Workshops

Santa Monica Thyroid Center, The Endocrine Neck Ultrasound of Southern California, and Richard Guttler, American College of Endocrinology, an American Institute of Ultrasound Medicine certified neck sonographer presents a series of one hour workshops on important topics related to diagnostic ultrasound guided FNA and therapy with ethanol for cysts, thyroid cancer lymph nodes, on-site cytology testing for adequacy, and diagnostic cytology quality control.

ONE HOUR WORKSHOPS

1. FNA Physician Free Hand or Needle Guide Ultrasound Guided Needle Placement
   
   The AACE produced Torso Simulation Model "Needle Me", is used to practice proper FNA needle placement technique. Mr. Needle Me will allow you to stick him at will without the use of a local. The same model is part of the training program used by AACE at Endocrine University and at their ultrasound 2 day workshops. The one hour class is given by Dr. Guttler, and the student will learn proper placement and then can practice on Mr. Needle Me.
   
   Fee: $150 plus $5 per each needle placement.
   
   Why the per stick charge? After 800 sticks Mr. Needle Me ($7500) needs replacement of the neck insert ($5000).
   
   
   
2. FNA Physician Slide Preparation Workshop
   
   The ability to make proper smears for diagnostic interpretation of NFA samples seems easy, but without training most FNA physicians no matter what specialty, are deficient. They produce bloody, fibrin entrapped cells that result in pseudo complex masses called suspicious for neoplasm. Pathologists know who the "untrained FNA physicians" are. They will ask them to submit a liquid based sample, rescue the case from inadequacy, or worse over-diagnosis of neoplasm. If you are one of those given a thin prep tube, you need this class. Liquid based preparations are inferior to smears for thyoid FNA. It can even turn a classic papillary cancer on smears to a follicular neoplasm with Thin Prep, resulting in a need for an unnecessary completion thyroidectomy.
   
   Fee: $150
   
   Instruction followed by hands on practice. Also includes 2 boxes of slides and solution to take home. When you are home, grab a beer and sit on the couch and smear. All types of smear techniques will be taught by Dr. Guttler. He teaches Cytology for Endocrinologists for AACE. Those workshops include hands on smear tables manned by Dr. Guttler and his teaching partner, John Abele MD, Cytopathologist.
   
   
3. On-site Quality Assessment of FNA Samples
   
   
   A one hour workshop to teach the basics of on-site testing before sending material to the pathologist. Learn to use Dif Quik air dried smear method to assess if there are enough cells for diagnosis. Dr. Guttler will give you all the codes needed to bill for this service. He will allow you to practice on animal organs, and then, using a kit containing only 3 solutions, obtain slides to see if there are adequate numbers of cells. You do not use on-site to diagnose, only to see if you can expect significant cell count to do a proper biopsy to turn over to the pathologist.
   
   
   Fee: $150
   
   Includes codes, ordering information for the Dif Quik Kit.
   
   
4. Ultrasound Guided Cyst Drainage and Therapy with Ethanol (PEI).
   PEI for Cancer Lympth Nodes
   
   One hour hands on workshop on cyst drainage and PEI. Student will have instruction by Dr. Guttler, followed by the use of a Blue Phantom to practice. Learn all you need to begin using ethanol in place of surgery for biopsy proven benign complex cysts that are > 50% cystic. Also practice injecting 5-10 mm masses the size of the usual cancer nodes with tiny amounds of ethanol for ablation. Students can use Mr. Needle Me for practice and small lympth node sized nodule for needle placement only. Mr. Needle Me does not like you to inject anything into him. He belongs to NIA (Needle Inject Anonymous).
   
   Fee: $150
   
   Includes complete written instructions and supply list