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RSNA LogoRadiological Society of North America (RSNA)
and the
American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) AAPM Logo

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS to produce WEB-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL MODULES

June 2008

Proposals are solicited for the development of educational content for web-based instructional modules intended primarily for the education of resident radiologists in the basic science underlying medical imaging. Topics for which proposals are solicited are shown below. A proposal on a specific topic should reflect the resident education curriculum on the AAPM website. Each proposal should specify a lead physicist and a collaborating radiologist, contain an outline of the material to be covered, and identify the media (PowerPoint, Word text, video clips, etc) to be employed to present the material. To the extent possible, the material should use images to illustrate basic science concepts. The information in a module should not require more than 45 minutes to assimilate, not including the 20-25 self-test questions presented at the end of the module. Responders to the Request for Proposals should plan to develop the educational content for web-based educational modules. Formatting of the content into a web-based module will be done by expert staff at the RSNA.

The content for all modules will be peer-reviewed, and one or more revisions in the content may be required before its final acceptance. Modules will be available at no charge to residents and to RSNA and AAPM members on the RSNA website with a direct link from the AAPM website. Proposals for module development should be sent by July 18, 2008 to Ms. Mellie Pouwels at the Radiological Society of North America. A response to module proposals will be provided by September 1, 2008. Up to 3 module proposals may be submitted by a group of potential authors.

Proposals should include the following components:

Eight months are allocated for development of the educational content of a web-based instructional module from the date of notification that a proposal has been accepted. An additional 4 months is allocated for review and revision(s) of a module. That is, a total of 12 months is allocated for the production, review and final acceptance of an instructional module. If this time frame is met, the developers’ team will be paid $3000 plus a bonus of $1000. If a finished module is not delivered in this time frame, an extension of 3 months will be provided, but the bonus of $1000 will not be paid. If a finished module is not delivered in 15 months, the commitment for a module will be terminated and no payment will be made. Rapid peer review of the educational content for modules is envisioned, so the deadlines will not be handicapped by the peer-review process. Progress reports will be needed periodically over the period of module production. Two years after completion of a module, updating of the module will be required, for an additional remuneration of $1000.

Two sample modules in draft form, one on Radiation Dose in CT and one on Radiation Dose and Safety in Interventional Radiology, are available. The modules may be accessed by logging in at http://lms.rsna.org and then entering the user name: Physics_RFP and password: physics (both are case sensitive). Once logged in, click on the title of one of the two sample modules shown in the current enrollments section in order to launch the module. If difficulties are encountered, please send an e-mail to physics@rsna.org or call 1-800-272-2920.

For the first phase of the RSNA-AAPM project, 32 modules are envisioned, as shown below. In phase 2, to be initiated sometime in the future, modules addressing the themes of Basic Science and Radiation Protection will be solicited. Copyright of modules will be held jointly by the RSNA and the AAPM, but developers will be free to use the material in their teaching programs.

Development of the educational content for web-based instructional modules is an opportunity for a team of physicists and radiologists to contribute in a major way to the education of resident physicians. It also provides the developers with recognition of their technical and educational expertise, and they will be identified as authors of the module.

 

Appendix I

Outline of Instructional Module Content

 

Appendix II

Module Topics

  1. Radiography (11 modules)
    1. Concepts (1)
      1. Geometry
      2. Radiographic Contrast
      3. Scatter and Scatter Reduction
      4. Artifacts and Image Degradation
    2. Radiographic (X Ray) Detectors (1)
    3. X Ray Systems including Mammography (1)
    4. Quality / Dose (1)
    5. Mammography Dose / Quality (1)
    6. Fluoroscopy Systems (1)
    7. Fluoroscopy Dose / Quality (1)
    8. Interventional Dose and Quality (1)
    9. CT Systems (1)
    10. CT Image Quality and Protocols (1)
    11. CT Dose (1)
  2. Ultrasound (4)
    1. Concepts and Transducers (1)
    2. Pulse Echo Imaging and Display (1)
    3. Advanced Imaging / Doppler (1)
    4. Image Quality / Artifacts / Safety (1)
  3. MRI (8)
    1. Concepts and Tissue Properties (1)
    2. Instrumentation, Sighting and Shielding (1)
    3. Image Formation (1)
    4. Pulse Sequences (1)
    5. Image Acquisition, Reconstruction and Characteristics (1)
    6. Special Acquisition Methods (1)
    7. Image Quality / Safety / Bioeffects (1)
    8. Image Artifacts (1)
  4. Nuclear Medicine (6)
    1. Concepts (1)
    2. Radiation Detection / Instruments (1)
    3. Gamma Cameras / Image Quality (1)
    4. SPECT/SPECT-CT / Image Quality (1)
    5. PET/PET-CT / Image Quality (1)
    6. Dose Estimates / Internal Dosimetry / Safety / QC / Regulations (1)
  5. Radiation Biology (3)
    1. Effects of Radiation (1)
      1. Energy Transfer
      2. Cellular
      3. Tissues
      4. Organs
      5. Whole Body
      6. Population
    2. Deterministic / Probabilistic Effects (Patients and Staff) (1)
    3. Radiation Risks / Guidelines (1)