Dr Nidhi Bhatnagar, Organising Secretary, MUSoc 2015 talks about the highlights of the event, its objectives and more in an interaction, with Lakshmipriya Nair
What preparations have been underway for MUSOC this year?
Musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound is a cross-sectional modality ready to break all barriers and mindsets working against its already established applications in evaluation of bones and joints in India. MUSoc 2015 is the most significant event India is embarking upon as a dedicated teaching programme in this field. With our dedicated organising team and strong handholding from associations like Delhi Orthopaedic Association, we have approximately 300 registered delegates from all parts of the world. At least 60 participants are from 17 countries across the globe. This event, to be held at VIVANTA by Taj, Dwarka, will also address the need for accredited training programmes in this field with international affiliations.
What will be the focus and key topics to be covered under the scientific programme?
India today is standing at the edge of a marvellous revolution and we are ready to absorb all that comes our way like a sponge. At MUSoc 2015, we will be teaching all seven major joints eg shoulder, elbow, wrist hand, hip, knee, ankle and foot. It has topics of interest, not only for the radiologists but also for rheumatologists, orthopaedicians, sports medicine consultants and pain management physicians. There will be hands on teaching workshops with delegates to impart focused training. Twenty three international faculty and many national level MSK USG specialists will be there to engage in interactive sessions with the delegates. We will be emphasising on each aspect of MSK ultrasound like its ease of work-ability, scope for patient interaction, point tenderness and symptoms evaluation by radiologist, dynamic real time feature which gives us information about the functionality of the tissue under observation, colour doppler features which in most cases acts like contrast studies of MRI and CTs, and last but not the least, evaluation of multiple systems in the same sitting, should our clinical judgement indicate so.
What is new for this edition and what are your expectations?
Most important- An exclusive international conference has never to have been organised before in India on musculoskeletal ultrasound or given the due respect and position this modality deserves in the sphere of diagnostic radiology.
- MUSoc chose New Delhi to celebrate their 25th (Silver) anniversary meeting
- We have nearly 300 registered delegates with participation from 17 different countries
- 23 hands on workshops will be running at the same time on all four days
- All seven joints will be a part of the scientific session: shoulder, elbow, hand and wrist, hip, knee, ankle and foot.
- 23 luminaries will be sharing the same platform from the world of musculoskeletal ultrasound- a never seen before occurrence
- Declaring Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Academy (MUA) for training in MSK USG with international accreditations
- Declaring 10 October, 2015 as Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Day India
- For the first time ever, five major international accreditations from Royal College of Radiologists (RCR), European Society of Skeletal Radiology (ESSR), University of Murcia (Spain), and Henry Ford Health Systems (US), American College of Physicians. At national level , we have credits from DMC- Delhi Medical Council (24), National Board of Examinations (NBE) (26)
- First time ultrasound-guided training on animal phantom models
As an Organising Secretary, my expectations do not just surround the desire to see a resounding victory for MSK USG by way of convincing the practising physicians but to see the concept trickle down to the level of masses as an option they have when suffering from ailments of bones and joints for diagnosis. At the same time, I also hope to showcase the potential India holds in terms of educational and business opportunities to the world.
What is the message you would like to give the participants, exhibitors and visitors at MUSOC?
To the delegates who are majorly radiologists, I wish them all the best and urge them to zealously learn all the techniques at MUSoc 2015 from these masters, go out there and just sweep the orthopaedicians off their feet with accurate diagnosis. Also knowing where to apply and where not to is a very important part of learning and in making a success of this modality. To the non-radiologist participants, I congratulate them for their futuristic approach of coming to this conference and orienting themselves to a new field of application in medical practice. To all the exhibitors, first and foremost, I thank them for placing their faith in this modality and extending a strong handholding to this conference by providing technological support. Also, I would dearly request the ultrasound companies to promote the concept of MSK USG to the new buyer so that they can at sometime offer this service too to the patients at their institutions.
How does an event like MUSoc help to shape the trends in musculoskeletal imaging?
MUSoc has been unique in its approach to support a stand alone cross-sectional modality in this vast field of radiology. One cannot draw comparisons between any two investigative modalities since all have their own advantages and limitations. Ultrasound, till not so long ago, was considered analogous with the foetal scan, in India. MUSoc has brought into the focus yet another application for the modality, which has immense benefit not only to the patients but also to the clinicians and the radiologists. It’s a highly technical and specialised off-shoot of radiology but the results that it is capable of churning out with dedicated teaching programmes such as MUSoc can only be marvelled at and should seriously be encouraged at all levels.