Category: ECR 2015 Press Releases

Sunday, March 8 (ECR) – Cardiac and thoracic diseases are often intertwined and can be diagnosed during the same examination. Cardiovascular and chest radiologists are therefore trying to broaden their focus, and they have a lot to teach each other. Speakers from both sides will discuss the challenges ahead in today’s New Horizons session at the ECR.

Radiologists must adopt a comprehensive approach because of the relationship between diseases of the heart and chest, according to Prof. Christian Loewe, deputy...

Sunday, March 8 (ECR) – There may not be a designated PACS for research yet, but there are plenty of tools that can simplify research work, as experts will show during a Special Focus session today at the ECR.

Saturday, March 7 (ECR) – New methods that make it possible to visualise activity on a molecular level will boost optical imaging use in radiology, especially oncology applications. Experts will unveil the secrets of Cerenkov (blue light) radiation, reporter gene imaging and opto-acoustics techniques today during a New Horizons session at the ECR.

Speakers will look at molecular activity at the level of gene expression, tumour progression and metastasis, using reporter genes as well as a completely new imaging approach...

Saturday, March 7 (ECR) – Cardiac CT is emerging as an alternative to conventional invasive coronary angiography, but its exact potential is yet to be established. Speakers will present the most promising technologies today in a Special Focus session at the ECR.

Fractional flow reserve computed tomography (FFR CT) enables coronary stenosis significance to be assessed in a new way, according to Dr. Gorka Bastarrika, a cardiothoracic radiologist at Clinica Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona, Spain.

“The main advantage of...

Friday, March 6 (ECR) – The state of imaging equipment in Europe is alarming and a panel of experts will confront the issue today during a Professional Challenges session on problems impeding the harmonisation of imaging standards in Europe.

The older the equipment, the lower the quality of imaging. According to the European Coordination Committee of the Radiological Electromedical and Healthcare IT Industry (COCIR), equipment is rapidly ageing in Europe. In the EU, 60% of CT machines were up to...

Friday, March 6 (ECR) – Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) can only enhance performance if used correctly, and does not reduce the need for training, experts agree. Furthermore, CAD is moving away from pure detection to clinical decision support, but the adoption of new reading paradigms for the screening scenario and improvements in how the technology presents results are both vital if it is to become an essential imaging tool, experts will explain during a Refresher Course today.

CAD for colonography shows...

Thursday, March 5 (ECR) – Integration of imaging biomarkers in Europe is a challenge, and a number of issues must be overcome so that the full potential of quantitative imaging can be realised, renowned researchers will show in a session today at the ECR.

Quantitative imaging enables disease to be found very early and considerably improves treatment monitoring. In healthy tissue for instance, researchers can use quantitative imaging to study the functional properties of this tissue in order to get...

Thursday, March 5 (ECR) – Radiology as we know it is bound to change profoundly. The attitude of radiologists towards this transformation and how they can cope with tightening budgets will be fundamental, experts will argue during today’s Professional Challenges session at the ECR.

The emergence of quantitative imaging, and the validation of an increasing number of imaging biomarkers for prognosis, diagnosis or therapy monitoring, have already started changing clinical practice. Clinical radiologists must learn how to use these new...

Wednesday, March 4 (ECR) – Imaging dense breasts or tissue abnormalities is still challenging in breast screening, but breast ultrasound continues to prove its utility, experts will show today in a Refresher Course at the ECR.

It is estimated that mammography sensitivity ranges from 65% to 91%. The masking effect of dense breast tissue is the most relevant cause of false-negatives, according to Dr. Veronica Girardi from the Istituti Ospedalieri Bresciani in Brescia, Italy.

“When we consider breast density, there...

Wednesday, March 4 (ECR) – Radiologists will soon face dangers if they don’t claim their place in the medical team, experts will argue in today’s Professional Challenges session at the ECR.

Radiologists must step out of their offices and show that they can bring added value to the team, according to Prof. Jim Reekers, professor of interventional radiology at the University of Amsterdam, who will chair the session. “Being the photographers or doctors who only give a report with a...