SSR ByLaws & Policies

Updated: July 2026

The Society of Skeletal Radiology (SSR) is dedicated to advancing the science and practice of musculoskeletal imaging. Our members hold specialized expertise in the imaging of bone, joint, and soft-tissue disorders and occupy a position of trust within multidisciplinary care teams, research and medical training communities, Society membership and engagement, and the patients we serve.

This Statement of Professionalism articulates the values, obligations, and standards of conduct to which all SSR members commit. It reflects the Society’s conviction that clinical excellence, ethical integrity, collaborative respect, and a commitment to education and scientific advancement are inseparable from the practice of musculoskeletal radiology.

SSR members are guided by four foundational values:

Patient Primacy

• SSR members shall treat all patients with dignity, empathy, and respect.
• The professional practice of SSR members shall reflect clinical excellence and a commitment to lifelong learning; respect of patient privacy, confidentiality and autonomy; prioritization of patient safety particularly as it relates to radiation exposure and clinically-justified imaging examinations and procedures; and communication with the care team that is respectful and consistent with professional standards and the needs of the patient.

Scientific Rigor and Support of Scholarship

• The SSR’s mission is inseparable from scientific inquiry and education. Members who engage in research and/or teaching shall adhere to all applicable ethical standards, including IRB or ethics committee oversight, protection of human subjects, and principles of informed consent.
• Research findings shall be reported honestly, completely, and transparently, and promptly corrected when errors are identified.
• All relevant financial relationships, sponsorships, or other conflicts of interest in publications, presentations, and educational activities shall be disclosed. Academic integrity will be ensured by appropriate attribution of ideas and data, and refusal to engage in or condone any form of publication misconduct.
• Members shall contribute to the education of medical students, residents, and fellows, fostering an inclusive and intellectually stimulating learning environment. Members are encouraged to engage with and support SSR educational programs, annual meetings, online learning initiatives, and collaborative research efforts that advance the field of musculoskeletal imaging.

Integrity

• SSR members shall maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct in all professional activities, including clinical practice, research, education, industry relationships, and public communications.
• Members shall identify and disclose actual or perceived conflicts of interest in accordance with SSR policy and applicable professional guidelines.

Collaborative Stewardship

• SSR members serve patients, the medical community, and the broader public, and are committed to a culture of respect, belonging, and safety.
• SSR members will treat all colleagues and members with courtesy, dignity, and professional respect in the clinical setting, at Society meetings, and in online professional spaces. Members will respect an inclusive professional environment at all times, without harassment, discrimination, or intimidation in any form.
• Members are encouraged to foster professional environments that support the training of the next generation through mentorship, formal education, and scholarly engagement.
• Members are encouraged to advocate for evidence-based imaging utilization, appropriate reimbursement for musculoskeletal imaging services, and equitable patient access to advanced diagnostic capabilities.
• In all communications, members shall represent musculoskeletal radiology with accuracy, scientific integrity, and a commitment to evidence-based practice.

Updated: July 2026

Registration and attendance at the SSR Annual Meeting are limited to the following:

• SSR Members of all categories (Full, Member in Training, Honorary, International, and Emeritus). All Members must be current with membership dues payments in order to attend.
• SSR Affiliate Society Members in good standing.
• Radiology Resident Guests, with SSR member sponsor in attendance at the Annual Meeting. Residents without direct access to an SSR member sponsor should contact the SSR staff at Veritas (SSR association management company) for assistance with assignment of a sponsor.
• Any coauthor on an accepted presentation or exhibit who is in a medical training program that is otherwise ineligible for SSR membership status (medical student, resident, research fellow).
• Guests approved by the Executive Committee.

Any variation from this policy must be approved by the SSR Executive Committee

Updated: July 2026

Final acceptance of an abstract, other oral presentation, or electronic exhibit for presentation at the Annual Meeting cannot be issued until the presenter submits completed Financial Disclosure and Conflict of Interest forms, and all applicable membership dues and registration payments are current.

If a presenter is unavailable on the assigned date, the Program Committee may select an alternate abstract or presenter for the final program.

Scientific Abstract or other Oral Presentations at the Annual Meeting will be limited to the following:

• SSR Full, Honorary, International and Emeritus Members
• SSR Members-in-Training (MITs) — MITs may only submit and present their work under the direct supervision of an SSR Member Sponsor (Full, Honorary, International, or Emeritus). The Member Sponsor must serve as a co-author on the project and be present in the room during presentation at the Annual Meeting.
• Reciprocal Award Recipients (e.g. ISS Intersociety Award winner)
• Invited Guest(s), with approval by the Executive and Program Committees

Radiology Residents at training programs in the United States and Canada may only submit and present their work at the dedicated Resident Abstract Sessions, unless otherwise approved by the Program Committee. Residents must be under the direct supervision of an SSR Member Sponsor (Full, Honorary, International, or Emeritus). The Member Sponsor must serve as a co-author on the project and be present in the room during presentation at the Annual Meeting.

Non-Members are otherwise not eligible to present abstracts or other oral presentations at the Annual Meeting.

Authorship of submitted abstracts and exhibits may only be updated at the time that abstract acceptance is confirmed (typically in November after the abstract submission period).

All Resident and MIT electronic exhibit submissions must include an SSR Member co-author (Full, Honorary, International, or Emeritus).

Any variations from this policy must be approved by the SSR Executive and Program Committees.

Sanctions for violation of the presentation eligibility guidelines are at the discretion of the Program Committee. Sanctions may apply to the submitting author, co-author(s), and/or Member Sponsor as determined by the Program Committee. Sanctions may include but are not limited to the following:

• Removal from the podium presentation schedule
• Disqualification from award consideration
• Ineligibility for abstract submission at future SSR Annual Meetings
• Removal from the Annual Meeting, without refund

Updated: July 2026

Moderators are an important part of the program at the Annual Meeting. Roles include the following:

• Establishing a welcoming, informative and collegial tone to each session. Introducing yourself, speakers, members of the audience, and online participants supports the collaborative spirit of the Annual Meeting.
• Familiarizing yourself and the speakers with the AV controls, timer, and structure of each session. This improves speaker confidence and timeliness.
• Time management of individual presentations, questions, discussion, and the session as a whole. This ensures all content at the Annual Meeting is fairly and equitably represented.
• Facilitation of questions, comments, and ideas. Interactive and lively discussion is one of the highlights of the Annual Meeting. Moderator preparation, attention to onsite and virtual participants, and readiness to insert your own questions and comments where appropriate promotes valuable sharing of ideas at the meeting.
• Communication of podium announcements, keeping attendees informed and engaged.

A downloadable PDF with detailed moderator guidelines is available for your convenience: SSR Moderator Guidelines: Scientific Sessions

Updated: July 2026

This policy refers to any invited guests, speakers or affiliate organization representatives in attendance at the Annual Meeting.

Invited Guests who have received approval from the Executive Committee will receive complimentary meeting registration (including 1 banquet ticket). No other compensation or travel reimbursement will be provided by the Society.

Any variation from this policy must be approved by the Executive Committee.

Updated: July 2026

The Society does not place any restriction on the publication of material presented at the SSR Annual Meeting. Abstracts and exhibits presented at the Annual Meeting may be submitted to the publication of the author’s choice.

Updated: July 2026

This policy defines the Society’s guidelines for the presentation of papers at the SSR Annual Meeting that have been previously submitted or presented at other professional meetings and/or publications.

The Program Committee will consider all submitted abstracts for inclusion in the Annual Meeting program, including abstracts that have been presented at prior meetings and/or submitted for publication. Abstracts will be selected for presentation by the Program Committee on the basis of clinical importance and scientific merit.

Author(s) must disclose at the time of SSR Annual Meeting abstract submission whether the abstract has been submitted, accepted, presented, and/or published at any other meeting or in any other format.

Presenters planning to use material presented at the SSR Annual Meeting at other society meetings are advised to review each respective society’s policy on previously presented material.

Updated: October 2024 (Grandfathering 2024-25; Effective 2025-26)

One of the Research Committee (RC) members’ key responsibilities is to review and evaluate applications for the three SSR Research Grants – Early Career Grant, Hot Topic Grant, and Seed Grant. If RC members also apply for these grants, it presents potential conflicts of interest. To ensure the integrity of the grant review process, the eligibility of RC members as applicants must be clarified.

To address this issue, the Research Committee sought and obtained input from the Rules Committee and Executive Committee. An initial proposal for amendments to the SSR Grant application protocols, dated August 26, 2024, was reviewed by all parties. Following consultations and feedback, a revised proposal is hereby submitted.

Proposed Policy:

• RC members are not eligible to apply for SSR research grants.
• SSR members volunteering to join the RC should be informed of this restriction before beginning their mandate on the committee.
• An RC member who wishes to apply for an SSR grant before completing their tenure on the RC must resign from the committee.
• If an RC member is a mentor to an SSR grant applicant, they should not be listed on the grant application. Furthermore, the RC member must recuse themselves from reviewing the category of grant to which their mentee is applying. An SSR Education Committee member may be called upon as a stand-in reviewer to replace the RC member to ensure a sufficient number of reviewers.
• If an RC member participates in a project funded by the SSR and is eligible for authorship on the resulting publication, it is acceptable for them to be an author, but they cannot be listed in any position on the grant application.
• All RC members will be required to disclose any conflicts of interest with grant applicants before reviewing their applications.

Grandfathering Provision for Current RC Members

This new protocol should take effect for RC members joining in the 2025-26 cycle, with the understanding that current RC members should still recuse themselves from reviewing any grants in which they are involved.

Updated: July 2026

The Society does not provide consultations, official comments, scientific reviews, reviews of published or presented material, legal opinions, or any similar matters, and does not keep or provide a list of members who do so.

Society members may not use their affiliation with the Society as an official or unofficial credential when rendering a medical or legal opinion.

Updated: July 2026

This policy regulates the scope and administration of Society membership surveys.

SSR members may request a membership survey for scientific and practice-improvement projects, in keeping with the objectives and purposes of the Society as specified in the organizational bylaws.  A survey by an SSR member may be distributed to the SSR membership upon approval of a survey request application along with a distribution fee of $250, which will be contributed to the SSR RED Fund. Surveys that are designated by the Executive Committee as “SSR Initiated” do not require fee payment.

Approved surveys will be allowed to be distributed twice to the membership. Any additional distribution(s) will require approval from the Executive Committee, along with an additional distribution fee.

Email, email attachment, and online survey URLs will generally be distributed to the SSR membership without additional administrative cost.  Any administrative costs associated with the survey will be the responsibility of the surveyor, and are in addition to the distribution fee.  Email attachments should be as small as possible, generally less than 5 MB.

Surveys sent by postal mail will be distributed in accordance with the SSR Membership List Distribution Policy.

All research surveys, regardless of origin, should be submitted directly to the office of the SSR Executive Director. The Executive Director will submit the survey request to the Research Committee Chair, along with a copy to the Executive Committee. The Research Committee will make a recommendation to the Executive Committee regarding approval along with any recommended changes. Final approval from the Executive Committee is required prior to the distribution of the survey. The Executive Director, Research Committee, or Executive Committee may determine the proposal should be reviewed by another committee in lieu of or in addition to the Research Committee, as appropriate.

The Society Secretary, under the direction of the Executive Committee, will regulate the number, frequency, and length of surveys, and reserves the right to refuse distribution of surveys that do not meet the objectives and purposes of the Society.

Surveys requested by non-society members or commercial entities will be considered on an individual basis by the Executive Committee and will be individually charged. In general, those entities should be charged at least double the current distribution fee as that for SSR members.

The initial response to the survey author following survey application submission will be no more than 45 days.

Updated: July 2026

This policy regulates the use and sale of Society electronic or printed membership lists.

SSR Members may request address mailing and email lists for surveys and scientific and administrative projects in keeping with the objectives and purposes of the Society as specified in the organizational Bylaws and the Membership Survey Policy.

Requests for mailing lists by non-members or commercial entities will be considered on an individual basis by the Executive Committee, and will be individually charged. The nominal fee for a single use address mailing list is $750 with a letter indicating that it is for “one time use only.”  Mailing label lists will include member name and primary address only.

Fees for Society corporate partners may be waived in accordance with the sponsorship level and the purpose of the request; these requests must be approved by the Executive Committee.

Mailing lists will not be provided to placement services or recruiters.

Updated: July 2026

This policy regulates the display and distribution of promotional material at the SSR Annual Meeting.

Marketing material including, but not limited to, pins, pens, CDs, mugs, etc., will not be accepted for display or distribution in the areas in which CME activities occur.

Any exception to this policy must be approved by the Executive Committee.

Updated: July 2026

The notification schedule and annual membership dues amount payable by active members of the SSR shall be determined annually by the Executive Committee, and consistent with the needs of the Society.

In general, membership dues will be payable and considered current up to 90 days from the initial dues notification. Any variation from this schedule as determined by the Executive Committee will be communicated to the membership at the time of initial dues notification.

Dues are paid according to the membership fiscal year, and are not pro-rated.

Failure to pay membership dues by the deadline established by the Executive Committee will result in termination of membership, and forfeiture of all rights and privileges of membership. This includes, but is not limited to, eligibility to attend the Annual Meeting, abstract submission for the Annual Meeting, electronic subscription to the Skeletal Radiology journal, and SSR leadership appointment and committee service.

Eligibility for reinstatement versus reapplication for lapsed members will be considered by the Membership Committee according to the terms outlined in the SSR Bylaws.

2026-27 Membership Dues: $415

• Initial Dues Notification: 6/30/2026

Updated: July 2026

This policy regulates reimbursement of meal expenses incurred by SSR members engaging in business on behalf of the Society. It applies to all Society travel paid either directly by the Society or reimbursed by the Society.

The Executive Committee may authorize the purchase of food for business meetings which extend through or occur during the normal lunch or dinner hour. This expense must be approved in advance by the Executive Committee and must be supported by a receipt, a written record of the Society business conducted, and a list of the participants.

All requests for reimbursement shall be reviewed by the SSR Executive Director to ensure compliance with these guidelines and inclusion of all necessary documentation. All reimbursement requests and supporting documentation will be retained by the Society. The Society Treasurer will make final approval for reimbursement.

Updated: July 2026

This policy regulates reimbursement of expenses incurred by SSR members while traveling and/or engaging in business on behalf of the Society. It applies to all Society travel paid either directly by the Society or reimbursed by the Society.

Only travel approved by the Executive Committee shall be reimbursed by the Society. The following recurring travel is considered to be approved Society travel:

• Annual Meeting Site Selection – Incoming Program Committee Chair and Staff
• Annual Meeting – Staff
• ACR Annual Meeting – SSR ACR Councilor and/or Alternate
• ACR Intersociety Meeting – SSR Representative and/or Alternate
• Academy for Radiology & Biomedical Research – SSR Representative

Any other travel requests require pre-approval by the Executive Committee for consideration of reimbursement.

The following reimbursement restrictions apply as required:

Air Travel:

• Air travelers must travel in coach class unless otherwise authorized in writing in advance by the Executive Committee.
• Society travelers are expected to obtain the lowest fare commensurate with accomplishing the purposes for which the travel was initiated.

Ground Transportation:

• Reimbursement for rental vehicles is authorized where the use is economically justified, or where no reasonable alternative exists.
• Ride-share services (e.g. Uber, Lyft) related to official Society travel will be reimbursed with submission of receipt.
• Use of a traveler’s personal vehicle to attend functions will be reimbursed, based on round-trip mileage, less personal mileage, at the current IRS reimbursement rate. In accordance with IRS stipulations, the traveler must enter mileage on the reimbursement form and list the date and time of travel, the place of departure, the place of arrival, and the society-related purpose for the travel.
• All parking expenses require the submission of a receipt, unless a receipt is not available (such as when using a parking meter). When parking at airports, use of the economy parking lot is encouraged.

Lodging:

• Society travelers are expected to use the event sponsored/contracted lodging facility or such other lodging facility that provides a reasonable location and price. Incidentals charged to the hotel room other than mandatory resort fees will not be reimbursed.

Meals/Per Diem:

• Reimbursement for meals will be based on actual meal expenses incurred up to a maximum of $40 per day without receipts, or up to $70 per day if meal receipts are included with the expense report.
• If claiming an amount above the $40 per day fixed per diem, meal expenses shall be itemized on the expense reimbursement form and receipts attached.
• Alcoholic beverages will not be reimbursed.

Miscellaneous Expenses:

• While engaged in Society business, traveling or otherwise, ordinary and necessary expenses are reimbursable. Such expenses may include baggage handling, tolls, tips, postage, express mail charges, etc. Requests for postage reimbursements must be accompanied by an itemization of the postage charged, a brief description of the item sent, and the name of the recipient.

Telephone Calls:

• The Society will only reimburse for essential, Society-related long distance telephone calls. As a general rule, brief calls made to family members to confirm safe arrival at the destination will be reimbursed. Travelers should ordinarily not use a hotel room phone to make Society-related phone calls since many hotels assess surcharges on those calls.
• Internet access charges will not be reimbursed by the Society.

All requests for reimbursements must be made in writing by the completion of a travel expense reimbursement form. A travel expense reimbursement form can be obtained from the SSR Office, and should be submitted as soon as possible after the travel has been completed, but not later than 60 days following completion of travel. Detailed, itemized, original receipts must be submitted for all expenses to be reimbursed. All receipts for meals must include an itemization of the specific items purchased.

All travel expense reports shall be reviewed by the SSR Executive Director to ensure compliance with the above guidelines and inclusion of all necessary documentation. All reimbursement requests and supporting documentation will be retained by the Society. Final approval for reimbursement will be made by the Society Treasurer.

Updated: July 2026

This policy defines posting and cost of announcements of non-SSR continuing medical education (CME) opportunities and events.

The SSR will only consider posting non-SSR CME announcements and events that are directly sponsored by official SSR affiliate societies. These non-SSR announcements may be posted on the SSR website, SSR social media accounts, or distributed to SSR members through email. 

Announcements may be posted from the time received, until the beginning date of the activity, not to exceed 12 months. Term and frequency of the posting is at the discretion of the Society Secretary. All announcements must be approved by the Society Secretary in accordance with the directives of the Executive Committee.

The SSR will not assume any costs related to posting non-SSR CME opportunities and events. 

The SSR will not provide membership distribution lists to any entity for purposes of non-SSR CME advertising.

Updated: July 2026

This policy governs the posting of teaching material on the Society website.

The Chair of the Electronic Learning Committee will be responsible for determining the suitability of content included on the Society website by ensuring that each listing has suitable educational value, and that there is no commercial bias or advertising. All content should be the property of the SSR, or of its affiliate societies.

The Society Secretary will oversee the website and will represent the Executive Committee in determining the suitability of questionable sites.

Updated: July 2026

This policy defines guidelines for official SSR Social Media posts.

Each SSR Standing and Ad Hoc Committee will select one person who will be responsible for posting messages to the SSR social media accounts. This person will receive login information for each account from the Social Media Committee.

All posts should be directly related to the activities of the SSR and its committees.

If there is a question about the appropriateness of a post, the assigned person should review the post with their own committee chair. If more assistance is needed, the committee chair can reach out to the Social Medial Committee for guidance and editing.

Social media account passwords will be changed annually.

Posting Instructions:

• Message text should be 280 characters or less
• Include at least one but no more than four image(s) related to the post; the image can be a graph or figure, if applicable
• Provide an external weblink (e.g., SSR website page), if applicable, with more information, discussion or content on the topic
• Include appropriate hashtags (at least one and no more than three):

#ssrbone – for SSR topics

#mskrad – for MSK radiology topics

#radfellow – for topics related to fellowship or fellows

#radres – for topics related to residency or residents

Please ensure you are only posting verified content that you have the right to post. If it is unpublished data or property of another individual or society, secure the appropriate consent and permissions prior to submitting the content to the SSR.

Do not include protected health information or any other personal identifying information on any post.

Updated: July 2026

This policy defines the guidelines that surround SSR Consensus Paper development.

As defined in the SSR Bylaws, the Research Committee and Standards & Guidelines Committee are responsible for Consensus Paper topic selection, content development and management, volunteer recruitment and coordination, and submission for publication. All Consensus Paper author panels should include at least one non-radiology clinician with expertise in the selected topic.

The Membership Engagement Committee (MEC) Chair may also be consulted regarding Consensus Paper panel member selection.

The annual SSR Consensus Papers should be submitted and published in Skeletal Radiology (official journal of the SSR).  To address promotion and distribution of the SSR Consensus Papers, the Executive Committee approves up to $3000 per published Consensus Paper for open access. Any costs beyond that require approval of the Executive Committee.