Last month in Chicago, the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) produced its annual RSNA conference and trade show, where attendance increased more than 13% over 2023. Roughly 39,000 radiology specialists across every subspecialty imaginable descended on the Windy City for five days of learning about the latest medical imaging technologies, along with opportunities for career advancement and other hands-on educational and networking opportunities.  

Held Dec. 1-5, 2024 at Chicago’s 2.6 million-square-foot McCormick Place, the RSNA conference took on the theme of “Building Intelligent Connections,” which was born out of “radiology’s unique relationship with AI,” as well as “the connections between radiologists and other physicians throughout medicine,” said John Jaworski, assistant executive director of RSNA Meeting Services & Corporate Relations. 

True to its storied history, the 110th iteration of the RSNA conference “featured more than 860 scientific papers, more than 1,700 scientific posters, more than 1,500 education exhibits, more than 300 educational courses, and seven plenary sessions,” Jaworski said. It all kicked off with the first-ever Welcome Reception that took place at the convention center and featured a performance by the Bill Pollack Jazz Trio. 

Also new in 2024 were guided exhibit tours, a VIP experience of the most cutting-edge tech and equipment in the industry. The tours cost $50 per attendee and sold out. In the spirit of exclusivity, show organizers didn’t share what was on display during these technical exhibit tours, which occupied the entirety of the North and South Halls at McCormick Place (an impressive 400,000 square feet). Their popularity has RSNA’s planning team mulling other new VIP tours to be introduced come the 2025 edition of the event, which is slated to return Nov. 30-Dec. 4 to Chicago. 

The “One Day Showcase” was another new show element that found a home in the convention center’s North Hall, where 700-plus local startups and service organizations were featured in an exhibit hall-style setup. And true to its name, the companies that were showcased changed each day of the event. 

The so-called “Recruiter’s Row” found its way back to RSNA 2024—and garnered particularly high interest this year “due to radiology workforce shortages,” Jaworski said. Here, there were also opportunities for guests to update their headshots before heading back to the trade show floor to explore 41 new companies in the First-Time Exhibitor Pavilion or receive a 10-minute spa treatment at a booth offering back and foot massages, aromatherapy, complimentary device charging, and relaxing music for weary attendees. 

The most notable product launch during RSNA 2024, according to Jaworski: “New Computed Tomography (CT) devices with AI capabilities.” A lot more innovation involving machine learning took place at “the AI Showcase, [which] was the premier place for attendees to connect with more than 100 companies offering next-level radiology AI software and products, to see the possibilities of AI firsthand in the RSNA AI Theater, and to network with AI industry leaders and colleagues,” Jaworski said. 

Touchpoints didn’t all have to do with medicine and AI, though. In the conference’s spirit of giving back to the radiology community, there was a moment offered for attendees to give back to the community of Chicago—where RSNA has been hosted since 1985 with only three exceptions, in ‘79, ‘80, and ‘84 (when the event was held in Atlanta, Dallas, and Washington, DC, respectively). “Attendees assembled winter kits for donation to a Chicago non-profit [that helps] children who are unhoused or experiencing low-income situations,” Jaworski said. 

To cap off a lot of hard work—and a lot of steps around North America’s largest convention center—the event offered a ticketed celebration at nightlife hotspot TAO Chicago, complete with music from a world-class DJ, Jaworski added. 

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