Jef Williams

[email protected]

5 steps to improve your imaging IT strategy

Are you doing all you can to implement an effective imaging IT strategy? In a new column, Jef Williams of Paragon Consulting Partners discusses five steps you can take to make sure you're prepared for the emerging healthcare landscape.

June 8, 2016

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Reversing for success -- universal viewers and VNAs

Much has been written and spoken about vendor-neutral archiving (VNA) and its trailing associated technology, the universal viewer. But do you really need to wait until the VNA is installed before adopting a universal viewer? Maybe not, according to Jef Williams of Ascendian Healthcare Consulting.

June 2, 2013

Imaging Interoperability: Part 2 -- The 3 flavors of VNA

AuntMinnie.com presents the second in a two-part series on imaging interoperability from Jonathan Shoemaker and Jef Williams of Ascendian Healthcare Consulting. In Part 2, the authors present the key factors that best leverage the functionality of a true VNA.

March 14, 2013

Imaging Interoperability: Part 1 -- New options

AuntMinnie.com presents the first in a two-part series from Jonathan Shoemaker and Jef Williams of Ascendian Healthcare Consulting. In part 1, the authors explain how vendor-neutral archives can provide much-needed interoperability in today's tumultuous healthcare environment.

September 6, 2012

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Representative longitudinal chest CT images and five-year parametric response mapping (PRM), pulmonary vascular CT reconstructions, and hyperpolarized xenon-129 (Xe-129) ventilation MRI scans from survivors of nonsevere and severe COVID-19 pneumonia. (A–F) Images in a 68-year-old male survivor of nonsevere COVID-19 pneumonia, (G–L) 62-year-old male survivor of severe COVID-19 pneumonia, and (M–R) 55-year-old male survivor of severe COVID-19 pneumonia. For each participant, the first three columns show coronal chest CT images from the acute phase (A, G, M), two-year follow-up (B, H, N), and five-year follow-up (C, I, O) (left to right). The fourth column (D, J, P) shows a coronal PRM image for each participant at five-year follow-up derived from paired inspiratory and expiratory CT scans, showing the spatial distribution of lung functional categories. Green indicates normal lung tissue, yellow indicates functional small airway disease, and red indicates emphysema. The second-to-last column shows volume-rendered small pulmonary vessel visualization (red) at five-year follow-up per participant (E, K, Q). The column on the far right (F, L, R) shows a hyperpolarized Xe-129 MRI ventilation defect percentage (VDP) map at five-year follow-up per participant. Dark blue represents high Xe-129 signal intensity, corresponding to well-ventilated lung regions, whereas red represents no Xe-129 signal intensity, corresponding to ventilation defects. At five-year follow-up, the 68-year-old survivor of nonsevere COVID-19 pneumonia (top row) showed near-complete radiologic resolution, no respiratory symptoms, and preserved pulmonary function. In contrast, the 62-year-old survivor of severe COVID-19 pneumonia (middle row) showed persistent fibrotic linear opacities without respiratory symptoms and mildly reduced pulmonary function. The 55-year-old survivor of severe COVID-19 pneumonia (bottom row) showed persistent scattered fibrotic linear opacities and focal emphysematous changes in both lungs, with dyspnea and impaired gas exchange function. The VDP values obtained from F, L, and R were 7.7%, 7.1%, and 6.3%, respectively.

What are the effects of COVID-19 pneumonia after 5 years?

After five years, residual lesions persisted in 35.6% of survivors (37 of 104).

Nuclear Medicine

USC researchers develop “plug-and-play" platform for PET tracers

Representative MRI scans for which the independently assigned imaging-derived extranodal extension (iENE) grades differed among the readers. (A) Axial and sagittal images in a 56-year-old male patient with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and cervical nodal metastases. Readers 1 and 3 interpreted the finding as a metastatic lymph node invading the left sternocleidomastoid muscle (arrow) and assessed an iENE grade of 3, whereas reader 2 assigned a grade of 2. After joint review, the radiologists reached a consensus on the absence of definite sternocleidomastoid muscle invasion, and the final iENE grade was 2. (B) Axial and sagittal images in a 52-year-old male patient with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and cervical nodal metastases. Reader 1 interpreted the findings as a single enlarged metastatic lymph node and assessed an iENE grade of 1, whereas readers 2 and 3 interpreted them as two coalescent metastatic lymph nodes (arrows) and assessed a grade of 2. After joint review, the radiologists reached a consensus on the coalescence of the two metastatic lymph nodes, and the final iENE grade was 2.

Image-based grading system estimates nasopharyngeal carcinoma severity

Astro

ASTRO 2026 to center on translating radiotherapy data into dialogue

Free webinar for radiology leaders

Free webinar for radiology leaders

What are the effects of COVID-19 pneumonia after 5 years?

After five years, residual lesions persisted in 35.6% of survivors (37 of 104).

September 24, 2026

Representative longitudinal chest CT images and five-year parametric response mapping (PRM), pulmonary vascular CT reconstructions, and hyperpolarized xenon-129 (Xe-129) ventilation MRI scans from survivors of nonsevere and severe COVID-19 pneumonia. (A–F) Images in a 68-year-old male survivor of nonsevere COVID-19 pneumonia, (G–L) 62-year-old male survivor of severe COVID-19 pneumonia, and (M–R) 55-year-old male survivor of severe COVID-19 pneumonia. For each participant, the first three columns show coronal chest CT images from the acute phase (A, G, M), two-year follow-up (B, H, N), and five-year follow-up (C, I, O) (left to right). The fourth column (D, J, P) shows a coronal PRM image for each participant at five-year follow-up derived from paired inspiratory and expiratory CT scans, showing the spatial distribution of lung functional categories. Green indicates normal lung tissue, yellow indicates functional small airway disease, and red indicates emphysema. The second-to-last column shows volume-rendered small pulmonary vessel visualization (red) at five-year follow-up per participant (E, K, Q). The column on the far right (F, L, R) shows a hyperpolarized Xe-129 MRI ventilation defect percentage (VDP) map at five-year follow-up per participant. Dark blue represents high Xe-129 signal intensity, corresponding to well-ventilated lung regions, whereas red represents no Xe-129 signal intensity, corresponding to ventilation defects. At five-year follow-up, the 68-year-old survivor of nonsevere COVID-19 pneumonia (top row) showed near-complete radiologic resolution, no respiratory symptoms, and preserved pulmonary function. In contrast, the 62-year-old survivor of severe COVID-19 pneumonia (middle row) showed persistent fibrotic linear opacities without respiratory symptoms and mildly reduced pulmonary function. The 55-year-old survivor of severe COVID-19 pneumonia (bottom row) showed persistent scattered fibrotic linear opacities and focal emphysematous changes in both lungs, with dyspnea and impaired gas exchange function. The VDP values obtained from F, L, and R were 7.7%, 7.1%, and 6.3%, respectively.

USC researchers develop “plug-and-play" platform for PET tracers

Preliminary work suggests the approach can generate tracers targeting fibroblast activation protein.

September 24, 2026

Nuclear Medicine

Image-based grading system estimates nasopharyngeal carcinoma severity

By Amerigo Allegretto

The four-tier grading system showed excellent reliability and good prognostic value for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

September 23, 2026

Representative MRI scans for which the independently assigned imaging-derived extranodal extension (iENE) grades differed among the readers. (A) Axial and sagittal images in a 56-year-old male patient with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and cervical nodal metastases. Readers 1 and 3 interpreted the finding as a metastatic lymph node invading the left sternocleidomastoid muscle (arrow) and assessed an iENE grade of 3, whereas reader 2 assigned a grade of 2. After joint review, the radiologists reached a consensus on the absence of definite sternocleidomastoid muscle invasion, and the final iENE grade was 2. (B) Axial and sagittal images in a 52-year-old male patient with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and cervical nodal metastases. Reader 1 interpreted the findings as a single enlarged metastatic lymph node and assessed an iENE grade of 1, whereas readers 2 and 3 interpreted them as two coalescent metastatic lymph nodes (arrows) and assessed a grade of 2. After joint review, the radiologists reached a consensus on the coalescence of the two metastatic lymph nodes, and the final iENE grade was 2.

ASTRO 2026 to center on translating radiotherapy data into dialogue

Radiopharmaceutical therapy will feature in a dedicated hands-on workshop alongside a roundtable.

September 23, 2026

PACS workstations add to power consumption in radiology departments

By Amerigo Allegretto

PACS workstations consume about 25 kW when active while also consuming power cumulatively in powered down states.

September 23, 2026

Radiologist Dictating (1)

X-rays reveal severe aortic calcification in dialysis patients

The findings reinforce lateral lumbar radiography's potential as an accessible, low-cost tool for opportunistic cardiovascular risk stratification in dialysis care.

September 22, 2026

Podcast: OSHA report reveals more about 2023 MRI accident

By Amerigo Allegretto

MRI experts dive into Cal/OSHA's report on a 2023 MRI accident in which a nurse was pinned between an ICU bed and an MRI scanner.

September 22, 2026

The Invisible Force Podcast Album Cover

Ex-NFL QB Matt Hasselback points brain imaging study

The trial’s main goal it to establish methods for diagnosing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in the living, rather that by postmortem exams.

September 21, 2026

Telix inks deal to acquire ITM for $1.65B

By Erik L. Ridley

The deal would create a combined company with significant radioisotope manufacturing, distribution, and radiopharmaceutical development capabilities.

September 21, 2026

Connectivity, wellness, education at center of SDMS annual meeting

By Amerigo Allegretto

Kevin Rooker outlines what attendees can expect at the 2026 SDMS annual meeting in Atlanta.

September 21, 2026

Georgia Atlanta Map Pin (1)

Better risk scoring could predict cirrhosis, HCC in patients with SLD

By Amerigo Allegretto

One proposed risk score, SAFE, showed modest benefit in patients with imaging-confirmed steatotic liver disease (SLD).

September 21, 2026

Liver Cancer 400

FES-PET guides second-line therapy decisions in breast cancer

FES-PET/CT results led to therapeutic management changes in 37.8% of patients.

September 18, 2026

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