BIKUS advances ultrasound expertise at UEG Week in Vienna

Neuruppin, 18 November 2024

Ultrasound diagnostics have evolved into an essential and patient-friendly examination method used in a wide range of medical disciplines. The Brandenburg Institute of Clinical Ultrasound BIKUS, associated with the Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane (MHB), was a focus of attention at the 32^nd United European Gastroenterology Week; with between 12,000 and 15,000 participants this is one of the two largest medical congresses in Europe in the field of gastroenterology, aside from the Digestive Disease Week. Vienna hosted this year’s meeting from 12^th to 15^th October. The European Ultrasound Federation EFSUMB has been a cooperating partner of the UEG Week ever since 1996, and together with other partners such as the BIKUS has assumed charge of the Ultrasound Learning Area (ULA).

The meeting was chaired by Prof. Christian Jenssen (MHB, BIKUS; past EFSUMB president) and Prof. Alina Popescu (University of Timisoara). 15 speakers from 6 countries contributed to the 4-day ULA with lectures and hands-on training. As in previous years, the BIKUS was represented by Prof. Dieter Nürnberg, former ULA course director and MHB founding dean, and Dr. Maria Nürnberg from the university hospital Ruppin-Brandenburg (ukrb).

The ULA was again a great success. A record number of more than 460 physicians seized the occasion to expand their know-how in ultrasound diagnostics. Several US-American and European participants had come to Vienna just to attend the ULA. All 120 seats were taken that were available for the two courses “Ultrasound for the Gastroenterologist: See with Sound into the Abdomen” on Saturday (basic course in systematic ultrasound examination of the abdomen) and Sunday (advanced course in abdominal ultrasound pathology). Nine stations for practical exercises, equipped with up-to-date ultrasound technology by GE HealthCare, Siemens Healthineers and Mindray, were always ringed by participants eager to explore the abdominal region with the transducer under supervision of international experts. Many were willing to forego the conference breaks for this opportunity. Attendance was also good for the lunch-time lectures on Monday (“Point of Care Ultrasound in Gastroenterology”) and Tuesday (“The new kids on the block in abdominal ultrasound”).

Since the 1970s, ultrasound diagnostics have become established in almost all medical disciplines as a patient-friendly, efficient, safe and quick method of medical imaging that is ideal for integration into clinical procedures, says Prof. Jenssen: “Mobile applications particularly in emergency medicine have further increased the significance of ultrasound as a non-invasive examination method. The enormous interest created at the UEG Week in Vienna clearly shows that ultrasound has become something like the ‘second eye’ in gastroenterology aside from endoscopy, with its real-time character and multi-parametric options as major advantages. Gastroenterologists in and outside Europe are increasingly aware that ultrasound in clinical gastroenterology serves to reduce dependence on radiological imaging, to abbreviate diagnostic time, and even to monitor and track therapeutic interventions. The self-produced, moving high-resolution images of digestive tract, liver, bile duct and pancreatic system create enthusiasm. The BIKUS once again presented itself as a motor and competent partner in international ultrasound training activities during the UEG Week.”

Berlin is scheduled to host the 33^rd UEG Week in October 2025, again with the assistance of the BIKUS. Other international activities with BIKUS and EFSUMB as co-organizers are the  EUROSON Schools for gastrointestinal ultrasound (September 2025) and interventional ultrasound (April 2026) as well as the first YOUNG EFSUMB Medical Students Summer School (September 2025).