Maine Medical Center, Portland Maine

I just returned from a trip to Maine Medical Center in Portland Maine at the invitation of my friend and abdominal imaging colleague Steve Winn to give a talk on Prostate MRI. They recently installed a new 3T magnet (MR750w), and we had a chance to compare protocols and image quality across vendors. Like most centers, MMC is anticipating increasing volumes in prostate MR imaging related to improved imaging techniques, expanded indications, and wider acceptance among urologists. As with our urologists, Steve’s referral base prefers to avoid endorectal MRI when possible, and just having a higher field strength system will likely further contribute to referrals. Aside from helping to build academic careers and contributing to seminal fluid, I list the prostate among those mostly useless organs/structures like the appendix, epiploic appendages, pineal gland, and toenails. Much like our House of Representatives, it's primary function seems to be obstructive. 

Residents and faculty at Maine Medical Center (Dr. Winn to my left)

While larger than Winston Salem, Portland Maine still maintains a small town charm; or at least it would if you could remove the throngs of tourists who flock there each summer to escape the heat and move the lobster one step closer to the endangered species list. For now, lobsters are everywhere in Maine. Go to any fast food joint in Portland and the guy with the PhD in sociology behind the counter is bound to ask, “you want lobstah with theyat?” While there, we got to see a rare blue lobster. Lucky for him; he’s destined for a local aquarium instead of the dinner table.

Steve was an amazing host and saw to the enjoyment of my family while providing ample opportunity for me to tour his facility and interact with residents and faculty. I was very pleased to see an imaging department with an appropriate emphasis placed on reading room ergonomics. In addition to the adjustable tables and monitors that should be standard in any reading room, the radiologists at MMC believe that every reading room should have a set of big balls. From an ergonomic perspective, big balls are low hanging fruit. They help to keep your posture ideally aligned while reading out without the outrageous expense of most office furniture. Based on personal experience, I have to admit that they are comfortable. I discussed the idea of getting some big balls with Ray Dyer, but he said he preferred not having any.  

Sitting on one of the big balls in the MMC reading room

After we visited with Steve and his family for a bit on his boat, my family and I went on to vacation in Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia impressed us with its stunning natural beauty, unique mix of cultures, and friendly people. Most of all, I enjoyed taking a boat tour of the bird islands to see puffins and other assorted sea birds. In addition to pegging the cuteness meter, Atlantic puffins are interesting birds. They are pelagic, meaning that they only gather on land for a few weeks each year to mate (like radiology residents gathering at AIRP but with slightly better accommodations). At one point, puffins nearly disappeared from the Maine coast due to demand for their eggs and feathers, but they made a comeback after being transplanted from colonies in Newfoundland by Stephen Kress and colleagues; one of his early collaborators was Intel co-founder Robert Noyce. Unfortunately, Atlantic puffins are again disappearing from Maine waters as warming seas have displaced their chicks’ primary food source (white hake and Atlantic herring). In Nova Scotia, puffins appeared plentiful, although that might change as the very healthy bald eagle population increases on the bird islands.

Two of the absurdly cute puffins we saw

Unlike eagles and puffins, I can’t fly. This is painfully obvious every time my flight is delayed or canceled as once again happened on this trip; our plane had a flat tire. Of course, the airlines never fully disclose the nature or true duration of a delay even when they know it’ll be hours before wheels up for the fear full disclosure will result in human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria, etc. Instead, a 4.5 hour delay was announced in 30 minute aliquots. First to inform us of the delay, then to tell us there was a mechanical issue, then to tell us that they needed a new tire, then to tell us that the new tire is at a different airport, then to tell us that the tire arrived but that the paperwork was incorrect, then to tell us the tire was taking longer than expected to install, etc, etc. Maybe I’m being unfair to the airlines, but since they started charging for checked bags and designing plane interiors to the specifications of hobbits, I don’t exactly feel an obligation to play nice. As I am writing this, the plane is taking off. I am about to find out if the new tire wo