Ultraschall Med 2009; 30(1): 84
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1208016
EFSUMB Newsletter

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Thoughts of the President

Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
27 February 2009 (online)

 

Despite the worldwide financial crisis EFSUMB looks back to a successful year.

Norbert Gritzmann, President of EFSUMB

Last year the office of EFSUMB has moved from Bromley at the periphery of London to the centre of London. We have rented an office from the British Institute of Radiology at a reasonable price and I want to thank David Evans for his successful negotiations with BIR.

EFSUMB today is in a healthy and stable position. The membership of EFSUMB increases steadily and will soon reach 20.000 members, so EFSUMB is one of the biggest interdisciplinary medical societies. Also our financial condition allows us to support further educational activities. One major aim is to concentrate on the individual benefits of being an EFSUMB member.

At the end of May Euroson 2008 was held in Timisoara in the western part of Romania. With a total number of more than 2000 participants this congress which was held in conjunction with the meeting of the Romanian Ultrasound society was a tremendous success. Ioan Sporea and his team really organised a remarkable event. I want to thank him and all of his team for doing such a great and successful job.

As we know Ultrasound congresses are going to have a more and more educational background. But also new science was presented especially dealing with contrast agents. In this area ultrasound gets a giant boost. We all were impressed be the generous hospitality of the Romanian organisers. Both the Romanian ultrasound society and EFSUMB have supported young authors. To encourage young scientists to present innovative papers the congress fee was waived for all accepted first authors below 35years.

Another big success is our scientific journal European Journal Ultrasound /Ultraschall in der Medizin". Due to the efforts of Editors, the Review Board and mainly due to the publishing scientists, the impact factor of the journal continues to rise and is now 2.3, the highest number for a multidisciplinary ultrasound journal. I really hope that we can continue with this success and EFSUMB will support the journal whenever possible.

Another major event was the presentation of the new version of the guidelines for contrast enhanced sonography in the first issue of UiM/EJU by the EFSUMB study group for USCA. It was decided to re-evaluate the guidelines at least every three years. President elect Christian Nolsøe will steer this group.

The style of the newsletter and the homepage of EFSUMB have changed and a case of the month was introduced in the EFSUMB website. This all has been often visited by our members. Michael Bachmann from Denmark takes care of this important publication and communication medium. Michael also chairs the Publication committee.

One important goal will be to optimise the communication with our members, so the National Societies are asked to provide email addresses of all their members. EFSUMB offers a membership certificate to all the member of the National Societies each year. On demand each national society can obtain a bulk supply of personalised certificates for all their members.

EFSUMB introduced a new series of Euroson schools regarding contrast enhanced ultrasound. H.P. Weskott organised the first course of this series in Hannover. This high end educational course proved to be a big success with more than 80 participants. This new type of courses is supported by Bracco.

The Education and Professional Standards committee was very active last year so that guidelines and recommendations for education in nearly all areas of ultrasound have been published.

The continuous work of the safety committee (ECMUS) reviewing the literature regarding safety aspects of ultrasound is of significant importance to all of us using this useful and safe technique. However since new techniques like contrast techniques are spreading into daily routine, we have to be even more alert to potential side effects.

The next Euroson congress will be held in conjunction with the British Medical Ultrasound Society in Edinburgh from 6th-9th of December 2009 . I am sure that we are going to organise an interesting congress with educational and scientific highlights. I want to encourage all groups to present their new results and to present high quality education sessions at Euroson 2009. Again EFSUMB wants to support young scientists to present their papers by reducing or waiving their congress fee and by the young investigators award at the Euroson congress.

Another important task is the replacement of our General secretary Gianna Stanford. She will retire after the Edinburgh congress. Therefore we have to search a person with really multitasking abilities. It is well known that Gianna did an excellent job and that she did much more for our society that could be expected.

Building up a European Ultrasound Community is a very important task for all of us and we try to do our best in promoting science and education.

I am open for every new constructive idea and can be easily reached.

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