Echoes Issue No. 26 [ December 2021 ] Page 02
In this Issue .... PAGE 01
- WFUMB - What's in a name?
- WFUMB Ultrasound Book – An overwhelming success
- Thank you to Prof Christy Holland
- Welcome Prof Paul S. Sidhu,
Incoming Editor-in-Chief of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology 2022 - RSNA 2021
- The success story which broke the WFUMB site
- Site investigation from Zanzibar
- Student webinar progress and current presentations
- ICUS & WFPI new Partnerships
- WFUMB 2022
PAGE 02
- Fiji COE Report
- Vacancy: Open Access Editor in Chief
- Introducing WFUMB Mobile Centres of Education
- Federation Report: AFSUMB
- Vietnam COE Report
- Student International Ultrasound Conference
- Federation Report: EFSUMB
- Moldova COE Report
- Bangladesh COE Report
- Luminary Interviews: Byung Choi
- Luminary Interviews: Harold Lutz
WFUMB CoE FIJI – Annual Report
The Fiji CoE Team
The COVID-19 pandemic led to severe travel restrictions imposed by the Governments of Fiji and the surrounding Pacific countries such as Vanuatu, Tonga, Tuvalu, New Zealand and Australia. The pandemic has seriously impacted Fiji, and government regulations have prevented the Fiji CoE from conducting face-to-face training since the WFUMB / ISUOG obstetric course in March 2020.
The CoE has progressed in conducting a workforce gap and training priorities analysis with the assistance of the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Fiji National University.
High demand for ultrasound training through hands-on workshops and courses and formal ultrasound programmes has been identified in most pacific island countries. The CoE is also progressing well towards developing a Pacific Islands Ultrasound Society, which is expected to be formalised by March 2022.
As the restrictions ease, we will have more confidence in organising workshops in the first half of 2022.
Susan Campbell Westerway
WFUMB Regional Director ASUM COE
Raymond Keshwan
Acting Associate Dean Learning and Teaching
College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Fiji National Universit, FIJI
Vacancy: Editor-in-Chief, Open Access Journal
This will be an official journal of the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology complementing, but separate from, the well-established Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (UMB). The journal should meet the information and publication requirements of clinicians, scientists, engineers and other professionals who constitute the ultrasound community.
The ideal candidate will be a respected clinician/researcher committed to publication excellence with demonstrable editorial experience and a strong vision that launches the journal internationally and with a mission to publish engaging and informed content. Applicants should have a recognized expertise in the field of ultrasound and a good track record of publishing in high-quality journals. They will appoint and lead the editorial team and uphold the highest standards concerning editorial policies and professional practice. They will recognise the need to engage the journal’s audiences at all levels.
About the Open Access Journal
The journal will be launched in early 2022. Initially Elsevier will offer free vouchers to authors for publication.
The Editor in Chief will consider mainly full-length research papers, review articles, guidelines, short communications opinion articles, and other interactive and ancillary material that is of special interest to the readers of the Journal.
Person Specification
Applicants need not be based in the USA and international applicants are encouraged. This is an independent contractor position and the term of office is 5 years renewable once and subject to annual appraisal and review by WFUMB.
About the role
The Editor-in-Chief will have final responsibility for establishing and managing an editorial office; supervising a managing editor; receiving evaluating and selecting all materials for publication; the editorial content and strategy of the journal, with support from their appointed editorial team and Elsevier publishing staff, actively working with WFUMB and the publisher to launch the Open Access journal.
The main responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief include, but are not limited to:
- Overall editorial management and development of the Journal, including the coordination of refereeing and submissions
- Have final approval of all materials published in the editorial pages of the Journal
- Providing the highest possible quality of scientific content to augment the knowledge, impact and practice of clinicians involved in the field
- Developing and maintaining an internationally relevant and coherent scientific strategy and vision for the journal
- Building and maintaining a supportive team of highly qualified international colleagues to serve as members of the editorial board and reviewers
- Encouraging submission of high-quality papers
- Ensuring the integrity of the review process and providing guidance to authors, reviewers and editorial team members as appropriate
- Developing procedures for effective triage and review of scientific manuscripts to ensure timely and excellent support is maintained for authors and reviewers
- Adding value to the journal by commissioning editorials, reviews, educational material and online content
- Supervising the journal’s response to appeals, complaints, suggestions from readers and ethical problems regarding published work
- Developing the social media strategy for the title
- Promoting the journal within the scientific community and industry
- To attend WFUMB Administrative Council and Publication Committee meetings
As Editor in Chief you will benefit from:
- A fee of 10,000 USD
- Professional advice and guidance on all aspects of journal publishing
- Interaction with the latest research from around the world
- The chance to shape the field and play a role in the development of the specialty
- WFUMB to pay travel expenses and hotel accommodation for the Editor to attend WFUMB Council meetings and WFUMB congresses in accordance with WFUMB’s travel policies
How to Apply
Please send a full CV and covering letter outlining your suitability for the role and your vision for the future of UMB. Shortlisted candidates will be expected to have a clear vision for the development of the journal. For more details of the role, please email, Elena Herzog
Senior Publisher, Health Sciences Journals, Elsevier Inc e.herzog@elsevier.com
Canvassing for the EiC position is inappropriate.
Please apply by email to lrudd@wfumb.org
The deadline for applications is 31 January 2022. Interviews will be held in February 2022 by videoconference.
Introducing WFUMB Mobile Centres of Education
WFUMB ExB has signed off on a new concept for delivering ultrasound education in areas of need. WFUMB currently support 19 Centres of Education (CoE), in six Federations, which are run from a specific location. It would need numerous CoEs and prohibitive funding, if WFUMB was to attempt to service all the countries in need of ultrasound education as individual CoE entities. A mobile CoE will allow a Federation to run courses anywhere within their region. The initial mobile CoEs will be trialled by MASU & ASUM.
Although MASU has CoEs in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Togo, Uganda & Zambia, there are other countries in the region in need of ultrasound education.
With a mobile CoE, MASU could organise, for example, an obstetric course in South Africa or Rwanda, an upper abdomen session on the Ivory Coast or a vascular course in Nigeria, with attendees coming from within & adjoining countries.
This mobile concept will work particularly well for the single society Federation of ASUM. Australia is 50% larger than Europe & there are regions so remote that healthcare workers need to travel long distances for any form of education. To be able to fly lecturers to these areas to deliver ultrasound workshops to doctors, radiographers / sonographers & nurses / midwives from surrounding health areas would be a huge bonus.
A perfect example of where we could make a significant difference is training for the detection of rheumatic heart disease in the Australian aboriginal population in outback communities & a variety of PoCUS training for the staff of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Combined with the current ASUM Outreach program, a mobile COE would ensure that every area could be offered a course every few years.
Sourcing course sponsorship would still be encouraged so as to extend the potential offerings. We sincerely believe that this mobile CoE concept will benefit all Federations & advance the WFUMB education offerings.
Sue Westerway
Federation Report: AFSUMB
Fig. 2. The AFSUMB Administrative Council meeting was held online on the first day of the AFSUMB 2021 Congress from 15:30 to 17:00 at Beijing standard time. In addition to the current AC members, the past presidents of the AFSUMB Professor Cheng-Wen Chiang and Yi-Hong Chou also jointed the meeting. Currently there are 24 AC members from 16 affiliated societies as well as one observer each from Kazakhstan and Oman, respectively
Fig. 3. A photograph taken during the opening Ceremony of the Congress of the AFSUMB 2021 which was held in hybrid form at Zhuhai, China, from 16 to 19, Sept. 2021. The Congress Presidents comprised Professors Yu-Xing Ziang, Ping Liang, Yung-Liang Wan and Won Jae Lee. There were more than 700 attendees onsite, and over 30,000 real-time online visits.
Fig. 4. Professor Cristina Chammas, the President of the WFUMB, was invited to deliver a congratulatory remarks before her congress lecture in the opening ceremony of the Congress of AFSUMB on September 17, 2021. Subsequently, the President of the AFSUMB Professor Yung-Liang Wan gave a greeting remarks. He was proud to announce the opening of the congress which was successfully organized in a period of 4 months after the closed collaboration between the AFSUMB and the Chinese Medical Association/Chinese Society of Ultrasound in Medicine (CMA/CSUM).
Fig. 5. For updating the ultrasound knowledge of the AFSUMB members, the CTSUM organized the Asia Pacific International Symposium on Advances Medical Ultrasound (APISAMU) in the past 3 years. The first APISAMU was an onsite physical meeting in 2019, it was hosted in hybrid form in 2020 and in virtual form this year. US and US-guided Intervention of thyroid and parathyroid was the theme of the 3rd APISAMU this year, six distinguished speakers were invited from 6 different countries or affiliations, including Brazil, China, Italy, Korea, Japan and Taiwan.
Fig. 6. Photograph of the 3rd APISAMU. After the impressive presentation by the invited speakers, there was 30 minutes of Q & A session at the end of program. All the participants and audiences had updated their professional knowledge through the discussion and interaction.
Yung-Liang Wan
WFUMB CoE Vietnam – Report
WFUMB’s CoE in Vietnam was established from January 2019. During the 3rd and 4th National Congress of VSUM, January 2019 and February 2020, groups of experts from WFUMB had presented their lectures which attracted the interest of the audience. However, the pandemic over the last two years has limited the face to face activity of the CoE. Previously organised courses had to be cancelled.
Although we recognise that the virtual course cannot replace the hands-on face-to-face real courses, we have tried to concentrate on seminars and webinars.
Interested Doctors are cordially invited to participate in the Chain of Association’s monthly online seminar co-organized by VSUM and Mindray, topic: “Update on advances and the role of ultrasound in liver, breast, obstetric and gynecological diseases”, lasting from October 2021 to January 2022. Flyer for these events can be found here >>
We also plan to re-organise the 1st CoE’s Course in Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy, organise the 2nd CoE’s Course in Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy and also organise the 1st CoE’s Course in Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy.
On a more positive note we are happy to share with you some of the scan images we've captured using the new Butterfly scanner supplied via WFUMB.
Nguyen Quang Trong
Student International Ultrasound Conference 27-28 May 2022 Timisoara, Romania
Next year between 25-28 of May, Timisoara (Romania) will be the “The World Capital of Ultrasound”, organizing three prestigious ultrasound events: The 18th World Federation for Medicine and Biology Congress – WFUMB 2021, the 33rd Congress of EFSUMB - EUROSON 2022 and the 25th National Conference of The Romanian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology.
With so many ultrasound events taking place in one city, the idea of organizing the first World Ultrasound Conference for Students (Student International Ultrasound Conference, endorsed by WFUMB) was a legitimate one.
After more than one year during which the online interaction prevailed, Student IUSC will be a great opportunity to resume the ultrasound synergy and communication. The conference will be centered mainly on students and young doctors who are discovering the importance of ultrasound. Lectures form basic to advance, hands on stations, quizzes and meet the expert’s session will play the part of the program.
The congress will be held in Timisoara, a strong university center and a multicultural city, between 27-28 May 2022 at the Regional Business Center Timisoara.
Federation Report: EFSUMB
The latest news from the European Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) can be found in the latest newsletter release. Articles include ....
- WFUMB 2022/EUROSON 2022 Timișoara, Romania
- World Students Ultrasound Conference (WStUC)
- EFSUMB 50th years anniversary: a call for participation and support
WFUMB CoE MOLDOVA – Report
WFUMB CoE Chisinau Workshop: Updates in Gastrointestinal and Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound, 18 June 2021.
Session at the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Summer School, Chisinau, 2021 edition, 17-18 June 2021.
- CEUS of liver lesions. Argumentation of indications and limits. Dr. Carolina Tambala
- Ultrasonography of the female pelvic floor. Contribution in the diagnosis of obstructed defecation. Dr. Sergiu Puiu
- Decompensated chronic coprostasis. Diagnosis and surgical correction. Prof. Dr. Adrian Hotineanu
- Live demo. Ultrasonography of the female pelvic floor. Normal features and common US pathologic features in obstructed deffecation syndrome. Dr. Sergiu Puiu
The workshop was held in romanian and attended by more than 200 participants. 171 participants joined the workshop on-line (theoretical part), while 40 were present in the hall. As for the live scan, we were followed by 66 participants.
WFUMB CoE Chisinau workshop for students and residents. Basic breast ultrasonography. 14 October 2020
Topics:- Basic physics of the ultrasound. Technical aspects and types of breast ultrasound examinations, elastography and US guided biopsy. Limitations and common artifacts. Sergiu Puiu
- Basic functionality and settings of the US scanner for breast assessment. Image optimization.
- Image recognition of normal breast anatomy. Ultrasonographic features of the breast related to the women age. Sergiu Puiu
- Typical ultrasonographic features of common breast pathologies. Cucieru Valeriu
- Breast imaging-reporting and data system (BI-RADS) applied in ultrasonography, clinical usefulness. Cucieru Valeriu.
- Discussions.
- Hands-on. Ultrasound examination of the breast. Sergiu Puiu, Cucieru Valeriu.
Lecturers:
Sergiu Puiu, SUMPh “Nicolae Testemitanu”, Chisinau
Valeriu Cucieru, Institute of Oncology, Chisinau
Attendance:
20 participants (students and residents of the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testemitanu”).
Luminary Interview: Byung Choi
How & when did you begin your ultrasound (US) career?
Clinical medical US machines were first introduced in Korea in 1978. The Korean Society of Ultrasound in MedicIne (KSUM) was founded in 1980, led by Professor Chu-Wan Kim, who was the pioneering and leading radiologists in the field of medical US in Korea. Prof. Kim was elected as the 1st President of KSUM, and he nominated me as Secretary of KSUM.
In 1987, KSUM and Japan Society of Ultrasonics in Medicine(JSUM) founded the Asian Federation of Societies for US in Medicine and Biology (AFSUMB) and the inaugural congress of AFSUMB was held in Tokyo, Japan. The 3rd congress of AFSUMB was held in Seoul, Korea in 1992 with 1600 participants from 15 countries. Professor Chu-Wan Kim was Congress President and I was Secretary General of the organizing committee. This congress served as a turning point of AFSUMB, which validated its status as an international academic society meeting. After this congress, I was nominated as Treasurer of AFSUMB. AFSUMB was officially affiliated to the WFUMB in 1992. In 1997, the WFUMB Congress was held in Buenos Aires. The president was prof. Harald Lutz and I was elected as a Councilor of WFUMB.
What were your ultrasound career highlights?
I think WFUMB2006 was the highlight in my US career.
In 1998, I was Secretary of AFSUMB and Chair of hosting committee of KSUM for WFUMB Congress 2006. I explained the rationale for hosting WFUMB in Korea at the Administrative Council meeting of AFSUMB, and Council approved the intention of bidding by KSUM for WFUMB2006. In 1999, KSUM affiliated in AFSUMB was decided as a host society of 11th congress of WFUMB at Administrative Council meeting of WFUMB in Potsdam, in September, 1999.
The organizing committee for WFUMB 2006 was formed with more than 400 members of KSUM, KSUOG, and KSEC. Thereafter, more than 100 meetings of organizing committee for preparing WFUMB2006 were held with multiple sub-committee meetings until 2006. Promotion for WFUMB2006 was done by linkage of website of WFUMB to website of 15 affiliated societies of AFSUMB and 6 international and regional societies of US including WFUMB2000 in Florence and WFUMB2003 in Montreal. Promotion by visiting national meetings of affiliated societies of AFSUMB and international US meetings was done by members of organizing committee for more than 120 times until 2006.
11th WFUMB Congress was held at Convention and Exhibition Center (COEX) in Seoul, Korea from May 28 to June 1, 2006 with Congress theme of “ Better World with US”. Total number of participants was over 3500 from 68 countries. I was Congress president, and secretary general of organizing committee was professor Seung Hyup Kim.
WFUMB2006 was a great opportunity to upgrade the congress standard of WFUMB and to provide an unforgettable momentum and a platform to enhance mutual friendship and professional networks among the participants of WFUMB family.
What has been the most significant change you have seen in US technology?
I think B-mode grey scale static US scanner and real time US scanner were the most significant developments in the field of clinical US. I have experienced three-jointed-articulated-arm handheld static US scanner produced by Picker Co, USA, in late 1970s and real time US scanner by Aloka Co., Japan, in early1980s and digital real time US scanner by ACUSON, USA, in mid 1980s.
What is your current involvement?
Currently, I am working at the Department of Radiology, Chung-Ang Univesity Hospital, private university hospital in Seoul, Korea, as a Clinical Chair Professor. I am also involving activity of National Academy of Medicine of Korea, which is a counterpart of National Academy of Medicine(NAM) in USA, as a Chairperson of External Relations Committee, and Asian Oceanian Society of Radiology (AOSR) as an Honorary Advisor.
![Echoes Issue No. 26 [ December 2021 ]](https://wfumb.info/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Fig.16B-Toast-by-Dr.-Choi-and-Dr-Harald-Lutz-past-president-of-WFUMB-scaled.jpg)
Byung Choi
Luminary Interview: Harold Lutz
How and when did you become involved in ultrasound?
In 1969, as I continued my residency at the medical department of the university Erlangen-Nuremberg, I started my work in ultrasound in the Dept for Ultrasound, chaired by G. Rettenmayer. We used a real time machine, the Vidoson 635, developed by Siemens comp. Our main field was gastroenterological diseases, what means the abdomen, but as our Department of Ultrasound was the only one in Erlangen at that time, we did examinations in nephrology, urology, Ob/Gyn and paediatrics.
Were there any particular people that influenced your work?
The head of the Ultrasound Department in Erlangen, and my teacher in the beginning, was Gerhard Rettenmaier, a German pioneer in Ultrasound, especially real time technique in liver and abdomen. The discussions with a growing number of colleagues during the national and international meetings have always been stimulating. I was impressed by the work of Francis Weill and particularly Hans Henrik Holm. In 1972, Holm encouraged me to introduce the ultrasonically guided puncture technique in Erlangen against some resistance.
What were your career highlights?
In 1973 I became the chairman of the department of ultrasound at the university hospital and started with the organisation of ultrasound courses.
At the 2nd World Congress of Ultrasound in Rotterdam in 1973, I presented a study "ultrasound of stomach and intestine“ , a field which was not in the focus of ultrasound examinations, but I was very interested in the detection of tumors in the lower part of the gastro-intestinal tract including the 5-layer stratification of the gastric wall.
In 1974 I graduated as specialist for internal medicine and founded the postgraduate school for ultrasound in Erlangen.
In 1978 I qualified as lecturer for internal medicine (with a thesis on "ultrasound of the pancreas“). In the same year I published my first book "Ultraschall in der Inneren Medizin“, based on real time technique. I graduated as "Professor of internal medicine" in 1983.
Activities in scientific societies:
1981 - elected as vice-president and in 1983 became president of the German Society for Ultrasound (DEGUM) then president of the European Federation (EFSUMB) in 1990
In 1997 I became president of WFUMB and turned the focus of our federation to education, having the pleasure of organizing, with our Italian friends, the WFUMB-meeting 2000 in Florence. Also in 2000, I initiated the WFUMB-"project African partnership", to support the education in ultrasound in these countries. In this connection I intensified the cooperation with WHO, which was initiated by Barry Goldberg.
For many years I had the pleasure to volunteer in the WFUMB organization, and enjoyed the successful cooperation with colleagues from of all parts of the world.
What are your impressions of the ultrasound technology available today?
In the beginning ultrasound was limited by physical conditions and we could not imagine the quality we see today. B-scan and Doppler technique were two separate techniques, but today the Doppler information is integrated into the ultrasonic image. We can also use contrast agents and analyse not only the blood flow in general, but also the nature of lesions by watching the flow of the contrast agents. I am impressed by the remarkable progress of ultrasound quality, made possible by the enormous progress of computer technology. Never the less there are still limits: the hope of some scientists of the early years, for a definitive tissue characterization based on the analysis of the acoustic properties, which are shown by ultrasound. The interpretation of ultrasound images needs education and experience, both in examination technique including the interpretation of ultrasound images based on the knowledge of the pathology of the disorders, which should be detected by ultrasound.
Are you still involved with the ultrasound world?
I am interested in the history of ultrasound in medicine and am engaged in the organisation of an ultrasound museum of DEGUM including archives in cooperation with the "German Röntgen Museum“. We have recently published a book about the history of ultrasound.