Dear Friends, dear Colleagues

I hope you are looking forward to the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) 2016 as much as I am. Every year I love being at this wonderful event and it is a great privilege to be taking part as the Congress President this year. The task of putting together the programme for this year’s congress has been long, but very enjoyable, and I would now like to introduce a few of the highlights to you.

ECR 2016 Congress President, Prof. Katrine Riklund, from Umeå University Hospital, Sweden.

First of all, the ‘ESR meets’ sessions are always among the most anticipated every year and are a great example of how our congress brings people together from throughout the world. This year you will have the chance to learn about some fascinating topics, such as breast radiology in the Nordic countries, state-of-the-art radiology in Japan, and the transition from practice to reality in Colombia. It is important to note that these sessions are not aimed just at attendees from the guest countries, but at everyone, with the idea that you can discover something new. The same can be said of our guest discipline, nuclear medicine, which will feature in a joint session on hybrid imaging. You can also witness the launch of the new European Society for Hybrid Medical Imaging (ESHI) at the congress, and I encourage you to visit the ESHI booth in the entrance hall, where you can pick plenty of information about the new society.

The new formats introduced to the educational programme last year, under the European Excellence in Education E3 heading, will remain this year, which means you will find sessions with the right level of complexity, wherever you are in your professional development. From the Rising Stars Programme to the ECR Master Classes, there is something to suit everyone, and the sessions are marked with the knowledge level they are intended for. I strongly suggest seeking out your level and making the most of these sessions.

A new feature this year is the Voice of EPOS, which consists of poster sessions with short oral presentations in the EPOSTM area. Interest in this new idea has been great, leading to an all-time high in EPOS abstract submissions, with 2,989 abstracts submitted. The Voice of EPOS sessions will be held not only in organ-based topic groups, but also in several different languages, adding a useful new dimension to the congress. I hope to see a great many of you taking advantage of this great new opportunity to explore the poster content further.

I am also happy to announce that submission of Clinical Trials in Radiology abstracts has increased substantially compared to last year so I also encourage you to come and listen to the presentations based on these ongoing trials. I know that sessions with basic radiology are very much appreciated, but I have a wish that, this year, all of us will challenge ourselves by taking some time to explore radiology beyond our comfort zones, just because our field is so amazing!

These are some of my personal recommendations, but this is really the tip of the iceberg in terms of the full content of ECR 2016. By exploring the comprehensive Preliminary Programme online, you will surely find your own highlights and can start to make your plans for a very busy and enlightening experience in Vienna.

I look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible, enjoying the congress, meeting friends, making new contacts, and taking the opportunity to enjoy the social events of the congress and Vienna.

ECR Congress President, Katrine Riklund

Be Sociable, Share!

•