Lorenzo E Derchi
ESR President
How do imaging professionals keep up with the relentlessly expanding boundaries of imaging science? Events like the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) have the answer.
Two numbers hold special significance for the European Society of Radiology (ESR) in early 2019. One we already know: 25. This is the number of ECRs that will have been held in Vienna by the time ECR 2019 has run its course from February 27 to March 3. The other number we will only find out later, but if the current trend continues, it ought to be somewhere above 28,474 – the number of attendees at last year’s ECR.
The former is a satisfying milestone for the ESR, and one we will celebrate prominently at this year’s event, but the latter is what counts most for the future.
Meetings help imaging professionals keep up with advances
Meetings like the ECR are as popular as ever and there is no doubt that they play a crucial role in pushing imaging forward. It can be hard to keep up with advances in the field, but the ECR gives the whole community an opportunity to take stock of recent progress; and individuals the chance to dive into any chosen topic.
Building connections across the spectrum of imaging
Tens of thousands of healthcare professionals, students, trainees and industry representatives consider the ECR an unmissable chance to get themselves up to speed. Not only that, but the connections created by bringing together so many people spark all kinds of new initiatives, projects and collaborations. We take it as a great sign for the future of imaging that our community is so keen to be a part of such educational and scientific professional events.
AI will be a key focus for ECR 2019
So, what can attendees expect when they arrive at ECR 2019? It should go without saying that we are fully embracing artificial intelligence this year. The hottest topic in imaging will be very well represented, with interactive exhibits, an AI theatre, and no less than 44 scientific sessions dedicated to the topic.
We are also hugely excited to be expanding our CUBE programme, which was launched last year to bring interventional radiology to the fore. It was a great success at ECR 2018, but we hope the ‘CUBE 2.0’ is going to inspire twice as many participants this time around.
Naturally, we have a few special ideas lined up to mark that 25th anniversary as well, but I do not want to give too much away. Suffice it to say that we have applied this year’s motto ‘the bigger picture’ in quite a literal sense.
From 1991 to the present day, each ESR and ECR president has passed on the fruits of their achievements to the next, resulting in the marvellous, trend-setting congress we know today. They have made the ECR what it is, and that is what we will be celebrating in Vienna.
Science with style
Every year, a tremendous amount of work goes into building a programme that meets the needs of all our attendees, but just as much effort goes into creating an atmosphere where people feel welcome and comfortable, but also suitably inspired.
Our attention to detail, from the overall design to the fun extras (virtual skydives, table football tournaments, even ice stock lanes) is a key part of what makes the ECR successful. We are certain this is one reason our onsite participation keeps growing.
Stream the ECR via our free live broadcasting
But we are also building a significant online following, by embracing the potential of live broadcasting. Anyone interested in the ECR can use our streaming platform ECR Online free of charge.
You will miss out on the networking aspect (one of the main benefits of attending), but you will still get a lot out of it. This is another great example of how the ESR always tries to do what it can to make knowledge accessible for the benefit of the specialty. I am sure the ECR will continue to find other new ways to push the boundaries of what a scientific meeting can be, long into the future.
