News | Press Release
August 17, 2014
Advanced Imaging and Education Centre (AIEC): Expanding Opportunities in Imaging Education
Toronto, Ontario, July 17, 2014 – Toshiba is committed to being the leading medical imaging education resource for healthcare professionals with an emphasis on delivering quality instruction in innovative ways. In support of this commitment, Toshiba is pleased to be associated with the University of Toronto Advanced Imaging and Education Centre (AIEC), dedicated to providing the highest standard of quality education through advanced imaging workshops incorporating computed tomography courses in cardiac, neurological, abdominal and vascular imaging. Focused on improving proficiency and productivity, the AIEC offers accredited courses designed to enable facilities and staff to optimize their use of imaging technology and maintain this ability over time.
Professor and Section Chief for Cardiothoracic Imaging, University of Toronto. Dr. Paul and his fellow radiologists and technologists have been sharing their leading-edge knowledge with students across Canada and the world. They have developed the University of Toronto’s Advanced Imaging and Education Centre: an innovative educational program that has trained more than 400 doctors and technologists in the advanced imaging techniques that they use. This is improving the quality of care for patients across Ontario, and beyond, by allowing radiologists, technologists and other physicians to set up advanced imaging services for their local patient population close to home.
Selected highlights of AIEC courses to be offered include:
• Small class sizes (maximum 12 students)
• Individual workstations
• Advanced visualization software
• Hands on case manipulation
• Databank of more than 3000 cases including:
• CT coronary angiography (64 and 320 row MDCT)
• PET CT
• Thoraco-abdominal and peripheral vascular CTA
• Virtual colonography
"The sheer number of cases covered and the interactive nature of the course had a huge positive impact on my confidence in reading Cardiac CT studies!"
Georgios Antoniades
MD, Diagnostic Radiology
Vancouver General Hospital
British Columbia, Canada
"By far, the strongest feature of the AIEC course program is the interactive presentation of the teaching files. Whilst the didactic sessions are concise and practical, the requirement for all participants to present cases to the group had the desired effect of marching us up a steep learning curve. Both for myself and others within the room, I could see a dramatic evolution in our individual and collective abilities each and every day of the week."
Stewart MacMillan
MD, Diagnostic Radiology
Miramichi General Hospital
New Brunswick, Canada
"I found the instructors really made the experience. They were engaging and ensured the information given was pertinent and useful. I received a lot of information that was useful in my own practice as a technologist."
Catherine Doll
Medical Radiation Technologist
Vancouver General Hospital
British Columbia, Canada
Located within the heart of Toronto General Hospital’s medical imaging department in the hub of downtown Toronto, one of Canada’s most dynamic and multicultural cities, the AIEC is close to everything the city has to offer. Filled with parks, shops, restaurants, and entertainment, Toronto boasts something for everyone including a vibrant waterfront, the Toronto Zoo, Ontario Science Centre, Art Gallery of Ontario, Royal Ontario Museum, live music and theatre, and so much more!
Cardiac CT Upcoming Course Dates
- September 8 - 12, 2014
- November 3 - 7, 2014
- January 12 - 16, 2015
- February 9 - 13, 2015
- April 13 - 17, 2015
- June 15 - 19, 2015
This intensive five day course is designed to provide a focused, comprehensive, and in-depth learning experience principally in cardiac CT with a ratio of one instructor to four students. The curriculum format assumes no prior knowledge and will accommodate trainees with varying levels of experience. Trainees will receive over six hours of personal workstation experience per day and progress through the ample caseload at a comfortable pace aimed to exceed the requirements.
Virtual Colonography Upcoming Course Dates
- September 29 - October 1, 2014
- November 17 - 19, 2014
- May 11 - 13, 2015
This three day course will enable the attendee to acquire appropriate interpretation skills as well as a comprehensive and overall appreciation of the current issues facing virtual colonography, also referred to as virtual colonoscopy (VC). The course emphasis is on image interpretation with completion of at least 50 path proven examinations by the third day. The program combines didactic presentations with significant hands-on experience in the setting of small group learning. You will learn to utilize specific 3D tools and recognize pitfalls that will result in reduction of both reading times and false positives. Other topics include effective patient preparation, colonic distension, extra colonic CT findings, and issues relating to setting up a screening program. Frequent question and answer sessions and one-on-one supervision will allow for immediate feedback. By the conclusion of this course, students will know the essential components needed to run a successful VC screening program. This course also offers the experience of viewing live cases.
"Within a week, a pure novice was converted into a confident and competent reader of cardiac CT examinations. The content was delivered at an appropriate level with good progression of content. There was excellent support from leaders in this relatively new field. Everyone progressed quickly as a consequence. I would highly recommend the course and thank Toshiba for showing such care in the training of radiologists in this field."
Tony Jeswani
MD, Diagnostic Radiology
Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust
West Sussex, England
AIEC was recently nominated as Toshiba’s Centre of Excellence for CT Training and Education in Canada. This partnership signifies that Toshiba views AIEC as playing an instrumental role in expanding the expertise of clinicians and helping to ensure the highest possible clinical benefit from Toshiba’s medical imaging technology. Through accredited courses, clinicians learn and experience advanced imaging applications in a unique setting that mirrors the clinical environment.
AIEC Courses are held under the auspices of the Office of Continuing Education and Professional Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto and the University of Toronto Advanced Imaging and Education Centre. AIEC educational events are Accredited Group Learning activities (section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification program of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, approved by the University of Toronto.
Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation is proud to support the University of Toronto’s Advanced Imaging and Education Centre, providing a state of the art educational environment to teach advanced techniques in image manipulation and evaluation. AIEC offers state-of-the-art workstations, scanners and some of the best instructors in the industry to support clinicians in their continued pursuit of imaging excellence.
About Toshiba of Canada Limited, Medical Systems Division
With headquarters in Markham, Ontario, Toshiba of Canada Limited, Medical Systems Division (TCL), markets, sells, distributes and services radiology and cardiovascular systems, including CT, MR, ultrasound, X-ray and cardiovascular equipment, and coordinates clinical diagnostic imaging research for all modalities in Canada. For more information, visit the TCL Medical Systems Division website at www.toshiba-medical.ca
About Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation is a leading worldwide provider of medical diagnostic imaging systems and comprehensive medical solutions, such as CT, X-ray and vascular, ultrasound, nuclear medicine and MRI systems, as well as information systems for medical institutions. Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation has been providing medical products for over 80 years. Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Toshiba. Visit Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation’s website at www.toshibamedicalsystems.com.
About Toshiba
Toshiba Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, channels world-class capabilities in advanced electronic and electrical products and systems into five strategic business domains: Energy & Infrastructure, Community Solutions, Healthcare Systems & Services, Electronic Devices & Components, and Lifestyles Products & Services. Guided by the principles of The Basic Commitment of the Toshiba Group, “Committed to People, Committed to the Future,” Toshiba promotes global operations towards securing “Growth Through Creativity and Innovation” and is contributing to the achievement of a world in which people everywhere live in a safe, secure and comfortable society. Founded in Tokyo in 1875, today’s Toshiba is at the heart of a global network of over 590 consolidated companies employing over 200,000 people worldwide, with annual sales surpassing 6.5 trillion yen (US$63 billion). To find out more about Toshiba, visit www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm.
