FAIRFAX, Va.–The Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology—the monthly, peer-reviewed flagship publication of the Society of Interventional Radiology—announced several major changes for 2011—all directed at highlighting the global impact of this minimally invasive medical specialty and its lead journal. JVIR, which has been published since 1989, focuses on critical and cutting-edge medical, minimally invasive, radiological, pathological and socioeconomic issues of importance to vascular and interventional radiologists.
"Changes have been made to further enhance the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology's core strengths, particularly to streamline its editorial process. My target goal is 30 days for time to first decision for new manuscripts," said new editor-in-chief Ziv J Haskal, M.D., FSIR. "JVIR is a vigorous engine for rapid peer review and delivery of the most novel and impactful, global, cutting-edge, basic science research, clinical reports and evidence-based medicine—JVIR aims to build on that legacy," explained Haskal, professor of radiology and surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and vice chair of strategic development and chief of vascular and interventional radiology, image-guided therapy and interventional oncology at the University of Maryland Medical Center, both in Baltimore, Md.
JVIR's new look includes a cover design that incorporates the title's bold new logo, contemporary graphics and abstract angiographic images, while changes to the publication's text style, image treatments and layout combine to provide enhanced readability.
"At a time when there is a growing demand for high-quality, evidenced-based work, JVIR delivers," said SIR President James F. Benenati, M.D., FSIR, an interventional radiologist and medical director for the Noninvasive Vascular Laboratory at Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute in Miami, Fla. "As interventional radiology expands globally, the time is right for new initiatives that will leverage the tools, technology and experience of SIR members," Benenati continued. "Always innovative, JVIR will provide rapid and tight reviewing and early decision giving authors visibility for their research and readers increased access to more information through multiple new channels," he added.
"The combined expertise of the newly reconfigured JVIR editorial board—a smaller group of renowned associate editors—including a new deputy editor Tony P. Smith, M.D.—will ensure uniformity, fairness and efficiency in manuscript handling, comments and revisions," said Haskal. Smith is a professor of radiology and division chief of peripheral and neurological radiology at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. In keeping with JVIR's vision for a stronger international focus, the new board includes interventional radiologists from the United States, Canada, India, Japan and Korea.
Haskal notes that one of the journal's new initiatives is to expand the ways in which it provides information by including new article types. "With James B. Spies, M.D., MPH, FSIR, professor and chair of the department of radiology at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., in the new role of review editor, JVIR readers will see multiple monthly focused, newly formatted, evidence-based reviews," he added. Robert Ryu, M.D., FSIR, of Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Ill., is JVIR's media editor, who will oversee the new JVIR podcast channel, a medium JVIR will use to create short, drive-time, hard-hitting interviews with authors of contemporaneous papers that will provide insight into methodology, study structure, controversy, biases, implications for practice and next directions for research. Michael S. Stecker, M.D., FSIR, assistant professor of radiology at Boston's Brigham & Women's Hospital, will serve as JVIR's new continuing medical education (CME) editor.
JVIR editors emeriti are Gary J. Becker, M.D., FSIR, Tucson, Ariz.; Daniel Picus, M.D., FSIR, St. Louis, Mo.; Karim Valji, M.D., FSIR, Seattle, Wash.; and Albert A. Nemcek Jr., M.D., FSIR, Chicago, Ill. Associate editors include Yasuaki Arai, M.D., Tokyo, Japan; Matthew S. Johnson, M.D., FSIR, Indianapolis, Ind.; David C. Madoff, M.D., FSIR, New York, N.Y.; Louis G. Martin, M.D., FSIR, Atlanta, Ga.; Deeraj K. Rajan, M.D., FSIR, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Mahmood K. Razavi, M.D., Orange, Calif.; Sanjiv Sharma, M.D., Delhi, India; and Ho-Young Song, M.D., Seoul, Korea.
JVIR's redesigned Web site (www.jvir.org) includes many new features, such as improved navigation; access to current articles, features and issues; and the most up-to-date information on research and other interventional radiology news.
For more information about the journal, contact Noemi C. Arthur, SIR senior director of communications, publications and clinical practice and JVIR managing editor, at narthur@SIRweb.org or (703) 460-5593. A yearly subscription to the journal is $454 for individuals and $641 for institutions. A free journal subscription is a benefit of SIR membership. More information about the Society of Interventional Radiology and the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology can be found online at www.SIRweb.org. JVIR is published by Elsevier for SIR.
About the Society of Interventional Radiology
Interventional radiologists are physicians who specialize in minimally invasive, targeted treatments. They offer the most in-depth knowledge of the least invasive treatments available coupled with diagnostic and clinical experience across all specialties. They use X-ray, MRI and other imaging to advance a catheter in the body, such as in an artery, to treat at the source of the disease internally. As the inventors of angioplasty and the catheter-delivered stent, which were first used in the legs to treat peripheral arterial disease, interventional radiologists pioneered minimally invasive modern medicine. Today, interventional oncology is a growing specialty area of interventional radiology. Interventional radiologists can deliver treatments for cancer directly to the tumor without significant side effects or damage to nearby normal tissue.
Many conditions that once required surgery can be treated less invasively by interventional radiologists. Interventional radiology treatments offer less risk, less pain and less recovery time compared to open surgery. Visit www.SIRweb.org.
Local interviews are available by contacting Ellen Acconcia, SIR communications manager/practice areas, eacconcia@SIRweb.org, (703) 460-5582, or Maryann Verrillo, SIR director of communications and public relations, mverrillo@SIRweb.org, (703) 460-5572.