Amsterdam Welcomes Experts on Cardiac Imaging at the Annual ESCR Meeting

VIENNA, October 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

World-renowned experts on cardiac imaging, and as special guest former NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, are gathering in Amsterdam from October 27-29 to participate in the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiac Radiology (ESCR). The congress held in collaboration with the Dutch Society of Cardiac Radiology offers an extensive scientific programme presented by celebrated experts and spans all aspects of cardiac imaging.

10 years after the first ESCR meeting in Berlin/Germany the ESCR is proudly looking back on major achievements and a permanently increasing impact of imaging on cardiac care. This year's 10^th anniversary meeting in Amsterdam offers high profile scientific lectures, new horizon perspectives on technologies, a thoroughly developed educational track, and a new track with case based interactive forum presentations by at least 12 different national societies of cardiac radiology. With technical exhibits, electronic poster presentations (EPOS) and case of the day quiz questions, an attractive and interesting individual programme was composed.

For this year's Opening Session Congress President Matthijs Oudkerk, Professor at the University of Groningen and Chairman of Cardiovascular Radiology of the Dutch Society of Radiology, was able to attract a number of highly rewarded speakers.

The first one to enter the podium with his lecture on 'Times of Transition towards a new world order' will be Professor Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, former NATO Secretary General and current holder of the Pieter Kooijmans Chair for Peace, Law and Security at Leiden University. Professor de Hoop Scheffer was born in Amsterdam and can look back on an impressive career including his graduation from Leiden University, his work with the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs from 1976 to 1986, during which he was stationed in Ghana for two years, and a five year period as NATO Secretary General.

The Spanish-American cardiologist Professor Valentin Fuster, one of the most rewarded experts on cardiac imaging worldwide, will also be part of this year's opening ceremony. Professor Fuster is the only cardiologist who has received all four major research awards from the world's four major cardiovascular organizations. Fuster made news in 2006 when he managed a patient who underwent successful combined heart and lung transplant, which New York Magazine named one of the year's '11 medical marvels'. His early aptitude for tennis led him to compete at a national level, and it was through tennis that he met his future mentor Pedro Farreras, author of the standard Spanish textbook of medicine. After Farreras suffered a heart attack at age 45, he encouraged Fuster to study cardiology. Fuster received his education at the University of Barcelona, in Edinburgh and at the Mayo Clinic and is currently the Director of Mount Sinai Heart. He has received research awards from the Interamerican Society of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, the European Society of Cardiology, and the American College of Cardiology.

In order to push forward the skills of young cardiac radiologists, the ESCR offers an onsite Cardiac Imaging Examination which will be an essential part of the European Diploma for Cardiac Imaging which was endorsed by the European Society of Radiology (ESR) to guarantee and establish radiologic standards and skills on the highest level throughout Europe.

For further information, please contact:

European Society of Cardiac Radiology
Mr. David ZIZKA
ESCR Press Office
ESCR Office: Neutorgasse 9, 1010 Vienna, Austria
phone: +43-1-533-40-64-0 | fax: +43-1-533-40-64-441

press@myesr.org | http://www.escr.org

SOURCE ESCR (European Society of Cardiac Radiology)