Needs Assessment:

For many cancers, routine imaging (B-mode/Doppler ultrasound, CT/MRI) shows anatomy but offers limited physiologic or molecular contrast at the point of care, leading to variability in detection, risk stratifi cation, and intraoperative decisions. Label-free photoacoustic imaging (PAI) complements ultrasound by mapping endogenous absorbers (e.g., hemoglobin and oxygenation) and enabling slide-free microscopic views for rapid margin/histology assessment. However, clinical adoption of PAI remains slow due to system constraints (cost, speed, maintenance), limited quantifi cation standards, and training gaps in acquisition and interpretation. This webinar addresses these gaps with clinical use cases (diagnosis, margin assessment), core contrast physics, and implementation guidance.

Reference(s):
1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4980387/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35322236/

Additional education is needed on label-free PAI measures and when to use it for cancer diagnosis and margin assessment, gain basic acquisition and interpretation skills with ultrasound (co-registration, wavelength choice, artifact recognition), and apply a simple workflow checklist so PAI can be used reliably in clinic or OR.

Learning Objectives:

After participating in this activity, learners should be able to:

• Describe how label-free photoacoustic imaging (PAI) works and how it complements ultrasound;
• Distinguish different PAI implementations (e.g., microscopy vs. computed tomography);
• Interpret tumor sO₂ maps and relate findings to angiogenesis, hypoxia, and treatment response; and
• Understand slide-free photoacoustic histology for margin assessment and AI application in fast diagnosis.

Faculty: Rui Cao, PhD, Case Western Reserve University

Target Audience:

This activity is intended for radiologists, sonographers, surgical and medical oncologists, pathologists, breast surgeons, and biomedical scientists/engineers, as well as other health care professionals interested in emerging ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging modalities.

Available Credit: 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™/1 ARRT Category A credit(s). Upon completion of the learning activity, you will have 2 attempts to successfully pass the post-test with a score of at least 80% and claim your certificate.

AIUM Member: $0
Nonmember: $19

Join the AIUM today to access and earn for free.

Your fee includes access to the content and the opportunity to submit the CME test. 

As of January 1, 2025, you will have 2 attempts to successfully pass the post-test with a score of at least 80% and claim your certificate.

Estimated time to complete activity: 1 hour

AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). The AIUM is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The AIUM designates this internet enduring material for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AIUM Ultrasound Practice Accreditation

This activity can be used to meet part of relevant AIUM Training Guidelines and/or maintenance credits for accreditation purposes. Learn more about AIUM Ultrasound Practice Accreditation here.

ARRT Category A Credit 

The AIUM is a Recognized Continuing Education Evaluation Mechanism (RCEEM) for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). The AIUM is the owner and sponsor of this activity. This activity is approved by the AIUM for 1 ARRT Category A credit. This CE activity may be available in multiple formats or from different CE sponsors. ARRT does not allow CE activities (e.g., Internet courses, home study programs, directed readings, live lectures) to be repeated for CE credit in the same CE biennium.

Additional Credit Information

• American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). The ARDMS accepts AMA PRA Category 1 CME Credit(s)™.

Documenting CME Credits

All participants who pass the post-test with a score of at least 80% will have access to claim a CME certificate. The AIUM will submit credits to the ARDMS for active AIUM membership accounts with a valid ARDMS ID number. It is the participant’s responsibility to ensure credit accuracy and adherence to any audit requests.

Disclosure Policy

In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education's (ACCME) Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, the American Institute of Ultrasound Medicine (AIUM) requires those in control of educational content to disclose their financial relationships with ineligible companies* within the prior 24 months. Individuals must disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies*, regardless of the amount and regardless of their view of the relevance of the relationship to the education. * Ineligible companies are defined by the ACCME as companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care products used by or on patients. For specific examples of ineligible companies, visit accme.org/standards
As an accredited provider, AIUM must collect information from all planners, faculty and others in the planning and control of continuing medical education (CME) activities to disclose all of their financial relationships with ineligible companies within the prior 24 months. There is no minimum financial threshold; individuals must disclose all financial relationships, regardless of the amount, in ineligible companies. Individuals must disclose financial relationships with ineligible companies regardless of their view of the relevance of the relationship to the education.
AIUM has implemented a system to resolve conflicts of interest for each CME activity to help ensure content is objective, fair balanced, independent, and free of commercial bias. Conflicts, if any, are resolved through one or more processes. All relevant conflicts pertaining to this activity have been mitigated.

The following faculty/planners have disclosed the following financial relationships with ineligible companies:
Pengfei Song, PhD, panelist, Patent: Alpinion Medical Systems, GE Healthcare, Mindray, Samsung
Alycen Wiacek, PhD, panelist, Patent: CohereNet

The following faculty/planners of this educational activity have no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

- Rui Cao, PhD, faculty, has no financial relationships with an ineligible company to disclose.
- Charlotte Henningsen, MS, RT(R), clinical reviewer, has no financial relationships with an ineligible company to disclose.

AIUM education planners and staff: Nicole Fortune and Ashley McDermott, has no financial relationships with an ineligible company to disclose.

Commercial Support:
There is no commercial support funding for this activity.