EUROSON 2022 Timisoara, Romania

Alina Popescu & Christian Jenssen 

Rarely has a congress been held under such unfavorable omens as the 33 rd EUROSON in Timisoara together with the 18th WFUMB Congress, the 25th National Ultrasound Conference of the Romanian Ultrasound Society and the first WFUMB & EFSUMB Student Ultrasound Congress (STUC): no one knew for sure whether the Covid wave would actually subside in time. No one knew how many colleagues will make the journey to Romania, while at the same time in the neighboring country the Russian troops are waging a war of extermination against the Ukrainian nation. However, the admirable and unflinching optimism of the Romanian hosts, the diverse program with prominent and great speakers from all over the world was convincing: more than 1000 participants from 48 countries came to Timisoara, greeted by early summer weather, carried away by the great joy of seeing each other again and enjoying a “real” congress with personal encounters, and overwhelmed by the incredible hospitality of our Romanian friends. The numbers (see infobox 1) speak for themselves: this congress was highly successful and we were very happy to be co-presidents of this event together with Cristina Chammas (WFUMB) and Ioan Sporea (Romania). Of course, one can never experience the whole congress, which took place in 8 lecture halls in the Timisoara Convention Center near the grandiose Opera House and in another two halls in the Regional Business Center (STUC). Nevertheless, we would like to share our personal highlights with you.

For four days Timisoara was the World Capital of Ultrasound! The congress benefited from the experience of 151 invited speakers, experts in the ultrasound field, and the participants were invited to more than 100 hours of scientific program, in 57 scientific sessions, in 8 parallel rooms. The congress was awarded with 19 European CME Credits and covered most of the ultrasound applications in medicine. The participants were actively involved in the program by presenting their original research. 192 abstracts were presented during this meeting: 44 oral presentations, 10 oral case reports, 124 poster presentations and 14 students’ abstracts.

Oral original Research Presentations, May 26

This was a real science marathon with 11 presentations in 2 hours. Almost all presenters were young: young physicians and researchers and medical students from 5 countries, most of them from Romania. The variety of topics was impressive, ranging from basic research (imaging with shear waves, generated by laser induced cavitation bubbles) to experimental clinical research (3 D ultrasound ex vivo imaging of surgical specimens as a potential substitute for frozen sections; multiparametric ultrasound of liver parenchyma, thyroid gland and kidney transplants) to artificial intelligence for differentiation of benign and malignant renal tumors. Equally pleasing was the partly outstanding scientific quality of the contributions. Particularly stimulating was the lively discussion among the young researchers, which also took place at a high level. It was not easy for the jury to decide on the prize winners (see Info Box 2, Prize winners oral presentations).

Ten Ukrainian Ultrasound Experts in Timisoara!

It was a special pleasure that ten Ukrainian EFSUMB members accepted the invitation to attend the congress. Some of them had to travel under very difficult conditions, such as Professor Oleg Dynnyk from Kyev, who was one of the invited speakers. Iryna Bekalo had also come, from France, where she had flown with her family from Odessa. The EFSUMB awarded her the honorary fellowship, honoring not only Iryna's contribution to the development of ultrasound in Ukraine and her support of Ukrainian EFSUMB members who fled the war, but at the same time bowing to all Romanian colleagues who, sometimes at the risk of their lives, continue to care for their patients or, as refugees from abroad, support their fellow citizens and colleagues who remained in their homeland.

Special Lectures Session, EUROSON Congress, May 26

Four ultrasound experts were honored with special lectures: for the first time a Turkish colleague, Professor Süha Süreyya Özbek from Izmir, held the EUROSON Lecture. For the first time two EUROSON lectures were presented in one year. And for the first time in EFSUMBs history an EUROSON lecture was held by a woman: Professor Maija Radzina from Latvia. The 17th DEGUM Lecture was delivered by a gynecologist: Professor Constantin von Kaisenberg from Hannover spoke about the DEGUM experience with the establishment and quality improvement of ultrasound guidelines, a topic that is also of great concern to us in the EFSUMB. My special favorite was the last special lecture, the Hans Henrik Holm lecture on Lung Ultrasound was given by Professor Christian Borbjerg Laursen in the presence of the first Hans Henrik Holm Laureate Christian Nolsoe (both Denmark). From all lecturers one could learn how to give didactically outstanding lectures in individually very different ways: with impressive aplomb, clear systematics, convincing statements, well-designed slides, clear language, a catchy lecture style, time discipline, and of course with great pictures.

The EFSUMB EPSC/Publication Committees Session

This year the EFSUMB EPSC and Publication Committee joint session brought to the attention of the participants a debate:

Who is doing your scan?

• the clinician perspective presented by Alina Popescu

• the sonographer perspective presented by Hazel Edwards

• the radiologist perspective presented by Torben Lorentzen

Advantages and disadvantages of each of the perspective were highlighted and the participants took actively part in the discussions, presenting their own experience and perspectives.

The Opening Ceremony at the Opera House, May 26

This was an evening of goosebump moments: the splendor of the freshly reconstructed architecture of the 1871–1875 neo-Renaissance style theater alone impressed the participants, who were greeted by saluting guardsmen in historical uniforms in front of the 1934–1936 neo-Byzantine style main portal. The whole evening radiated the joy of the Romanian hosts to welcome and literally embrace the European and worldwide ultrasound family in their country, in the city of flowers and cultural and national diversity, in Timisoara. A particularly emotional highlight was the awarding of Honorary Lifetime Membership to Professor Hassen Gharbi, Tunisia, by WFUMB President Professor Cristina Chammas. For me, it was a special honor to be presented with the EFSUMB Presidential Medal by Professor Adrian Saftoiu (Romania). And finally, we were privileged to attend one of the rare performances of Ludwig van Beethoven's only ballet “The Creatures of Prometheus”. That evening we all felt the overwhelming hospitality of our Romanian friends in a special way.

50 YEARS of EFSUMB 1972–2022 & 25 years of SRUMB

It was also an anniversary congress both for EFSUMB and the Romanian Society of Ultrasound – SRUMB.

The 50 years EFSUMB anniversary was marked by the anniversary brochure that brought a few snapshots from the history of EFSUMB, and by the anniversary session, that moved everybody that attended it. The SRUMB anniversary session presented a younger society, but a very active one. Bothe sessions were moments of sharing dear memories and future plans. It was a great honor to be part of such events.

Publication History

Article published online:
12 August 2022