RADIOLOGY CONGRESS VIENNA, AUSTRIA 4-9 MARCH ECR2004 

Dr Stergios Prapavesis attended the European Congress of Radiology taking place in Vienna,Austria , on March 4-9. In Booth 523 , Level 1 he demonstrated the Breast Ultrasound CD-ROM, and a new totally original multimedia project, the Ultrasound Trainer*

Our booth after a day of hard work..

Participation with an exhibition booth was a complete success, because it allowed Congress participants to browse the multimedia projects at their own pace and to discuss the features with the author.

A flyer prepared specifically for the Congress was placed in the Congress Bag and alerted the ECR participants to the offer of  a free demo copy of our popular Breast Ultrasound CD ROM. The response was overwhelming with almost 950 visitors asking for their copy during the four days of the Congress. This is almost 10% of the total Congress participants visiting our Booth!

The presentation of the multimedia projects was a success. We were particularly impressed with the feedback from eminent instructors from various universities who praised the concept of the Ultrasound trainer and asked on the spot to acquire the software that is currently under development. This very encouraging feedback will allow us to proceed with development of the project and develo a complete commercial version for institutions, as well as a complete self assessment file for breast ultrasonography for private use.

We must take this opportunity to thank the helpful staff of the Congress ECR2004 and especially Mrs Sylvia Reichert and Mr Wilhelm Rekker for their assistance; our neighbors and friends from booth 524, Echo Net , by Paulos Zoumpoulis of Athens, Greece. 

We thank the numerous friends that stopped at our booth with a friendly word, advice and encouragement. We especially thank Peter Dean, Professor of Radiology at the University of Turku, Finland for his advice, Andras Palko, Professor of Radiology at the University of Szeged, Hungary, co-author of the CD ROM, Professor of Radiology Michael Neslon of the University of Minnesota Medical School, USA for his kind contribution of case material for future use in the Breast Ultrasound CD ROM, Dr Jack Jellins of the International Breast Ultrasound School, for his kind support, Dr Nenad Kostovic Radiologist and author of a multimedia Teaching File for Mammography (Thieme Verlag) for his kind words and spirit of cooperation, as well as the numerous colleagues who visited and shared with us their experience.

Most of the time Vienna was under snow, with 10-20 cm added daily

Still, late at night we caught some glimpses  of the beauty of Vienna

A city with a particular aroma of century - long history

Best regards to all the old friends we met and the new friends we made in Vienna!

Stergios Prapavesis

*Ultrasound Trainer is a novel training tool, for Radiologists, Sonographers, Surgeons, Gynecologists and other specialties using Ultrasound in clinical practice. It will also be useful to study examinations of other medical specialties that can be depicted in real time video. The program integrates real time videos of medical examinations and appropriate queries for self assessment, in a user-friendly interface.

The trainee is progressively led through a series of appropriately selected case material videos. These allow him to gradually achieve a better understanding of the technique illustrated, and slowly infuse the correct rationale for diagnosis.

The program has three different working modes.

Browse mode allows the trainee to see the entire video at once. The trainee is then asked for a specific diagnosis. A final comment details the specific findings that should provide the correct diagnosis.

Query mode. The video stops at specific frames of interest and the trainee is asked questions in multiple choice format. When he gives the correct answer, he can proceed again with the video. A final comment is included that explains the correct diagnosis.

Assistance mode. The video is enhanced with appropriate detailed commentary, explaining the imaging findings. Again the final diagnosis is reviewed taking particular note of the specific findings that provided the correct diagnosis.

An original specially designed interface with a minimum of controls and menus allows the trainee to focus on the diagnostic problem illustrated. A special administrator interface has been designed that allows effortless processing of case material and video data by the doctor responsible for training without the need for constant presence of a programmer. The program has also been designed in a modular form, with access through the World Wide Web in mind. It is a valuable add-on to our multimedia CD ROM program on breast ultrasonography.

This novel concept in ultrasound interactive may prove valuable for self-instruction and self-assessment in continuing medical education.

* Our prototype concerns breast ultrasonography, but the Trainer concept will work equally well with other Sonography subjects, as well as other medical examinations that can be recorded in real time video without modification.