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Q: As Secretary of Assembly 14, what are you most looking forward to about this year’s ERS Congress?
As Secretary of Assembly 14, gathering people interested in imaging, ultrasound, endoscopy and interventional pulmonology, there are a number of fabulous sessions to recommend for the ERS Congress in Vienna.
The main theme of this year’s congress is Humans and machines: getting the balance right; I’m most looking forward to starting the Congress with the exploration of the ethical challenges that may appear while using artificial intelligence in clinical practice, and taking part in the session ‘Getting the balance right: the ethics of artificial intelligence in clinical decision-making‘ on Saturday morning, which is chaired by real experts in the field. This will then be followed up by the symposium ‘Humans and machines: getting the balance right‘ on Sunday afternoon when the audience will be familiarised with the development, current role and future potential of AI in different fields of science, healthcare and medical research.
Q: What in your opinion will be the hot topics for clinical techniques, imaging and endoscopy?
This year’s ERS Congress programme provides so many interesting topics in the field of clinical techniques, imaging and endoscopy, that it is almost impossible to point out only one or two hot topics. One hot topic in our area, besides sessions devoted to balance between humans and machines, will be to learn more about the advantages and potential of ultra-high-resolution photon-counting computed tomography in chest imaging (session 26 and session 90).
A real hot topic will be covered in a session entitled: ‘Imaging for precision treatment in obstructive lung diseases: ready for prime time?’. In this session, the audience will learn through four lectures how novel imaging tools may support diagnosis, management and prognosis in patients with obstructive airway diseases, mainly COPD.
Q: Tell us your top three picks from the Congress programme?
1. Clinical cases – Imaging clinical cases: artificial intelligence and chest imaging: getting the balance right
Monday, 9 September, 10:15–11:45
This is one of the must-attend sessions for me, during which the role of AI in lung fibrosis and pulmonary nodules will be discussed. I am especially excited about the discussion on Promises and threats of artificial intelligence in lung cancer screening and image analysis, which sounds promising from a practical point of view.
2. Endoscopy sessions 1 and 2 – Diagnostic updates from the bronchoscopy suite and Imaging innovations from the bronchoscopy suite
Tuesday, 10 September, 08:30–10:00 (Session 1), 10:15–11:45 (Session 2)
For our colleagues interested in endoscopy and interventional pulmonology, and also for other Congress attendees, one of the most awaited sessions are the endoscopy sessions planned for Tuesday morning. This year our experts in bronchoscopy and pleural diseases will practically guide us for the performance and implementation of cryo-endobronchial ultrasound for mediastinal diseases, cryobiopsy for interstitial lung diseases, thoracoscopy for pleural diseases and robotic bronchoscopy for peripheral lung lesions. Furthermore, imaging innovations that can be applied in the bronchoscopy suite, such as optical coherence tomography, confocal laser endomicroscopy, cone beam navigation bronchoscopy as well as contrast-enhanced ultrasound will be presented to provide insights into the benefits of these imaging techniques.
3. Hot topic – Malignant pleural effusion diagnosis and management: practical solutions for optimal outcomes
Sunday, 8 September, 08:30–10:00
Symposium – Running against time: early diagnosis and treatment of pleural infection
Monday, 9 September, 15:30–17:00
These interesting sessions devoted to the early diagnosis and treatment of malignant pleural diseases and pleural infections, on Sunday morning and Monday afternoon, should not be missed.
Furthermore, our interest in thoracic ultrasound can be satisfied during the discussion ‘The wide world of thoracic ultrasound’ on Saturday and the poster session: ‘The use of ultrasound in respiratory medicine’ on Monday. Furthermore, we can check or improve our skills during the postgraduate course on thoracic ultrasound, taking place on Saturday, and the skills workshops on Cardiac ultrasound in the management of respiratory failure (taking place at 10:40 and 14:30 on Saturday).
I’m looking forward to seeing you all in Vienna, to improve our knowledge, share our experience and have a great time together, and to become even better experts in respiratory diseases for our patients.