Customized Residency Leadership Tracks: A Review of What Works, What We're Doing and Ideas for the Future.

Effective leaders are essential to ensure the future of radiology. Radiologists often find themselves in leadership positions despite a lack of formal leadership training. The fourth year of residency is the ideal time to expose young physicians to leadership and extraclinical specialization, as such leadership development prior to fellowship may still impact academic career choice. In this manuscript, we discuss prior successes of leadership tracks within medicine and review the evidence supporting the saying that "leaders are made, not born". Finally, we describe the evolution of our institution's residency leadership tracks highlighting key components, challenges, early successes and future endeavors.

Bending percutaneous drainage catheters to facilitate CT-guided insertion using curved trocar technique.

PURPOSE: To assess the safety and efficacy of placing thoraco-abdominal drainage catheters under CT-guidance using a curved trocar technique. METHODS: A retrospective study of 182 CT/CT-fluoroscopy-guided thoraco-abdominal catheter drainages was conducted; half were performed by residents or fellows under the supervision of one radiologist (Group 1) and the other half under the supervision of 10 other radiologists (Group 2). Group 1 procedures employed a curved catheter assembly placed using trocar technique (n = 44) or straight catheters placed with Seldinger technique (n = 47). Group 2 procedures employed a straight catheter placed using trocar technique (n = 16) or straight catheters placed with Seldinger technique (n = 75). Technical success, procedure time, radiation dose (CT Dose Index CTDIvol), and adverse events (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, 4.0) were compared between techniques and groups using Student's t test, Fisher's exact test or Chi-square analysis. RESULTS: All procedures in groups 1 and 2 were technically successful. Mean procedure time for Group 1 curved trocar technique (28 ± 8 min) was shorter than groups 1 and 2 Seldinger technique (37 ± 11 min, p = .00002). Mean CTDIvol for Group 1 curved trocar technique (107.8 ± 54.2 mGy) was lower than groups 1 and 2 Seldinger technique (136.1 ± 99.7 mGy, p = 0.032). Adverse event rates for curved trocar, straight trocar, and Seldinger techniques were 2.3% (1/44), 0% (0/16), and 3.3% (4/122), respectively (p = 1); all were grade 1 or 2, and no catheter malfunctions occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The curved catheter trocar technique is a safe and effective modification of the standard trocar technique that may facilitate CT-guided procedures impeded by CT gantry size limitations.

The thoracic duct: clinical importance, anatomic variation, imaging, and embolization.

UNLABELLED: The thoracic duct is the body's largest lymphatic conduit, draining upwards of 75 % of lymphatic fluid and extending from the cisterna chyli to the left jugulovenous angle. While a typical course has been described, it is estimated that it is present in only 40-60% of patients, often complicating already challenging interventional procedures. The lengthy course predisposes the thoracic duct to injury from a variety of iatrogenic disruptions, as well as spontaneous benign and malignant lymphatic obstructions and idiopathic causes. Disruption of the thoracic duct frequently results in chylothoraces, which subsequently cause an immunocompromised state, contribute to nutritional depletion, and impair respiratory function. Although conservative dietary treatments exist, the majority of thoracic duct disruptions require embolization in the interventional suite. This article provides a comprehensive review of the clinical importance of the thoracic duct, relevant anatomic variants, imaging, and embolization techniques for both diagnostic and interventional radiologists as well as for the general medical practitioner. KEY POINTS: • Describe clinical importance, embryologic origin, and typical course of the thoracic duct. • Depict common/lesser-known thoracic duct anatomic variants and discuss their clinical significance. • Outline the common causes of thoracic duct injury and indications for embolization. • Review the thoracic duct embolization procedure including both pedal and intranodal approaches. • Present and illustrate the success rates and complications associated with the procedure.