Copenhagen, Denmark 21 August 2010 – Honorary Secretary’s Report to the Board of Directors

Introduction

The task of the Honorary Secretary was even more exciting in the last period since a new General Secretary came on stage of EFSUMB, Lynne Rudd. I was amazed how easily Lynne Rudd took over the task as General Secretary of EFSUMB with excellent work, daily support and perfect good relationship; dear Lynne, thank you very much!

Identity of EFSUMB, European Course Book (ECB)

Intention of the book

My personal workload during the last year was very much influenced by the preparation and publication of the European Course Book (ECB). We could publish the first chapters on the website on August 1st 2010 (Introductory Chapter [Educational Activities of EFSUMB], Liver, Estimation of Liver Stiffness Using Ultrasound Waves, Pancreas, Gastrointestinal Tract, Nephrology [Transplantation], Chest, Interventional Ultrasound and Sonopsychology).

There was an intensive discussion with the members and friends of the Executive Bureau (ExB), Publication Committee (PC) and Educational Committee (EPSC) since all the members have been involved in the success story. Authors from Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden and the United Kingdom contributed to the first published seven chapters and reviews and many other chapters are under preparation or even almost ready for publication. All members of the Board of Directors are invited to participate on the ongoing process of publication and reviewing chapters.

The ECB is Work in Progress

Just to repeat: The EFSUMB Course Book (ECB) is intended to supplement and complete the educational purposes of EFSUMB. The ECB might, therefore, strengthen the evolution and power of EFSUMB and to improve the identity of its members. The course book is devoted to the interdisciplinary approach of the multinational societies of EFSUMB. The book might be especially helpful for countries which have not created so far their own course system. The ECB will incorporate the minimum training recommendations for the practice of medical ultrasound published by EFSUMB. The book will be published on the website in close collaboration with the EFSUMB Publication and Education committees.

The Published Chapters in Detail:

• Educational Activities of EFSUMB Odd Helge Gilja (National Centre for Ultrasound in Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, and Institute of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway), Michael Bachmann Nielsen (Dept of Radiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark), Jan Tuma (Uster, Switzerland).

• Ultrasound of the Liver Christoph F. Dietrich (Medizinische Klinik 2, Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim), Carla Serra (University of Bologna), Maciej Jedrzejczyk (Department of Diagnostic Imaging, 2nd Medical Faculty of Warsaw Medical University).

• Estimation of Liver Stiffness Using Ultrasound Waves
  Ioan Sporea (Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara, Romania), Mireen Friedrich-Rust (Department of Internal Medicine 1, J.–W.–Goethe-University Hospital, Frankfurt, Germany), Odd Helge Gilja (National Centre for Ultrasound in Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, and Institute of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway).

• Pancreas
  D’Onofrio Mirko (Department of Radiology, GB Rossi University Hospital, Verona, Italy), Vullierme Marie-Pierre (Department of Radiology, Beaujon Hospital, Paris, France), Válek Vlastimil (Department of Radiology, Brno University Hospital, Czech Republic), Principe Francesco (Department of Radiology, GB Rossi University Hospital, Verona, Italy), Canestrini Stefano (Department of Radiology, GB Rossi University Hospital, Verona, Italy), Gallotti Anna (Department of Radiology, GB Rossi University Hospital, Verona, Italy), Pozzi Mucelli Roberto (Department of Radiology, GB Rossi University Hospital, Verona, Italy).

• Transabdominal Ultrasound of the Gastrointestinal Tract
  Alois Hollerweger (Abteilung für Radiologie, Nuklearmedizin, Krankenhaus Barmherzige Brüder, Salzburg, Austria), Klaus Dirks (Department of Gastroenterology, Klinikum Stuttgart – Hospital Bad Cannstatt, Germany), Kazimierz Szopinski (Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Second Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland).

• Nephrology, Transplantation and Shunts
  FM Drudi, F Malpassini, N Di Leo (Department of Radiology, University „La Sapienza“, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy).

• Chest Sonography
  Gebhard Mathis (Rankweil, Austria), Z Sparchez (3rd Medical Clinic, Department of Ultrasound, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania), G. Volpicelli (Department of Emergency Medicine, San Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital, Torino, Italy).

• Interventional Ultrasound
  Christian P. Nolsøe (Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Herlev Hospital, Danmark), Torben Lorentzen (Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Herlev Hospital, Danmark), Bjørn Ole Skjoldbye (Department of Radiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark), Michael Bachmann Nielsen (Department of Radiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark), Anders Nilsson (Department of Radiology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden), Luigi Solbiati (Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Oncologic Radiology, General Hospital of Busto Arsizio, Italy).

• Sono-Psychology
  Lucas Greiner (Wuppertal, Germany).

EFSUMB Membership Status

Some national societies develop better than others with respect to their number of individual members, their scientific and educational activities and their representation within EFSUMB. The oral report in Copenhagen will comment on few points regarding the Membership Status 2010 ([Tab. 1]).

Tab. 1

Country	Members Payment 2009	Numbers in Databases 2010	Email addresses
Austria	762	762	573
Belgium	66	50	57
Bulgaria	135	135	0
Croatia	36	79	43
Czech Rep	45	45	34
Denmark	558	498	373
Finland	480	500	0
France	291	2300	216
Germany	7389	7389	0
Greece	53	0	0
Hungary	32	32	0
Israel	118	131	131
Italy	2095	2095	0
Latvia	158	180	79
Lithuania	0	58	13
Macedonia	0	11	0
Moldova	228	186	49
Netherlands	81	81	79
Norway	296	296	250
Poland	317	317	0
Portugal	70	70	0
Romania	575	560	385
Russia	185	185	0
Slovak Rep	30	30	0
Slovenia	0	128	0
Spain	180	180	54
Sweden	33	31	31
Switzerland	2677	2677	1907
Turkey	320	309	272
Uk	2314	2209	0
Total	19524	21524	4546

Website Statistical Data for 5th May 2010 to 5th August 2010 (3 Month Period)

Top 15 Page hits – Top Most Visited Pages/Sections
1.	EFSUMB Home Page	71198
2.	Latest News Items	31456
3.	Member Societies List	22341
4.	Latest Newsletters	16191
5.	Bologna EUROSON Flash Presentation	11848
6.	Case of the Month	7145
7.	EUROSON Future Schools	3560
8.	EUROSON 2010 Symposia Information	2477
9.	AVUS Meeting (September 2010) Programme	1502
10.	CEUS Meeting (Lille) Event PDF	977
11.	Bylaws	624
12.	EUROSON School (Kosice) Event PDF	381
13.	ECMUS Home Page	302
14.	Diary Dates of Meetings	192
15.	EFSUMB 2010 Folder	168

Top 10 Countries (Where the Hits are Coming From)		Top 10 Keywords Used for Search
1	United Kingdom	1	ultrasound
2	Germany	2	efsumb
3	Italy	3	euroson
4	China	4	european
5	Netherlands	5	scan
6	Spain	6	medicine
7	Sweden	7	2010
8	Norway	8	society
9	United States	9	conference
10	France	10	congress

Kind Requests for the Membership Societies

On behalf the Executive Bureau, we kindly ask (again and again) all members and especially the secretaries of each national society to provide us with email addresses of active members. Finally, a society but also a federation is as much alive as its members – so please do not hesitate to get in touch with us (www.efsumb.org).

• Each membership society is kindly asked to supply the email addresses of their members to the EFSUMB bureau for improved communication regarding EFSUMB activities.

• Each membership society is kindly asked to update the EFSUMB website with their Society’s Board changes and photographs.

Identity of EFSUMB, Case of the Month

We recently (March 2008) initiated the “Monthly case reports” which is actually displayed on the EFSUMB website including videos (http://www.efsumb.org/). This site has approximately 10,000 visitors’ hits on a regular basis. This is an opportunity to discuss interesting cases on a well known platform. Please participate actively and submit your cases of the month to Email: [e-mail]. The Instructions for Authors have been recently published in the EFSUMB-Newsletter. I was responsible for the Case of the Month from the very beginning up to the end of 2009. On January 1st Paul Sidhu took over the responsibility.

Identity of EFSUMB, Scientific Corner

The scientific ultrasound community is challenged to perform more multicenter and interdisciplinary studies in the upcoming years to increase the influence of ultrasound techniques in daily practice. In that regard it is of interest that “our” (EFSUMB) scientific journal European Journal Ultrasound /Ultraschall in der Medizin“ has been dramatically improving over the last years. Additionally the successful CEUS-guidelines have been published early this year as well. For the scientist it might be also of interest to find a forum where to ask colleagues about rare and interesting case reports which might be published together by EFSUMB members of the different European countries. We have to prove all together that ultrasound is effective and also cost effective, including the emergency room and other access routes to the hospital, in the out patients care setting and under many other circumstances. So far, the Scientific Corner was not accepted. The topic should be discussed.

Honorary Secretary’s Agenda for Discussion

• Bids for the EUROSON congress for the years 2013, 2014, (2015), 2016

Varia

The good relationship to the industry was also strengthened as important partners for improved patients care and innovative technology.

Finally, I would like to thank friends and colleagues in the ExB, Publication committees and EPSC, for the good team work. Please refer to EFSUMB and the Honorary Secretary for support and discussion.

Cordially,
Christoph F. Dietrich
Honorary Secretary EFSUMB

Christoph F. Dietrich