EFSUMB.fm Seite 302 Donnerstag, 29. Juli 2004 8:28 08
EFSUMB Newsletter
EFSUMB Newsletter
302
European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology
Editorial Having just re-
more than 750 new subscribers to the
subscribe as a Society to the Journal. More
turned from the
journal since it launched in January
contributions on any subject of local or
EUROSON
2004
which is very gratifying and hopefully
international interest would be wel-
in
more societies will sign up in the future.
comed. Anything of interest in your own
Zagreb there is
The success of the Industrial Board which
country will almost certainly be of in-
much to report.
also met in Zagreb can be seen in the co-
terest to others in Europe. In 2005 the cy-
Firstly Ivan Drin-
operation in producing a report on the
cle of committees comes to an end and
kovic
Conference
his
use of contrast media in liver disease. This
new nominations will be required in a
team put on a
is to be published very shortly in the Jour-
number of areas. Publications and Educa-
most excellent meeting. Most delegates
nal hopefully in this issue and will be the
tional and Professional Standards com-
were spoiled for choice with multiple pa-
first of a number of such cooperations.
mittees are undertaking important work
and
in many areas of ultrasound in Europe
rallel sessions. These combined talks from experts from all around the world,
I hope that by the time you read this the
and it would be most helpful to have no-
recent scientific advances and what I
EFSUMB website will have been revised
minees from national societies to ad-
know many really enjoy, small sessions
and you will appreciate the new front
vance this work with new ideas and great
discussing matters of interest between
page. Many of you may be reading this
enthusiasm. I sincerely hope we are
experts. The social programme with a
Newsletter on the website as this is the
spoiled for choice when it comes to elec-
welcoming reception in the conference
most effective way of communicating
ting the new committees next year. Now
hotel, a most magnificent Mayor’s Recep-
with members from all around Europe on
is the time to think about this and even
tion in the Dverce Palace and Gala Dinner
a regular up to date basis.
perhaps to volunteer before someone tries to persuade you.
on the final evening made for a most memorable meeting. The weather was kind
As a result of contacts made in Zagreb I
so that walking around the city of Zagreb
am hoping to have contributions to the
was quite possible without extremes of
news letter in coming months on a vari-
David W Pilling
heat or being soaked by the rain of the
ety of subjects of interest to members of
Editor EFSUMB Newsletter
preceding week.
which you will find the first one here from Michael Bachmann Nielsen about
The Executive Bureau and Board of Direc-
how the Danes made their decision to
tors and Publications Committee all met during the congress. The formal reports of their sessions will be reported in the next full Newsletter but perhaps it would be appropriate to mention a few of the highlights. Ultraschall in der Medizin/Eustrength to strength with the Norwegian and Danish Societies now having signed up to provide the Journal to all their members. There has now been a total of
Ultraschall 2004; 25
ropean Journal of Ultrasound goes from
EFSUMB.fm Seite 303 Donnerstag, 29. Juli 2004 8:28 08
How the Danish Society of Diagnostic Ultrasound decided on EJU The Danish Society of Diagnostic Ultra-
benefit for our members and the budget
sound (DSDU) did for a number of years
for 2004 was in balance.
have a bulk subscription for the European Journal of Ultrasound (EJU) back in the
Surprisingly, very few of my colleagues
1990s but at the time of the journals un-
have seen it as a problem that some artic-
timely death our society had already
les in the journal are in German, as in
given up subscription. Although a few in-
these articles an extended abstract and
dividual Danish subscribers may have
legends will be in English.
mourned over the fate of the journal very few took any notice of the journal being
Apart from the journal including the
closed.
EFSUMB Newsletter it should be appreciated that national societies signing up
This is a personal view of what was and is
for bulk subscription also get a page in
considered important in the process of
their own language in every issue, and
deciding on taking up bulk subscription
this is a brilliant way of getting informa-
to the journal once again. Had it been just
tion to members 6 times a year. The DSDU
a relaunched European Journal of Ultra-
will continue to publish its own national
sound without the joining with Ultra-
newsletter 4–5 times a year but the page
schall in der Medizin I do not think it
in the EJU is greatly appreciated.
would have been possible to gather supThe DSDU, which is in the process of
port for the journal.
changing its national courses to conform In advance of the General Assembly of the
with EFSUMB’s guidelines for education
DSDU all members had received the
(perhaps more on this on another occasi-
sample issue mailed to all EFSUMB mem-
on), has a considerable number of courses
bers and in addition Thieme sent me
each year. For those attending our basic
some packages with additional copies of
courses we offer one-year free member-
the journal so that every member present
ship of DSDU. I am sure that the additio-
at the General Assembly could have his
nal benefit of receiving 6 issues of EJU will
own copy in front of him when the issue
make them even more satisfied that they
of bulk subscription was to be discussed.
have joined our society.
It turned out that everyone present faEveryone
Michael Bachmann Nielsen
agreed that the Ultraschall in der Medi-
Danish Society of Diagnostic Ultrasound
zin/European Journal of Ultrasound is an
EFSUMB’s Publication Committee
voured
bulk
subscription.
excellent journal with a high impact factor. The discussion dealt with whether to raise the membership fee or not. In the end it was decided to raise the annual fee from 200 DKK (27 Euro) to 300 DKK (40 Euro). As you can see the rise in membership fee does not reflect the full expense of the bulk subscription, but that was deliberate. It was considered important to start bulk subscription as an additional
Ultraschall 2004; 25
EFSUMB.fm Seite 304 Donnerstag, 29. Juli 2004 8:28 08
EFSUMB Newsletter Ironical footnote 304
Why Ultrasonography of the Abdomen at all? Can someone tell me why abdominal ult-
sease. Moreover, once a CT is performed,
domen and the time until it is performed
rasonography should be performed at
everybody is happy – assuming and ta-
– if the hours, maybe days to go are con-
all? Isn’t it much better to do CT scanning
king as a fact that CT renders the utter-
sidered to be too long for an appropriate-
immediately and exclusively? The ad-
most of sectional imaging information
ly quick decision making based on sectio-
vantages are obvious:
possible. We should, however, not be too
nal imaging, there is only one way to sol-
– no more too detailed high-resolution
narrow-minded with respect to, for ex-
ve this problem: Not more and better
ample, non-calcified gallstones, or the
physician performed ultrasonography (if
lack of dynamic information in static CT
needed, repeated at any time, or as emer-
scanning. Nor should we ignore the so-
gency procedure including interventi-
metimes limited attention given to the
ons) is needed with high end devices and
patient’s history and to the clinical fin-
well trained doctors.
mini-pictures – no more depiction of obscure anatomical areas – no zooming up to magnifying glass dimensions – no more free style sections
dings, or regarding the fact that local re-
– no demanding real time
solution of ultrasonography is superior to
What we really need is: Many more CT
any other imaging modality. And that the
machines and much more CT scanning of
idea expressed in the somewhat strange
the abdomen.
demonstrations – no more demonstration of poor video printer sheets of paper
term of “one stop shopping” is fulfilled with abdominal ultrasonography as well
Or can any of our readers tell me why ab-
“echogenicity”, “sound attenuation”,
– no, we should not be mean or
dominal ultrasonography should be per-
or other obscure words).
small-minded by any means, let us be ge-
formed at all?
– no further strange terms (such as
nerous with the monotonously rectanguRoutine CT scanning without and instead
lar slicing in axial computer tomography.
of prior abdominal ultrasonography
Lucas Greiner, MD
would rather provide you with
And please note: Everbody can “read” CT
– panorama pictures of lower resoluti-
films, even the surgeon. The load of infor-
on – an easy to understand gross anatomical overview – simple non-demanding standard sec-
EFSUMB Honorary Secretary
mation in CT pictures does not exceed the levels of understanding of all doctors involved, so this is a good common basic level for communication – unlike ultraso-
tions and easy to read plane re-
nography with its complex and detailed
constructions
findings and diagnostic capabilities.
– no confusing zooming effects – displayed as fancy photo prints or on
And we should not think in terms of
big monitors with video game like
cost-effectiveness, nor should we believe
software equipment
in those who consider most of abdominal
– description in comfortable and well known terms – findings considered to be examiner independent
CT scanning (up to 80%) to be superfluous once a careful ultrasound examination including all clinical data has been carried out – preferably by the physician him/herself who is clinically responsible
lities not too closely related to the pa-
for the patient – no, we should not trust in
tient’s clinical background
such ideas.
So, there is really a lot of pros for CT re-
And do not question the time needed be-
placing ultrasonography in abdominal di-
tween ordering a CT scanning of the ab-
Ultraschall 2004; 25
– a lot of differential diagnostic possibi-