ECR 2018: back to a successful exhibition

The European Congress of Radiology (ECR 2018) − which was held in Vienna from 28 February to 4 March − was again a great success. On this occasion, Medsquare presented the latest features of the Radiation Dose Monitor (RDM) solution, says Aunminnie Europe in this article. The ECR was also an opportunity for Medsquare to meet European distributors and to interact with OEM partners. Here are the highlights and the topics covered:

Successful presentation by Lama Hadid-Beurrier, Lariboisière Hospital
Among the many abstracts that were submitted to the European Society of Radiology (ESR)’s scientific committee, Lama Hadid-Beurrier, Medical Physicist at Lariboisière Hospital, was chosen to present the first results of the scientific study validating RDM’s Peak Skin Dose module on Wednesday, 28 February. Lama Hadid-Beurrier’s ECR presentation attracted the interest of the audience and was followed by questions and answers. As a reminder, Lama Hadid-Beurrier states: “RDM’s skin dose calculation module is a key tool for improving the follow-up of patients in interventional radiology, particularly those who have exceeded the alert threshold for the appearance of deterministic effects. In addition, RDM’s interactive skin dose mapping is a valuable means for educating professionals on radiation protection of patients and enhancing the quality of practices. These principles will be the subject of particular attention in the forthcoming regulatory settlement resulting from the transposition of the Directive 2013/59/Euratom, which sets the new basic standards in radiation protection.” Click here to watch Lama Hadid-Beurrier’s presentation at the ECR.

Focus on the application of the 2013/59/Euratom Directive
The different sessions of the exhibition also highlighted the application of the 2013/59/Euratom Directive. During the congress, Eurosafe Imaging, an initiative of the ESR, made participants aware of the importance of the directive by distributing a flyer containing a quiz. The 5-question quiz addressed the main aspects of the directive, thus making it possible to test everyone’s knowledge on this topic. Medsquare joined in the game by answering the questions of the quiz (click here to find out more).

Eurosafe Imaging’s European survey: the contribution of dose-monitoring solutions
On 15 February, Eurosafe Imaging launched a European study to highlight the added-value of dose monitoring solutions. The first results were published at the ECR during a workshop organized by the European Federation of Medical Physics (EFOMP) which took place on Friday, 2 March. This survey shows once again that strengthening radiation protection is one of the main concerns today.

By answering this questionnaire, RDM’s users have included Medsquare, and therefore France, in this European study. The final results will be communicated later and will be the subject of a scientific publication in the coming months.

Social media are catching on with medical imaging healthcare professionals
During the ECR, several sessions highlighted the importance of social media in the healthcare industry, especially in radiology. These tools have not only changed the way we obtain information, but they’ve also improved and facilitated communication with healthcare professionals. For example, María J. Díaz Candamio − a very active Spanish radiologist who is adept with digital tools (e.g. Twitter) − made a presentation titled: ‘Enhancing communication and collaboration through social media’ (click here to watch her video presentation at ECR). Thus, we note that the influence of social media in the field of radiology continues to increase and impact the daily lives of healthcare professionals, as Michael Walter, editor of Radiologybusiness.com, states in this article.

ECR participation figures still rising − and a 2019 edition already in preparation
A new ECR participation record was set this year: the organizers announced 28,474 participants from 137 different countries! As for the technical exhibition, it extended over nearly 26,000 m2 and welcomed some 300 exhibitors.

The conclusion of ECR 2018 highlighted the preparation of next year’s edition. Indeed, ECR will celebrate its 25th year in 2019. The 25th edition will be rich, energizing, inspiring & dynamic − and its theme has already been set: ‘ECR 2019: the bigger picture’!