SCAR 2003 Welcome Letter

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Welcome to the 20^th Symposium on Computer Applications in Radiology. The Symposium is the longest running series of meetings on radiology computer applications. Since the first conference in 1964, SCAR has been the gathering place for experts in the field and those who want to learn from them. Highlights of SCAR 2003 include:

•  Keynote address by Mr. Ray Kurzweil, pioneer of computer-based speech recognition sytems, author of The Age of Intelligent Machines and The Age of Spiritual Machines, and a 2002 inductee into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

•  An updated SCAR University, a comprehensive didactic course in computer applications in radiology. Introductory, intermediate, and advanced lectures will cover the latest information on PACS, RIS, CAD, speech recognition and CR/DR.  Many institutions bring their entire PACS team - administrators, CIO’s, radiologists and technologists - to SCAR U for the latest information on technology implementation in radiology.

• Closing Session on the developing information explosion in radiology and SCAR’s new TRIP™ Initiative. How can radiologists deal with the burgeoning numbers of images produced by new technology? Representatives of NASA, NIMA, and the entertainment industry will explain how they manage huge data sets.  
• More than 75 original scientific papers, posters, and demonstrations on all aspects of computer applications in radiology, from image processing to PACS implementation to speech recognition systems.
• Tours of electronic imaging activities at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Boston, Massachusetts General Hospital, and New England Baptist Hospital. Special sessions delivered by radiology informatics faculty of Boston medical schools.
• A sold out exhibit hall filled with technical exhibits of leading radiology image management and IT vendors. More PACS vendors assembled than any other conference except the RSNA.

Whether you are a radiologist considering incorporating electronic systems into your practice, a CIO or administrator evaluating the costs and benefits of such systems, or a computer scientist involved in radiology research, SCAR 2003 will provide the up-to-date information you need. Registration for SCAR includes the SCAR University Syllabus as well as the Scientific Proceedings, a supplement to the Journal of Digital Imaging. Welcome to Boston and enjoy the 2003 SCAR annual meeting!

Cordially,

Byrn Williamson, Jr. MD
Chair, SCAR Program Committee