Mary Jiayi Tao MD, PGY4 Diagnostic Radiology, University of Toronto

What you did in residency (and/or medical school) to help with your decision?

There were several factors that helped me solidify my desire to become an interventional radiologist.

• Early exposure: I got involved in a research project in interventional radiology during my first year of medical school. In doing so, I had the opportunity to shadow and spend time in the interventional radiology department which was incredibly exciting and eye-opening. Once I got into residency, I knew I wanted to explore interventional radiology as a potential fellowship based on my prior exposures, so I organized rotations in IR earlier in my training (starting in my PGY2 year) and did shadow shifts to help me make an informed decision. I never turned back after my first week.
• Conferences: I had opportunities to attend some IR conferences over the course of medical school and residency training which helped me learn more about the types of innovating procedures and the cutting-edge research in interventional radiology. It really makes you excited for what is to come in the specialty.
• Mentorship: Having mentors who guide, support, and challenge you is immensely important. I have been very fortunate to have worked alongside many talented and distinguished interventional radiologists over the course of my training thus far. Their unwavering dedication to mentorship has helped me every step of the way.

 How was the application process?

It was an exciting and nerve-wrecking process especially this year given that the application happened during the beginning stages of the COVID-19 pandemic which added to the degree of uncertainty. Deadlines and requirements for fellowships vary program to program so was it critical to stay organized, prepare documentations in advance and to follow-up with the application to ensure its completion. This year, all fellowship interviews were conducted virtually which had its advantages and disadvantages. Obviously, I would have loved to travel to the individual programs to see the facilities/cities and to meet the interviewers in-person, but virtual interviews were very time-efficient and cost-effective.

What do you look forward to as a fellow?

I am looking forward to being constantly challenged and absorbing as much knowledge and skills over the course of my fellowship year.

 What excites you about VIR?

Interventional radiology is a field that offers boundless opportunities and part of what makes this specialty one of the most exciting fields in medicine is the fact that it is constantly evolving. A lot of the procedures performed nowadays did not even exist 10-15 years ago! The breadth of pathologies and management strategies is incredible and ever-expanding so I know that my curiosity will always be stimulated in this specialty.

Tara Utley, Senior Product Manager X-ray/Vascular, Canon Medical Systems Canada

Tara Utley has over 20 years of experience in the medical imaging industry between the clinical environment as an Interventional Technologist (MRT), and delivering education through her more recent experiences in product management. She started with Canon Medical Systems Canada (formerly Toshiba) in 2010 as a Clinical Applications Specialist and spent 7 years with Canon Medical Systems USA leading the Interventional Training Programs and Product Management teams in Tustin, California. As of September 2020, she commenced her current role at Canon Medical Systems Canada headquarters based out of Markham, Ontario.

What are you most excited about at Canon Medical?

I am always excited about our innovation and dedication to further develop and perfect current advanced software and hardware to improve workflow and patient outcomes. Our Alphenix 4D CT system has just been Health Canada approved and is a great example. The Canon Alphenix 4D CT seamlessly integrates our most flexible Alphenix Interventional system with our advanced Aquilion ONE Genesis CT system into one versatile, high-performance solution. The combination of a functional interventional lab with a complete CT imaging suite provides a streamlined workflow with one of the key outcomes being the patient no longer needs to be transferred between departments. With the ability to diagnose, plan, treat and verify in the same room, the Alphenix 4D CT helps Interventional Radiologists prioritize safety, speed, and efficiency during the most complex interventions.

Are there any new technologies in the works at Canon Medical that you would like our readers to know about?

Yes, our new 30cm x 40cm (12” x 16”) High Definition Detector for Interventional Radiology.

In 2018, Canon Medical Systems released the world’s first High-Definition Detector. A true two-in-one detector providing more than 2x higher spatial resolution compared to conventional detectors. The Hi-Def detector is equipped with the standard imaging field of views (FOV), but also three additional Hi-Def FOV modes, which provide the Interventionalist with visibility never seen before. Surgeons have been using microscopes in the operating room for decades, now the Interventionalist can in their labs too. This technology provides a high degree of certainty during difficult interventions, which in turn increases efficiency and improves workflow. As efficiency and certainty of device placement and/or treatment improves, the need for additional advanced imaging decreases and as a result, dose and exposure to the patient and operator does too.

For the initial launch in 2018, the High Definition Detector was introduced with our 30cm x 30cm (12” x 12”) Flat Panel Detector (FPD) on our Core+ floor-mounted c-arm. With its success and over 50 global installations, we are very excited to announce the High Definition Detector is now being released with our 30cm x 40cm (12” x 16”) Sky+ ceiling-mounted c-arm. We expect to receive Health Canada approval in the summer of 2021.

What kinds of partnerships do you foresee between front-line interventional radiologists/IR teams and the industry in the future?

Partnerships and supporting our front-line Interventional Radiologists, Technologists, and the overall industry is now more important than ever. Canon Medical Systems Canada is a proud sponsor of the CAIR association. The need to make Interventional Radiology treatments widely accessible to Canadian patients is an endeavor we share. Through our combined focus on education, coupled with the products and solutions Canon Medical develops; together we will provide better patient care for Canadians. In addition, Canon Medical is collaborating with global customers to create a peer-to-peer expert forum for both the Alphenix 4D CT and the new High Definition Detector. This sharing of best practices will further advance the development of Interventional Radiology around the globe.

If an interventional radiologist had an idea for new devices or technology, what would be the first steps to seeing it developed?

At Canon Medical Systems Corporation, our Vascular Business Unit directly manages complete product life cycles from development to installation, production, and support. In the case of the Canadian team, our Application, Clinical, and Services support teams listen to our frontline customers and report on the feedback they obtain from the field. This information is communicated to the engineers who in turn apply during the development and refinement of our products and technology. Moreover, in addition to Japan playing a central role, we have established development centers in North America, Europe, and Asia, making it possible to conduct research and development activities that leverage expertise across the globe. With the goal to revolutionize technology and to create value, we are proactively involved in collaborative research with many Interventional Radiologists, advanced medical institutions, and universities.

I understand that prior to transitioning to the business side of Interventional Radiology; you were an Interventional Technologist at the Hospital for Sick Children. What has been the biggest change you have seen in the field of Interventional?

For me, I think the biggest change has been the increased focus and dedication to dose management. When I was working as an Interventional Technologist, I was always very cautious of dose. Then the Image Gently and Image Wisely campaigns were launched and I became even more aware. At Canon Medical, low-dose imaging has always been a priority. All of our systems utilize dose-saving technology to provide advanced dose reduction, dose management techniques, and tools to benefit clinical staff, medical facility administrators, and patients. For example, the DoseRite DTS (Dose Tracking System) provides a real-time display that tracks cumulative skin dose distribution, as well as peak skin dose, to the patient. This technology helps to avoid the potential risk of radiation injury. It also prompts the operator to fan the beam, collimate, reduce the PPS, store fluoro loops and use Live Zoom. Another example of our DoseRite Technology is Spot Fluoroscopy. Spot Fluoro is like having an adjustable spotlight over the reference LIH image, allowing the clinician to select and view the critical region of interest live and have the surrounding area visible for reference, all without exposing the area outside the critical region.

*This content was created by CAIR editors on behalf of Canon Medical as a CAIR industry partners.  CAIR makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the content, and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents of this article. Reference to any specific commercial product, process, or service, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the CAIR.

With the introduction of the Royal College (RC) Subspecialty exam in Interventional Radiology (IR), practicing IRs across Canada are faced with a decision: Do I really need to take another Royal College exam?  Perhaps it’s the lingering trauma from the Diagnostic Radiology exam, but the idea of volunteering for another RC exam seemed crazy to many practicing IRs. Well the first round of the exam has come and gone. I was one of the practicing IRs who decided to take the exam and as it turns out, there weren’t many of us. As one of the new CAIR express editors, I thought this might be a great opportunity to highlight some other practicing IRs across the country who took the new IR exam and their reasoning.

Dr. Cook and his study team

The first IR I spoke with was Dr. Bob Cook, I attended a session by Dr. Cook at a CAIR (at that time CIRA) meeting in Montreal about starting a vascular IR practice in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, his presentation included a meme containing my favourite four letter word; immediately I liked the guy.

NS: Hello Dr. Cook, thank you for taking time to talk to me about this. How long have you been in practice and can you give a general description of your work?

BC: I have been in practice since 2008 in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, which has a population of approximately 18,000 and serves a catchment of approximately 75,000. I was a radiology resident in St. John’s and a fellow at McMaster University. My practice is primarily basic IR, including venous access, genitourinary and peripheral vascular interventional. I also practice general diagnostic radiology.  We don’t have any radiology residents and definitely no fellows.

NS:  Why did you decide to take the Royal College Interventional Radiology exam as a practicing IR and why do you think it is important?

BC: This exam adds to the legitimacy of the clinical side of IR.  More and more IRs are expanding their clinical presence in the hospitals and clinics, seeing patients in consultation, admitting and following up their own patients. Though completing the Royal College IR exam is not mandatory to expand a clinical practice, it demonstrates a dedication to the highest level of training currently available in this country.

NS: Any tips on how to prepare for the exam (obviously vague as the RC won’t want us giving away anything specific)?

BC: I really didn’t have a lot of time to dedicate to studying, I have four young kids at home, and I didn’t want them to forget my face. For the year leading up to the exam I would leaf through JVIR, focusing on the areas of IR that I don’t see much of in practice, such as interventional oncology. Memorizing minutia about clinical trials was not my focus. A month before the exam I focused about one hour a night on exam preparation, focusing on the recommended reading list provided by the Royal College. In the end I thought the exam was fair and a good representation of a general IR practice.

NS: I completely agree with that.  Thanks so much for talking to me and congratulations on your Royal College Subspecialty certification in Interventional Radiology.

Dr. Cori Caughlin

Next I went in search of an academic IR who had taken the exam, and I found one in Calgary. For a long time Dr. Cori Caughlin was the only female IR I had heard of in Western Canada, making her a mini celebrity in my eyes. Certainly more of a celebrity then any of the Kardashians.

NS: How long have you been in practice and can you give a general description of your work?

CC: I’ve been in Interventional Radiology practice for nearly 11 years at the University of Calgary.  My work is primarily at the Foothills Medical Centre, but also the South Health Campus and EFW Radiology Advanced Spinal Care Centre clinics for pain management.  My practice is general, but my referrals reflect the oncology, trauma, hepatobiliary and hemodialysis patient population at these hospitals. I am currently the IR fellowship program director at FMC.  While I work in an academic practice, my personal role in research is limited.

NS:  Why did you decide to take the Royal College Interventional Radiology exam as a practicing IR and why do you think it is important?

CC: There has been a great effort in the Canadian leaders in our specialty to achieve subspecialty recognition at the Royal College for Interventional Radiology, and it’s our responsibility to continue that effort in becoming board certified to treat patients with the high quality care that we have already been doing for years.  I believe it’s important for other specialists to recognize Interventional Radiologists as clinicians to continue to expand our services to patients.  It’s a slow process, but an important one in my opinion.

NS: Any tips on how to prepare for the exam (obviously vague as the RC won’t want us giving away anything specific)?

CC: I found the IR Royal College exam to be a practical assessment of general interventional radiology practice.  Relatively straightforward and reflected the many questions we are asked daily by our patients and referring docs as well as safety considerations for a variety of procedures. Lots of great images too.

NS: I agree, I thought the images were great, it’s clear a lot of time went into creating the exam.  Dr. Caughlin, thank you so much for taking time to answer my questions, and congratulations on your Royal College Subspecialty Certification in Interventional Radiology.

So there you have it, two established IRs from different parts of the country and why they chose to take the Royal College IR exam. It is a big commitment but one that advances the position of Interventional Radiology as a legitimate subspecialty that focuses on quality, complete patient care, safety and an emphasis on the clinical side of IR, please consider registering for the exam at https://www.royalcollege.ca/rcsite/credentials-exams/exams-register-e

This segment will feature a unique pearl learned by a junior VIR staff during residency or fellowship to share with our community. This first pearl is written by Dr. Joel Woodley-Cook from Scarborough Health Network.

The Woggle Technique for Obtaining Hemostasis at Hemodialysis Access Sites

The Woggle technique (Simons, Rajan, and Clark 2003) was taught to me by Dr. Martin E. Simons and Dr. Dheeraj K. Rajan at the Toronto Western Hospital late in PGY-5. This “MacGyver” type of method is very handy for achieving hemostasis in any superficial access (I have also used it when accessing superficial dacron arterial bypass grafts) but was initially described for use at hemodialysis (HD) access sites.

The Woggle technique utilizes a superficial purse string suture around the sheath entry site with its ends threaded through the cut tip of the sheath’s dilator, which serves as a tension collar. The sutures are then fed through a stop cock valve (or similar device), which provides the tightening and locking mechanisms for the system. This technique can be used in accesses with or without a skin nick.

The Woggle technique, if performed correctly, obviates the need to obtain manual hemostasis, which can be particularly helpful in patients on anticoagulation or who receive heparin during the procedure. This technique can also help prevent every fellow’s and junior staff’s nightmare scenario of thrombosing a circuit with aggressive manual compression.

Materials (Figure 1A):

1. One suture. I use a 2-0 or 3-0 monofilament suture with a curved cutting needle.
2. One sheath dilator tip, cut to approximately 3 cm (these can fly away while cutting, so I (or my assistant) to cut it under a sterile towel). A guide wire introducer can also be used.
3. One stop cock (or equivalent).

Method (Figure 1B and 1C):

1. Make a superficial purse string suture around the sheath. Be careful not to suture the sheath and/or access vessel. I will sometimes instill lidocaine to create a buffer if the vessel is immediately subdermal.
2. Cut the needle off the suture and feed the two free ends through the tapered tip of the cut sheath dilator. Cut the suture flush, leaving around 10 – 15 cm of suture length.
3. Once the free suture ends are fed through the dilator tip, feed the suture ends through the stopcock.
4. Tell your assistant to stand out of the line of fire (blood squirting) and remove the sheath while tightening the sture by turning the stopcock dial. One-half turn will usually suffice, as the suture may fracture with aggressive turning.
5. Leave in situ for 20 – 120 (our patients recover for two hours, so I write orders to D/C the Woggle just prior to discharge, as this length of time reduces risk of bleeding if the patient is anticoagulated).
6. When D/Cing the Woggle, turn the dial in the opposite direction used for locking and carefully loosen the device by retracting the dilator tip (stiffening collar). If there is still evidence of arterial bleeding, one can re-initiate the tightening and locking mechanism. If there is no evidence of arterial bleeding, the suture may be removed. Soft manual compression may be required for a brief moment due to mild oozing from the suture removal.

Note: If someone else is disassembling the Woggle, education is important, so be sure they know how it works, why it works, and how to properly disassemble and assemble as required.

Figure: The Woggle. Equipment (A); Woggle created with sheath in situ (B); Woggle in action (C).

Reference:

Simons, Martin E., Dheeraj K. Rajan, and Timothy W. I. Clark. 2003. “The Woggle Technique for Suture Closure of Hemodialysis Access Catheterization Sites.” Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology: JVIR 14 (4): 485–88.

Dr. Joel Woodley-Cook

Dr. Woodley-Cook was raised in Hamilton, Ontario, where he finished his Master’s victory lap in endothelial cell biology at McMaster University. All the while, he had his sights on the dark stout and green hills of Dublin, Ireland, where he spent five unforgettable years completing his medical degree at University College Dublin. During this time in medical school, Joel’s initial surgical desires gradually shifted towards VIR following clinical observerships with Dr. Beecroft at JDMI and research electives with Dr. Amaral at Sick Kids.

Dr. Woodley-Cook matched to radiology at the University of Toronto while attending SIR in San Diego and the 3rd person he called in celebration was his friend from Hamilton, Dr. Tara Graham. His VIR fellowship was completed at JDMI alongside Dr. Sinclair, whose comradery provided much comfort in the trenches of UHN and Mt. Sinai.

Dr. Woodley-Cook has been practicing diagnostic and interventional radiology in Scarborough since 2015, where he has honed his practice to emphasize on hemodialysis interventions and peripheral vascular disease.

He enjoys cooking for his wife, two sons, and two cats and used to enjoy attending sporting events in Toronto and afar.

Dr. Sinclair was raised in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, where there isn’t much to do.

Instead of hanging out at the mall after school smoking cigarettes she played sports, which took her to Spartanburg, South Carolina, where she played NCAA soccer (it was division II so really not that impressive).

After four years in the South she traded up for four glorious years in Vancouver at UBC medical school. She completed radiology residency in Saskatoon and a one year Vascular and Interventional Radiology fellowship in Toronto, at UHN, where she met Dr. Woodley-Cook, who took her to her first Blue Jays game.

She has been practicing diagnostic and interventional radiology in Saskatoon since July 2015. Dr. Sinclair has a broad IR practice with a heavy emphasis on peripheral vascular and vascular malformations.

She is foolish enough to be the only IR placing PD catheters in Saskatchewan, but finds that part of her practice extremely satisfying.  She enjoys leadership and administrative roles, given this we wonder if she hit her head too many times playing soccer, MRI is pending.

Facetime interview: Dr. Nicolette Sinclair with Dr. Nevin De Korompay

I met Dr. Nevin De Korompay (NDK) 10 years ago, when we were competing to be the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) Board of Directors resident representative. I won’t say who was selected, but I think he is still bitter. We were both funded by the CAR to attend the ACR annual meeting in Washington DC, as we were both soccer players (please see my bio) and from the prairies (NDK is from Winnipeg) so we got along well. Now that we have both ended up in IR, we have stayed in contact and often share cases and pictures of our dogs. Recently, Dr. De Korompay was a part of a group in Kelowna who started performing endovascular therapy for acute ischemic stroke, building a program from the ground up. I was intrigued by this as I thought he was a “body IR’, like me. I also know that “body IRs” performing EVT is a hotly debated topic. In fact, I recall a debate at a previous CAIR (at that time CIRA) meeting on this topic. Of course, Canadians are so polite I think it ended in a draw, but I wanted to touch base with NDK to get some details. – Dr. Nicollette Sinclair

NS: Holler Nevin!  I hope all is well and you are staying safe in Kelowna. Tell me about your practice and training before EVT came into your life?

NDK: Well, I did my radiology residency in Winnipeg and IR fellowship in Vancouver.  I had done a few diagnostic cerebral angiograms during residency, none during fellowship.  I started practicing in Kelowna in 2016 and helped develop an evolving “body IR” practice, heavy on the interventional oncology, but also including aortic intervention, vascular malformations, UFEs, PAE, and dialysis work. I should also mention that diagnostic cerebral angiograms were a part of the IR practice at Kelowna General, so that did provide a foundation for EVT.

There are four IRs in our practice of 16 radiologists, we have a private clinic and cover services at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH).

NS: How did EVT become part of your practice? Can you explain your current EVT practice/setup?

NDK: Historically, all acute stroke cases were imaged with CT/CTA at KGH or surrounding hospitals, and then transferred to the lower mainland if they were EVT candidates. Transferring these patients obviously takes time, and as you may have heard once or twice, time is brain. Transfer was often prolonged in the winter with unsafe travel conditions.  Anecdotally, it was rare for a patient to get to Vancouver in time to still be considered for EVT, or have any quality outcome. KGH is a tertiary referral center for the Okanagan with 441 beds. It is a UBC teaching hospital and distributed site for the Faculty of Medicine.

About 3 years ago, we were going about our “body IR” business when neurology and administration approached us with a request to develop an EVT program, based on success in centers like Kingston and Victoria and their inability to get local patients the gold standard of care.  The stroke neurologists were putting together a multidisciplinary stroke team to improve outcomes in the KGH; a team now incorporating neurologists, patient coordinators, nurse navigators, and soon to be IRs and an endovascular neurosurgeon.

Currently we have 5 EVT operators, 4 IRs and 1 endovascular neurosurgeon, it’s a great group and I would like to mention them by name: Dr. Brooke Cairns, Dr. Paul Kurkjian, Dr. Wayne Tonogai and myself from IR and Dr. Mike Tso from neurosurgery.  All cases are reviewed in a group; even after hours whoever is available checks images and weighs in.  All cases are performed with two operators scrubbed in, the primary operator is on call, and the second operator is whoever else is available and sober. Sometimes there will be three or four of us there.  We did our first EVT case in 2019; we have done over 50 so far.  Recently we have undertaken a radial program, mostly to avoid angering Dr. Darren Klass.

We participate in weekly stroke rounds and monthly multidisciplinary conferences with the Victoria group, sharing cases, techniques and outcomes.  There are monthly quality meetings involving representatives from radiology, neurology, surgery, anesthesia, nursing, technologists, and even EMTs.  Metrics and outcomes are continuously tracked and reviewed. This has unequivocally been a team based approach and we would simply not be able to offer this service without support from a multitude of partners and an exhaustive amount of infrastructure developed behind the scenes.  It’s a lot of work but its rewarding work.

NS: What kind of extra training did you do?

NDK: We had proctors from all over Canada come to Kelowna for benchtop device demonstrations and mentoring, we visited other EVT sites, and we were extremely fortunate to have had mentorship from other sites in British Columbia where body IRs provide acute stroke intervention, including New Westminster and Victoria.  Then we had to start. Out of the gate we were very selective with cases and rolled out the program during specific, set hours, eventually expanding it to 24/7.

NS: Have you been criticized for being a body IR doing neuro IR?  How do you respond to that?

NDK:  Probably.  Directly to my face, not so much…although meetings have been less frequent in the pandemic. Early on there was always concern in the back of our minds we would do something silly, be deservedly lambasted, and would put patients or the future of the program at risk. That fear has not entirely vanished.  Having now participated in these cases, I respect the concerns raised by our neuro IR colleagues for maintaining quality in patient care.   I’ve also come to accept that wherever people are asymmetrically distributed, i.e. the world, there will be debate about equal access to procedures, resources, and subspecialists.  My opinion is that the right practitioner with the right team in the right environment should be capable of choosing and executing the right cases. The ESCAPE trial, for instance, featured Canadian body IR’s performing EVT and that study represents one of the definitive trials in stroke.  Currently, EVT is performed in Canada by Neuro IR, Body IR, Neurosurgery and Interventional neurology depending where you are and on what day.  All of our practices are anecdotal in some way, each a unique culmination of geography, patient population, local expertise, referring clinicians, interest, and personalities. We simply would have never have dreamed of starting an EVT program without a demonstrated need, a mandate from our clinicians and a robust multidisciplinary team.  I will admit though, I have certainly enjoyed the challenge of working with an amazing team to develop a program I’m proud of and one I wouldn’t hesitate to offer to you if a clot from your frostbitten toes should strike you down via a previously undiagnosed PFO while skiing up at Big White.

NS: Thank you, I will take you up on that offer, please tell everyone I was skiing expertly down a double black at the time. So, do you have any advice for a body IR being asked to provide acute stroke intervention/setting up a practice?

NDK: At risk of sounding like a broken record, you need a team established first before even thinking about sticking needles into anyone.  It was their motivation and mandate that got everyone to the table and ultimately resulted in this team being built and we continue to lean heavily on their infrastructure and expertise.

Locally, Getting comfortable with cerebral angios and external carotid work, i.e. crossing the neck barrier, makes it easier to psychologically approach intracranial work which is an intimidating prospect.

I would also recommend reaching out to other sites with body IRs performing acute stroke intervention to learn from their experience as well as to your partners in industry who are happy to facilitate developing expertise in using products with neuro pricing.  And speaking of equipment you will need some sort of super nurse or super tech to handle your inventory and ensure all members of the team are comfortable with flushes, triaxial systems, 014 wires, etc. that may not be part of your routine practice.

Finally be ready for lots of meetings. During the work day.

NS: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me, congratulations to you and your team for the fine work in Kelowna. Final question, would you attend a CAIR meeting in Saskatoon?

NDK: Little known fact about me, I was actually born in Saskatoon. #BunnyHug

NS: Oh that explains a lot about you!

NDK: But you can’t really expect the first post pandemic in person CAIR meeting to be in Saskatoon? Might I suggest Kelowna?

NS: Fair point, how about the third post pandemic in person CAIR meeting in Saskatoon?

NDK: Yeah, I’ll be there 🙂

2 year Interventional Radiology Fellowship – University of Toronto 2021-2023

Interested candidates are invited to contact Dr. John Kachura, Vascular & Interventional Radiologist and VIR Fellowship Director, at john.kachura@uhn.ca

CAIR  in Solidarity Against Anti-Asian Racism

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant and difficult impact on Asian communities, across the world. There is no doubt that hate crimes against Asians in Canada and in the US have been on steep rise since the beginning of the pandemic.

The Canadian Association for Interventional Radiology (CAIR) condemns the escalating violence and ongoing harassment directed at Asians and Asian Canadians and stands in solidarity and compassion with the diverse Asian community.

We are deeply saddened by the news of the horrific shootings in Atlanta and we express our sincere condolences to the families, friends, and coworkers of those injured and killed in this senseless act.

CAIR Board of Directors

You have the wisdom, expertise, and experiences to share. We provide you with the platform and voice to spread it.

Why submit content for our newsletter and website?

1. Share your expertise
2. Exposure to the IR community
3. Awareness about IR

What we look for?

Are you passionate about IR and would like to influence positive change? Do you have a solid base of expertise and experience? Do you have fresh ideas and new perspectives?

Ideas and articles submitted for consideration should be of interest to IR readers and have a tone that is appropriate for the CAIR community. We like articles that introduce new ideas and advance conversations around topics and trends that engage the IR community.

No pitches, abstracts, outlines, press releases, or offers.

What to expect if your submission is accepted

Submissions are reviewed frequently, and the process is selective, however, please note that we may be unable to respond to all submissions. If you don’t receive a response within two weeks of submitting, it’s safe to assume that your piece was not selected for publication.

For the submissions we do choose to publish:

• All articles are subject to editing.
• Content may be edited for style, tone, or substance.
• Art will be added at the discretion of the organization.
• No compensation is offered.

How to submit

Article guidelines

• Articles should be provided as Microsoft Word files (.doc or .docx). Do not send articles in PDF format.
• Do not send drafts. Send the final article that has been signed off by all applicable persons or departments in your organization.
• At least 600 words and no longer than 800 words.

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• You must either own or have permission  for each graphic submitted.
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