With the annual Radiological Society of North America meeting just weeks away, HealthCare Business News checked in with RSNA president, Dr. Curtis P. Langlotz, to find out more about his career, and his background with the organization.

We also talked about what attendees can expect at the upcoming meeting at McCormick Place in Chicago.

HCB News: Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in radiology?
Dr. Curtis P. Langlotz: During my radiology clerkship, I was the medical student in the back of the room with his hand up who could see the finding and was urgently wanting to be called upon. I liked the fact that radiology often had the answer to the diagnostic mysteries in the hospital. And I enjoyed the challenge of integrating information from the images into a coherent patient story—like solving a crossword puzzle. Finally, although it wasn’t as clear when I started my training, radiology turns out to be a high-tech digital specialty, which has presented many interesting research questions for a radiologist trained as an informatics/AI researcher.

HCB News: As a leader of the society, what have been some of your top initiatives or priorities?
CL: I am particularly proud of the RadioGraphics article in which the RSNA board expressed regret for the organization’s past discrimination and laid out a set of concrete steps that the organization is taking to address those issues. RSNA is committed to initiatives and policies that create a more equitable and inclusive profession and society.

Much of my time on the board has been focused on AI. We have developed several programs and resources that give RSNA members the tools they need to integrate AI systems into clinical practice. For example, the RSNA Imaging AI Certificate program is the first AI education program developed specifically for radiology. Just as we need to understand how an MRI machine works so we aren’t fooled by a phase artifact, we need to understand how AI works so we can implement and use it safely. One of the great things about the online course is that it blends a case-based curriculum with practical applications to help radiologists understand how to leverage AI for their practice.

I am also proud of our annual AI challenges, which are a great way to engage the data science community and to aggregate high quality AI-ready datasets that can be used to train AI algorithms. The most recent challenge—on characterizing degenerative disease of the lumbar spine—attracted more than 1,800 teams.

We have also developed a wonderful collaboration with the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) on a large research image repository and associated tools, called the Medical Imaging and Data Resource Center (MIDRC). That initiative is funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) and the Advanced Research Project Agency for Health (ARPA-H) and will facilitate AI imaging research for years to come.

HCB News: Has radiology's relationship with AI changed since the last RSNA meeting?
CL: Eight years ago, when everyone first realized the promise and power of AI, there was a certain amount of anxiety and fear about how it would affect the radiology workforce. As we gain experience with AI, we can see its power, but also its limits. And of course we have an ever-growing radiology work force shortage, so AI is viewed as part of the solution.

A few trends are clear now: Number one, radiology continues to lead the way in AI, with more than three-quarters of FDA cleared AI products targeting radiology. Number two, AI algorithms are playing a larger role in diagnostics, performing detection and measurement tasks that are tedious or ill-suited to the human visual perception system. And number three, many of the earliest radiology AI products focused on detection, which don’t provide much of a productivity advantage and can even slow us down—not very appealing to radiologists. So there is a renewed focus on opportunistic screening and on work flow applications like reporting tools and medical record summarization, which have a clearer return on investment.

I am also excited about what I call the coming “ChatGPT moment” in medicine. ChatGPT was trained on massive amounts of data. But we haven’t yet seen medical applications trained on similar amounts of data. When we do, I think we will see some surprising capabilities, just as ChatGPT surprised us. So I am optimistic about the next wave of radiology AI applications.

HCB News: Are there events or presentations you are most looking forward to at this year's meeting?
CL: I will be talking about all these AI issues during my presidential address at the Opening Session on Sunday afternoon. The theme of this meeting is Building Intelligent Connections. So I will highlight how we can connect with technology and with each other to spark innovation and optimize patient care. I will use a patient story told twice, once pre and once post AI, to show how AI and other high-tech tools can improve the experiences of patients and radiologists.

I’m also eager to hear the other plenaries. We have an outstanding line up of speakers who will explore the meeting theme from different perspectives, offering their visions on how human-technology connections will shape the future of health care.

The Learning Center Theaters will showcase sessions and exhibits with cutting-edge innovations in the areas of low-field and mobile MRI, theranostics, multi-omic and multicenter radiology AI and value-based, equitable and sustainable radiology.

I’m looking forward to this year’s “Country Presents” sessions, featuring Japan and Peru. I also encourage everyone to make time for the Technical Exhibits, with over 700 companies showcasing the latest technologies and solutions in medical imaging.

And for the first time this year, we are hosting a Welcome Reception for attendees after the Opening Session on Sunday, open to all attendees. I hope to see everyone there!

HCB News: What topics do you expect will dominate conversations among show attendees this year?
CL: Important topics like sustainability and health equity in radiology will be a major focus. RSNA is committed to promoting diverse representation in radiology practice and leadership, striving for global health equity, and reducing radiology’s impact on the environment.

As you might expect, we have a growing number of sessions and exhibits dedicated to AI applications across all subspecialties, including some that dive into the latest advances in large language models. And the massive AI Showcase in the South Hall always creates a buzz.

HCB News: Why should young radiology professionals today consider joining RSNA?
CL: Young radiology professionals who join RSNA gain access to an extensive education catalogue, resources for professional growth and career advancement, and the opportunity to learn from radiology thought leaders. I encourage young radiologists not only to join a professional society like RSNA but also to take advantage of volunteer opportunities where they can foster connections with colleagues and help guide the future of the specialty. I am profoundly grateful for my RSNA volunteer experience. Being a part of an organization like RSNA allows you to engage with so many great minds from every part of the world. And the staff are second to none.

HCB News: What is some of the greatest advice you've ever received?
CL: I have received so much great advice from mentors over the years, but I will use this opportunity to share a few famous quotes that I try to live by:

Worry less about what you want to be and more about what you want to do. —Barack Obama
Pressure is a privilege. —Billie Jean King
Be the change you wish to see in the world. –Mahatma Gandhi
Nearly everything is interesting if you go into it deeply enough. —Richard Feynman