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Highlights from ECR 2025 | FDA Staff Re-Hired
February 27, 2025
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Together with
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“We come together to celebrate radiology and its role in planetary health.”
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Prof. Andrea Rockall, in the opening ceremony of ECR 2025.
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ECR 2025 President Prof. Andrea Rockall. |
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This week’s European Congress of Radiology is underway in Vienna, and things are heating up in the cozy confines of Austria Center Vienna.
The theme of this week’s meeting is Planet Radiology, and conference organizers have made sustainability a major priority.
- As one of healthcare’s biggest consumers of energy, radiology has a responsibility to lead efforts to reduce greenhouse gases – a challenge that ECR 2025 president Prof. Andrea Rockall compared to the discipline’s successful effort to reduce radiation exposure.
Planetary health was the focus of a glitzy opening ceremony on February 26 before a standing-room-only crowd.
- The program featured not only the musical and dance performances that are an ECR hallmark but also awe-inspiring videos that focused on each of the four planetary elements: water, air, fire, and earth.
But scientific content has always been ECR’s main draw, and ECR 2025 so far hasn’t disappointed. Below are some highlights from the first two days of clinical presentations …
- New data from the MASAI study of AI for mammography screening were presented Wednesday, finding that ScreenPoint Medical’s Transpara algorithm cut interval cancers 12%.
- Using AI instead of double-reading for biennial digital mammography screening saved $64k per 1k patients thanks to lower cancer treatment costs.
- The MA-DETECT study of 350 women used breast MRI on women with negative mammograms, with a cancer detection rate of 26 additional cancers per 1k women.
- Aidoc’s AI algorithm for detecting cervical spine fractures on CT found 23 fractures missed by radiologists out of 2.3k scans, saving €6k per missed fracture.
- Gleamer’s BoneView AI algorithm for fracture detection detected 81% of fractures missed by radiologists in patients who had filed compensation claims, potentially saving €265k.
- The percentage of AI research studies with peer-reviewed evidence grew in 2023 compared to 2020 (67% vs. 35%) but the ratio showing clinical efficacy fell (52% vs. 55%).
- Subtle Medical’s SubtleHD MRI enhancement algorithm improved signal-to-noise ratio by 73% and image sharpness by 27% in 205 MRI scans.
- In a secondary analysis of the MIDAS study of clinical decision support in Germany, requests for inappropriate imaging were more frequent in women than men (7.3% vs. 6.1%).
- A majority of patients in Italy preferred ChatGPT-authored reports over those penned by radiologists (61%), with 70% saying they were more readable and 58% saying they were easier to understand.
- Researchers found that oral glucosamine could be used for breast MRI exams with a chemical exchange saturation transfer sequence. They found higher CEST values in tumor regions in a small study of 16 patients.
- Italian researchers combined CT and contrast-enhanced mammography with the same contrast agent, finding higher sensitivity and specificity for detecting metastases than traditional methods.
- German researchers ran a 0.4T permanent magnet MRI scanner off the grid for a year with solar panels and a generator-supported battery system.
- Using deep-learning reconstruction for MRI scans reduced energy consumption 65% thanks to shorter scan times while maintaining image quality.
- More patients preferred contrast-enhanced mammography (72%) compared to breast MRI (26%), mostly due to faster exam times and lack of claustrophobia.
The Takeaway
This week’s ECR 2025 demonstrates the rich scientific research being conducted across Europe – much of which will eventually translate into commercial products. As the U.S. experiences regulatory turbulence and uncertainty around long-term funding for academic research, the focal point of radiology innovation could soon shift across the Atlantic.
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Quality in Photon-Counting CT
Quality is the cornerstone of Siemens Healthineers’ photon-counting CT technology. They’ve invested in every step of the process, from X-ray tubes to detectors and workflow. Discover how they strive for the highest levels of quality in photon-counting CT.
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Echo AI for Cardiac Amyloidosis
Echo can be used to diagnose patients with cardiac amyloidosis and differentiate them from those with left ventricular hypertrophy. Learn how Us2.ai’s novel solutions improve diagnosis of this underdiagnosed condition.
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Visit DeepHealth at ECR 2025
Visit DeepHealth at booth #507 at ECR 2025 to learn more about their AI-powered radiology informatics and population screening solutions that are transforming healthcare. Book a demo today.
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- Air Pollution’s Link to Cardiac Disease: In a Wednesday morning ECR session, Canadian researchers used cardiac CT scans to find a link between air pollution and cardiovascular disease. In a study of 11.1k patients, people exposed to high levels of fine particular matter (PM2.5) had higher coronary artery calcium scores, with every 1 µg/m3 increase in 10-year PM2.5 exposure associated with a CAC score 19 points higher. Exposure to nitrogen dioxide (a component of smog) did not produce a statistically significant effect.
- DeepHealth Ties Up with TeraRecon: DeepHealth and TeraRecon took advantage of ECR 2025 to announce a new strategic relationship that combines DeepHealth’s Operating System and Diagnostic Suite with TeraRecon’s advanced visualization applications to create an AI-enabled workflow for radiologists. DeepHealth’s clinical AI algorithms will also be made available on TeraRecon’s AI ecosystem as part of the agreement, and the two companies are exploring further integration of DeepHealth cancer screening technologies into TeraRecon’s cloud-based imaging suite.
- Bayer Highlights QUANTI Results: In other news from ECR 2025, Bayer is highlighting results from the QUANTI CNS study of its gadoquatrane high-relaxivity MRI contrast agent in development. Gadoquatrane was effective at a gadolinium dose of 0.04 mmol Gd/kg body weight, a 60% dose reduction compared to macrocyclic GBCAs dosed at 0.1 mmol Gd/kg body weight. The agent also met all primary and secondary endpoints in the study of 305 patients from 16 countries.
- FDA Re-Hires Some Staffers: The FDA has begun re-hiring staffers let go in the Trump Administration’s mass layoffs of government workers earlier this month. The re-hired workers included staff involved in medical device review, with a New York Times article stating “nearly all” of the 180 employees who had originally been let go would be hired back. The layoffs raised concerns about whether they would slow down medical product reviews, and the device industry pointed out that many of the staffers’ salaries were paid for by industry user fees.
- PocketHealth Launches Image Reader: PocketHealth this week launched Image Reader, a new solution that uses AI-powered anatomical visualization to help patients understand their medical imaging scans. The application uses the MedSAM model to perform medical imaging segmentation of radiology reports and then give patients labeled bone and organ images so they can better understand their findings. Image Reader currently works on CT and X-ray exams and PocketHealth will highlight the feature at next week’s HIMSS 2025.
- AI Detects Pediatric Epilepsy: In a new paper in JAMA Neurology, U.K. researchers developed a homegrown AI algorithm called MELD Graph to detect signs of epilepsy on pediatric brain MRI scans that radiologists may have missed. The group trained the algorithm to detect focal cortical dysplasia lesions on 1.2k pediatric MRI scans, finding that it detected 64% of lesions missed by radiologists. Researchers have released the algorithm as open-source software and are training clinicians and other researchers how to use it.
- Intelerad Expands with SolutionHealth: Intelerad signed an expanded partnership with SolutionHealth, a nonprofit healthcare provider in New Hampshire. SolutionHealth will use Intelerad’s IntelePacs, InteleOrchestrator, and InteleArchive as their unified platform for all medical imaging, and InteleViewer for women’s health exams. SolutionHealth runs Elliot Health System and Southern New Hampshire Health, which together produce 365k imaging studies annually across southern New Hampshire.
- Lung Abnormalities in Kids with COVID: Researchers using a technique called phase-resolved functional lung MRI to visualize lung abnormalities in kids with long COVID-19. In a study in Radiology with 56 kids, PREFUL-MRI showed that lung perfusion and other metrics of lung function were lower in those with long COVID, and these correlated with measures of fatigue severity. Because it doesn’t use radiation, MRI is better than CT for tracking COVID’s long-term effects in kids, and it has the soft-tissue resolution to help visualize subtle lung dysfunction.
- Us2.ai Grades Mitral Regurgitation: A recent JACC study suggests Us2.ai’s automated AI for grading mitral regurgitation severity could help streamline the currently subjective diagnostic pathways used to identify the disease. Researchers used the AI to develop a new echocardiography workflow for mitral regurgitation grading and found that it achieved an accuracy of 0.80, and could distinguish significant versus nonsignificant mitral regurgitation with a sensitivity of 0.96 and specificity of 0.98.
- GE Ships Flyrcado PET Tracer: GE HealthCare has delivered the first U.S. doses of its Flyrcado PET radiotracer, which was approved in 2024 for PET myocardial perfusion imaging for patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. GE is promoting the tracer as an alternative to SPECT MPI, and is highlighting its 109-minute half-life, longer than other PET tracers. Full commercial shipments will begin in the second quarter, and GE expects to receive CMS pass-through status soon to enable separate Medicare coverage in the outpatient setting.
- Lunit Taps New Volpara CEO: Lunit tapped a new CEO for its Volpara Health Technologies subsidiary: Craig Hadfield, who has been serving as Volpara’s chief customer and financial officer. Hadfield joined Volpara in 2016 and oversaw the company’s financial operations, strategic acquisitions, and transition to a SaaS-based model. He takes over the CEO role from Teri Thomas.
- Nanox Gets CE Mark for Tomo System: On the eve of ECR 2025, Israeli digital X-ray developer Nanox received the CE Mark for Nanox.ARC, the multi-source version of its tomosynthesis radiography system. The move opens up the European market for Nanox.ARC, which features multiple X-ray sources in an array around the patient; the company is positioning the system as a lower-cost alternative to CT with more clinical functionality than traditional X-ray.
- KA Imaging Starts Europe Sales: Digital radiography vendor KA Imaging has begun European sales of its Reveal Mobi Pro premium dual-energy X-ray system after it received the CE Mark. The system bundles KA’s Reveal 35C digital detector into a mobile system that can acquire conventional and dual-energy images at patient bedside with a single image acquisition. KA sees its SpectralDR technology as giving clinicians the benefits of dual-energy X-ray without the drawbacks such as performing two image acquisitions.
- Mammo Wars Continue: Despite sustaining a series of setbacks in the last couple years, critics of population-based breast screening continue to attack mammography, especially in Europe. Longtime U.K. screening skeptic Susan Bewley recently penned an op-ed in the Daily Mail criticizing a new NHS campaign promoting breast screening, claiming that women “are being lied to” about screening’s benefits. Meanwhile, Reuters ran a fact-check article last week debunking claims that recently surfaced on social media platform X that Switzerland had banned breast screening (it hasn’t).
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Meet with CARPL at ECR 2025
CARPL.ai is at the forefront of transforming AI-driven healthcare with the world’s largest marketplace featuring 150+ AI applications. Book a meeting with them today at ECR 2025 or visit them at booth #AI-26.
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- Unprecedented Insights Made Possible with AI: With the largest normative dataset of whole-body imaging in the world, Prenuvo’s AI researchers partner with the best academic minds to understand – like never before – what “normal” aging means. Learn about their work today.
- Meet Gleamer at ECR 2025 in Vienna: Visit Gleamer at ECR 2025 in Vienna and learn about the scientific evidence behind the performance and excellence of their AI solutions for musculoskeletal and chest imaging. Book a meeting today or visit them at booth #AI-17.
- Ignite Your AI Strategy at ECR 2025: Learn how to ignite your AI strategy at ECR 2025 with Calantic by Bayer’s AI platform for radiology. Book a demo today at booth #AI-03 and be sure to attend one of the company’s presentations in Vienna.
- A Triple-Award KLAS Win: AGFA HealthCare is celebrating a remarkable triple win in the Best in KLAS awards, achieving two #1 awards for their XERO viewer and VNA alongside the KLAS Most Improved Software Product for 2025. Learn more about their solutions today.
- AI-Empowered CT Workflow: CT systems from United Imaging are designed for high image quality and low dose, and their AI-empowered workflow enables fast and reproducible positioning, helping you image patients with confidence. Learn more on this page.
- Ranked #1 Best in KLAS for 3 Consecutive Years: Named Best in KLAS 2025, Microsoft’s PowerShare earns praise from clinicians and other imaging stakeholders for seamless medical image exchange. Hear how it’s benefiting customers and patients.
- Start at the Source to Improve MRI: Looking for ways to improve MRI speed and image quality while addressing broader concerns in healthcare? The answer may lie in proven MRI physics in your existing scanner – learn how to unlock it with STAGE from SpinTech MRI.
- Expanding Your Talent Pool with Teleradiology: Listen to radiologist recruiter Daniel Corbett and Medality Co-Founder and CEO Daniel Arnold in this on-demand webinar exploring the pros, cons, and essential factors for private practice leaders considering teleradiology integration.
- A Step-by-Step Guide to InteleShare Viewer: How can Intelerad’s InteleShare Viewer help you handle the demands of enterprise healthcare with a diagnostic-quality viewer? Learn about some of the tools available to you in this self-guided demo.
- Feel the Freedom of Helium-Free MRI: Lift limitations and experience MRI excellence with Philips BlueSeal, the industry’s lightest, vent pipe-free, high-performance, helium-free 1.5T scanner. Save on helium and energy costs, achieve precise AI-enhanced diagnoses, enjoy faster scans, and optimized workflows. Learn more today.
- Synoptic Reporting of Liver Masses: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound exams for focal liver lesions can be challenging to report in at-risk patients. Learn how Kailo Medical’s synoptic reporting solutions can make reporting easier while improving LI-RADS categorization.
- All Your Data in One Place: Mach7’s Vendor Neutral Archive (VNA) is a powerful data management and workflow orchestration technology built for the future. Learn how it can help you drive better patient care by centralizing all your data in one place.
- Tools for Lung Cancer Screening in Europe: As lung cancer screening programs gear up to launch across various European countries, the integration of AI nodule detection tools promises to enhance the accuracy of low-dose CT scans. Watch this video from Riverain Technologies to learn more.
- The Invisible Edge of Data Migration: AI-enabled data migration has several advantages for healthcare organizations, from efficiency that’s 5-10X faster than traditional methods to success rates as high as 99%. Learn more on this page from Enlitic.
- Engage Patients with Image Access and Insights: Learn how to improve patient engagement with seamless image exchange from PocketHealth and image-enable your portal and improve follow-up compliance. Book a demo with them at HIMSS.
- Experience Visage at HIMSS 2025: See for yourself what the buzz in CloudPACS is all about by scheduling a priority demo with Visage Imaging at HIMSS 2025, or drop by their booth #661 to learn more about Visage 7.
- The Benefits of Operational AI: Explore the transformative potential of operational AI in healthcare in this on-demand webinar hosted by Blackford. Learn from the company’s partners how AI can help your practice operate more efficiently.
- Best in KLAS for 2025: Merge Cardio and Merge Hemo from Merge by Merative have been ranked Best in KLAS for Cardiology and Hemodynamics, marking the 10th and 13th time respectively for these industry-leading solutions. Read this report to see how they compared to the competition.
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