously cleared by Dr. Marko (see below).  Any well-correlated case will be accepted.  We are especially interested in the following cases:

• Prostate tumors  (gross pathology not required for most cases, please email for approval)
• Urachal abnormalities
• Cervical and endometrial carcinoma (gross pathology often not required, please email for approval)

Faculty contact: Dr. Jamie Marko (jmarko@acr.org)

Musculoskeletal

The ideal case provides direct imaging correlation between gross and histologic features and the imaging appearance. For this reason, we require gross and histology images. The best correlation with imaging is obtained with planning for intraoperative photographs and sectioned gross specimens (working with your surgeons and pathology colleagues at the time of treatment and diagnosis) in planes that complement imaging. If the lesion is only biopsied or curetted for definitive treatment, then histology alone is acceptable.

All cases should be accompanied by radiographs whenever possible. CT studies should have both bone and soft tissue windows. MR images should include some type of T1- and T2-weighted sequences. Pre- and post-contrast MR images should also be included, if available. Sonography should include Doppler evaluation, if possible.

  • MR and/or CT correlated bone and soft tissue tumors (benign and malignant)
  • Arthropathies
  • Metabolic bone diseases
  • Bone and soft tissue infections (with CT and/or MR correlation)
  • Developmental/congenital abnormalities
  • Bone dysplasias/dwarfs/syndromes
  • Systemic diseases (Sarcoid, Gauchers, Myelofibrosis, etc.)
  • Traumatic abnormalities, particularly with arthroscopic and CT and/or MR correlation

If you submit a second case for the musculoskeletal section, the following criteria apply (in the order of preference):

  • Cases with histology and gross pathology
  • Cases with histology only
  • Cases with arthroscopic correlation
  • Pathognomonic cases

If you have questions or concerns about the acceptability of your musculoskeletal case, contact Dr. Murphey.

Faculty contact: Dr. Mark Murphey (mmurphey@acr.org)

Neuroradiology

  • Cases with MR spectroscopy, diffusion-weighted imaging, perfusion imaging and other advanced imaging procedures
  • PET/SPECT thallium cases involving disease processes of the brain
  • Primary neoplasms of the brain and spinal cord
  • Infections
  • White matter diseases
  • Developmental discorders and anomalies (with gross photos and MR)
  • Phakomatoses (especially with MR)
  • Cerebrovascular Disease (especially with MR)
  • Head and neck masses (including orbit)
  • Melingiomas are discouraged unless they are unusual or rare forms.

All neuroradiology cases must have gross pathology, no exceptions. Gross image waiver requests will not be honored.

Please submit lesions involving the vertebral bodies under musculoskeletal and peripheral nerve sheath tumors under the organ system in which they are located.

We would greatly appreciate gross brain sections (or autopsy photographs) of both common and unusual conditions. Films submitted should portray the full extent of the lesion.

Faculty contact: Dr. Robert Shih (ryshih@gmail.com)

Pediatric

The ideal case provides direct imaging correlation between gross and histologic features and the imaging appearance. For this reason, we require gross and histology images. The best correlation with imaging is obtained with planning for intraoperative photographs and sectioned gross specimens (working with your surgeons and pathology colleagues at the time of treatment and diagnosis) in planes that complement imaging. If the lesion is only biopsied or curetted for definitive treatment, then histology alone is acceptable.

If you have questions or concerns about the acceptability of your pediatric case, contact Dr. Biko.

Faculty contact: Dr. David Biko (bikod@chop.edu)


Thoracic

All chest cases require acceptance of histologic or culture proof. Exceptions must be cleared by Dr. Frazier (see below). Cases should be accompanied by chest radiographs whenever possible. CT cases should have both mediastinal and lung windows. Any well-correlated case will be accepted. However, the following subject areas are of particular interest:

  • High鈥恟esolution thin鈥恠ection CT of diffuse lung disease — gross specimens are helpful but not critical. There must be, however, an open lung or transbronchial biopsy. A combination of thick and thin sections is optimal. Coronal reconstruction to demonstrate the distribution is also helpful.
  • Diffuse lung disease treated with lung transplantation — if properly prepared, these cases allow gross photography of the sectioned lung. Imaging from multiple points in time is important to illustrate the natural course of disease.
  • Tuberculosis
  • Drug-Induced Pulmonary Disease
  • Infectious Pulmonary Disease
  • AIDS-Related Thoracic Disease
  • Pulmonary Manifestations of Systemic Disease
  • Granulomatous Pulmonary Disease
  • Airways Disease
  • Inhalational Lung Disease — to best correlate pathologic material with chest radiographic studies, please work with your pathologist before the pulmonary tissue is resected to arrange for inflated and fixed lung specimens. A variety of techniques are nicely detailed in Dr. E.R. Heitzman's book, The Lung, 2nd edition, St. Louis: CV Mosby, 1984 (pp. 412). Macrosections as well as microsections of the inflated fixed tissue would significantly improve the radiologic/pathology correlation. Inflated whole lung (or lobar/segmental) specimen radiographs of any pulmonary case would be greatly appreciated.

Faculty contact: Dr. Aletta A. Frazier (anniefrazier@me.com)

Step 2: Slide Submission


For virtual courses, all cases must be accompanied by a histologic slide, which can be submitted in one of two ways.

  1. Mail glass slides to:

    AIRP Slide Submissions
    1100 Wayne Ave, Suite 1020
    Silver Spring MD, 20910

    Enclose a paper copy of the verification/consent form signed by your pathologist. You may print the form from the Case Data Entry page after uploading a pathology report online. Please ship your slide(s) in a hard plastic case or similar container to ensure they arrive intact.

  2. To submit virtual slides, send an email to airpcasesubmission@acr.org with your case ID number. You will receive a link to a ShareFile folder where you can upload your slide submission and a PDF copy of your verification/consent form. You can download the form from the Case Data Entry page after uploading a pathology report online.

    Acceptable formats:.svs, .ndpi, .mrxs, .bif or.vsi format.
    Unacceptable formats: ,jpg and .png
    Other formats: To use .tiff files and formats available through a browser-based viewer, email airpcasesubmission@acr.org for more information. 

If you cannot provide us with a slide submission, have your program director send an explanation by email to airpcasesubmission@acr.org.

Ready to start your case submission?