Radiology in practice
From 13 to 15.10.2011 the RadiologieKongressRuhr took place in the RuhrCongress Bochum for the fourth time. Over 1,000 specialists from the fields of radiology and medical technology met to exchange ideas and discuss the latest know-how and trends in medical imaging.
The congress has turned out to be a real success story. In 2007, it only took a few months for the medlands.RUHR team’s initial idea of putting on a small workshop for radiologists, to develop into a full-scale congress and exhibition under the auspices of the German Röntgengesellschaft and implemented by MedEcon Ruhr. The first congress in 2008 was already a great success with 700 participants. In the meantime the number of visitors has almost doubled to now make the RadiologieKongressRuhr the second biggest of its kind in Germany.
Prof. Stefan Diederich, Prof. Jörg Neuerburg and Prof. Volkmar Nicolas in discussion with Dr. Hermann Monstadt (phenox GmbH)
medlands.RUHR still supports the congress today. Michael Müller, managing director of the Entwicklungsgesellschaft Ruhr-Bochum mbH, which, together with the Bochum Office of Economic Development, runs the medlands.RUHR initiative, explains: “ We are pleased that the city of Bochum is hosting this large congress for the fourth year running. With more than 20,000 jobs in medicine and medical technology, the healthcare sector is a driving force for the economy of our city, and it is expanding all the time. The field of healthcare training is growing as well – right next door to the Healthcare Campus North Rhine-Westphalia, the Aescalup Academy and the Federal Association of Self-employed Physiotherapists, IFK e.V. are strengthening Bochum as a location for training. The RadiologieKongressRuhr , as a congress of national significance, therefore finds a highly attractive environment in Bochum.”
Congress president Professor Dr. Volkmar Nicolas from the Ruhr University Bochum explains the aim of the congress: “The primary aim of the RadiologieKongressRuhr is to investigate the latest specialised topics from practice and fill them with life. Conveying knowledge, which also means training and further education, are a main focus for us and, considering that the number of participants has almost doubled in 4 years, we seem to be doing something right.”
The diverse programme of lectures covered almost all parts of the body and many diseases and conditions. This year the focuses ranged from interventional radiology and neuroradiology to paediatric radiology. “Paediatric radiology has been somewhat neglected in the past even though it is such a highly significant field,” congress president Professor Jörg Neuerburg from the Evangelischen Krankenhaus in Duisburg explained how the key topics had been selected. “We had one of the leading experts in this field at the congress, Professor Staatz from Mainz.”
Traditionally the congress is not only aimed at additional training for doctors, the radiologic technologists (radiographers) have their own forum as well. The training day for radiographers covered important questions of radiation protection and the role of the radiographer with emergency and accident patients. Neuerburg stated that: “Unfortunately we are facing an extreme shortage of radiographers at the moment. Increasing pressure to reduce costs has led to more work being carried out by fewer staff. In order to implement this increased efficiency successfully we do have modern equipment but the staff still need continuous training so as to be able to operate it. We hope to have paid some contribution towards this at the congress this year.”
And of course the RadiologieKongressRuhr is also an important forum for innovations in medical technology. 63 exhibitors presented their innovations on 440 square meters of space – a new record for the congress, which has always been well-visited since it began in the autumn of 2008. The congress presidents were also very enthusiastic about the wide variety of innovations which the exhibitors presented as they were shown round the exhibition by the organisers from MedEcon Ruhr.