ESR to organise special ‘Children in Focus’ programme for ECR 2020 with support from the European Society of Paediatric Radiology

After the success of ECR 2019’s ‘Women in Focus’ programme, the European Society of Radiology (ESR) will once again organise an exclusive ‘in Focus’ event at the European Congress of Radiology 2020. The programme, titled ‘Children in Focus’, will explore a broad range of health and social issues related specifically to children and young adults and will be dedicated in memoriam Prof. Helen M.L. Carty. It will be supported by the European Society of Paediatric Radiology (ESPR), who will lend their expertise to ensure a diverse, professional and thought-provoking programme.

The programme, which is being organised by paediatric radiologists, Dr. Lil-Sofie Ording Müller (NO) and Dr. Catherine Owens (UK), will include topics such as bringing healthcare to children in low-resource areas, the medical and legal dilemmas of using imaging in cases of child abuse, and issues surrounding consent in paediatric medicine. With a focus on non-scientific content, the aim of the ‘Children in Focus’ will be to inspire, interest and stimulate discussion on many important aspects of childhood and medicine, appealing not only to paediatric radiologists but also those working in other subspecialties or professions.
Regarding the programme, ESR President, Prof. Boris Brkljačić from Zagreb, said, “Children are the future and it is only right that we dedicate time and attention to issues which relate specifically to their unique, and often challenging, healthcare and social needs. I hope that, together with the ESPR and a line-up of highly qualified speakers, we can explore some of these issues in ‘Children in Focus’ and make it one of the most exciting events of ECR 2020”.
The collaboration between the ESPR and ESR in organising the prestigious programme has also been welcomed by ESPR President, Prof. Karen Rosendahl, who stated, “the European Society of Paediatric Radiology strives to ensure that all children be examined and diagnosed by specialists with appropriate expertise, using the best possible technology available. We are thrilled to work with the ESR on the ‘Children in Focus’ programme – which will highlight some of the issues we meet when dealing with children”.
As with ECR 2019’s ‘in Focus’ event, ‘Children in Focus’ will feature four unique sessions with a variety of speakers from both radiological and non-radiological professional backgrounds. Additionally, next year’s programme will include a special plenary session on Sunday, March 15, involving lectures from special guest speakers, as well as spectacular musical performances, in what promises to be a stunning finale to the congress.
The programme will be held in memoriam Prof. Helen M.L. Carty (1944-2017), who was a hugely admired Irish-born paediatric radiologist, as well as a former ECR President (2004) and ESR Gold Medallist (2009). She was a tremendously popular figure throughout the radiological community and her work with children was a great inspiration to many.
Stayed tuned here for updates regarding ‘Children in Focus’.

About ECR
The ECR is the annual meeting of the European Society of Radiology (ESR), which represents more than 83,000 members worldwide, the European Federation of Radiographer Societies (EFRS) and the European Society for Hybrid, Molecular and Translational Imaging (ESHIMT). The ECR is one of the largest medical congresses in the world, attracting more than 28,000 congress participants. With 300 companies exhibiting across more than 26,000m², its exhibition is also one of the largest medical exhibitions in Europe.  
ECR 2020 will take place in Vienna from March 11 – March 15.