One of the biggest events in the radiology calendar is the European Congress of Radiology (ECR). It’s one of the largest medical meetings in Europe and the second largest radiological meeting in the world… it’s kind of a big deal.

So we thought we’d take a look at the event and some of the biggest releases announced there.

All about ECR 2019

• This year the ECR was held in Vienna from February 27th – March 3rd and was the biggest yet, hitting a new participation record of 30,259 (including 827 from the UK).
• Artificial Intelligence was a hot topic, with exhibitors dedicating stands to its potential applications and 44 scientific sessions focused on AI
• Another major topic was women working in radiology , with a series of sessions dedicated to the topic

The exciting technologies on display at ECR

Some of the most exciting things announced at ECR, though, were the new technologies…

• Canon’s Aquilion Start was launched into the European market. It’s their smallest CT scanner yet but is still packed with the premium technology Canon are known for, the technology originally developed for their high-end CT systems. It boasts these premium features in a more affordable package that is designed to make CT scanning accessible to centres that previously couldn’t access this kind of technology whilst still providing high-quality 3D imaging. It’s a great leap forward in accessibility!
• Hitachi unveiled their newest CT and ultrasound solutions to the market. They released the new CT scanner the SCENARIA View, a product that – much like Canon’s offering – is focused on making high-end technologies more appropriate for smaller and medium-sized hospitals. They also released a mid-range version of their premium ultrasound system, the ARIETTA 65 which boasts simplified workflow.
• GE Healthcare unveiled over 25 technologies at ECR 2019 and put the focus firmly on AI with their Edison Applications. This system uses AI and machine learning to identify patterns and makes suggestions which help in clinical decision making.

Other exciting products and technologies on display came from Mindray with their updated Resona 7 ultrasound platform, Samsung who highlighted their SonoSync real time software package, and Siemens Healthineers who introduced their new ARTIS system for neuroradiology.

It’s been great to hear about all the new launches that have come out of ECR 2019, it’s certainly an interesting time to be involved in the radiology world!

What did you think were the most exciting things to come out of ECR 2019? Get in touch on billy.williams@fmctalent.com