Highlights of the EUSOBI Annual Scientific Meeting 2025
By Giovanni Irmici, MD; Gianmarco Della Pepa, MD; Giulia Vatteroni, MD; Iva Biondic, MD; Melis Baykara Ulusan, MD; Thiemo van Nijnatten, MD, PhD; and Michael Fuchsjäger, MD
The European Society of Breast Imaging (EUSOBI) Annual Scientific Meeting 2025 took place from September 25 to 27 in Aberdeen, Scotland, bringing together more than 1.500 attendees, in person and virtually. The conference brought together world-class science, meaningful discussions, and the warmth of Scottish hospitality in a memorable event.
Building Skills for Success: The EYC Symposium
As tradition dictates, the EUSOBI Young Club (EYC) opened the meeting with its pre-congress symposium, this year titled “Building Skills for Success: Personal Development and Communication for the Next Generation of Breast Radiologists”. The program was dynamic and practical, focusing first on career development — exploring how to find and apply for fellowships, with valuable insights from those who have already taken that path. The first session continued with an inspiring talk by Prof. Christiane Kuhl on how to write a scientific paper and get published, providing a clear, practical and encouraging guidance for young researchers. The second session moved into the delicate field of communication: how to talk about risk, how to deliver bad news, and how to provide inclusive care for transgender patients. he interactive discussion that followed reflected the EYC’s spirit — open, supportive, and forward-looking. Including a transgender patient in the panel discussion greatly enhanced our understanding of the unique challenges faced by this community and fostered better communication between healthcare professionals and patients.
A fun new feature this year was the EYC Coffee Break Challenge. Held in the EYC Lounge area, participants were invited to solve one short breast imaging case during each coffee break throughout the meeting. Those who completed all challenges successfully earned complimentary access to the EYC Mentorship Course — an initiative designed to encourage continuous learning and engagement in a friendly, competitive spirit.
A Warm Scottish Welcome
The Opening Ceremony celebrated the local culture with traditional music, dancing, and the unmistakable energy of a Scottish welcome. The meeting was officially opened by EUSOBI President Prof. Michael Fuchsjäger with the local hosts Prof. Fiona Gilbert and Prof. Gerald Lip, who set the tone for an inspiring few days of learning and collaboration.
Day 1 – Screening, De-escalation, and Engagement
The first day focused on the future of risk-based and supplemental screening, with leading speakers exploring how to tailor screening strategies to individual patients, explaining what ‘supplemental imaging’ means in this context.
The Image-guided de-escalation session followed, discussing less invasive approaches for axillary management, post-treatment microcalcifications, and the role of imaging in identifying candidates for conservative therapy.
The day concluded on a lighter note with the traditional Image Interpretation Quiz – Scotland vs. the Rest of Europe, where knowledge and humor mixed perfectly in a packed lecture hall.
Day 2 – Well-being, AI, and Sustainability
Friday began on a thoughtful note with a session dedicated to well-being in radiology, addressing burnout, teamwork and the value of self-care. Talks such as “Fresh Eye” and “You Are Worth It” reminded everyone that self-care is a fundamental component of patient care.
Artificial intelligence once again took center stage — with a mature focus on implementation rather than hype. Speakers explored how AI can improve workflows, support decision-making, and help predict treatment response, while emphasizing the need for measurable value and clinical validation. It became evident that AI tools for standard screening mammography are now reaching a level of maturity and reliability, with real-world integration supported by robust studies. By contrast, advanced applications in digital breast tomosynthesis and ultrasound remain in accelerated development and show significant promise, but have not yet reached the same degree of clinical adoption. For breast MRI and contrast-enhanced mammography, AI is still largely a research endeavor, with innovative solutions emerging but widespread implementation remaining a challenge.
The day also featured EUSOBI meets Mexico and the SBI Spotlight, underlining the society’s global perspective. Importantly, updated EUSOBI guidelines were presented, covering MRI, follow-up recommendations, AI applications, and sustainability — a session that felt like a roadmap for the years ahead. The Green Travel Prize further reinforced EUSOBI’s commitment to responsible and environmentally conscious practice.
A big news in the field of breast imaging was the announcement of the launch of the new journal European Radiology Breast. This new journal, part of the European Radiology family, focuses specifically on research and clinical practice in breast imaging. The Editor-in-Chief is Prof. Sophia Zackrisson, MD, PhD. Further leading editorial roles are taken over by Prof. Eva M. Fallenberg and Prof. Ioannis Sechopoulos.
The Friday scientific program concluded with a session focused on special patient groups (male patients, children, and transgender individuals), providing valuable insights and practical tips for decision-making and imaging follow-up tailored to each group.
Day 3 – Celebrating Achievements and Looking Ahead
The final day opened with the EUSOBI Gold Medal Lecture delivered by Prof. Matthew Wallis, titled “O Brave New World?” — an inspiring reflection on progress and purpose in breast imaging.
The Patient Journey session gave voice to both technologists and patients, sharing real experiences and reminding everyone of the human stories behind every image.
The Carla Boetes Award was presented to Dr. Valeria Romeo (Naples, Italy) for her outstanding work in hybrid PET/MRI, while the EUSOBI Young Researcher Grant celebrated innovative projects in image-guided therapy, featuring Dr. Nicole Brunetti (Genoa, Italy) with a prospective comparison of MRI-guided versus CEM-guided biopsy for enhancing-only breast lesions, and Dr. Emine Meltem (Istanbul, Turkey) with a longitudinal study on ultrasound-guided intralesional steroid therapy for idiopathic granulomatous mastitis, integrating clinical and imaging biomarkers.
The Next Generation and Best ePoster Session showcased the creativity and dedication of young researchers, with topics ranging from CEM conspicuity as a predictor of response to cryoablation to AI-assisted lesion characterization. The keynote lecture on the last day of the congress was delivered by Prof. Francesco Sardanelli (Milan, Italy), who presented the results of the MIPA study.
Focus Sessions and Industry Highlights
A new highlight this year was the introduction of the Focus Sessions — smaller, theme-oriented discussions that ran in parallel with the main congress. These sessions allowed deeper dives into specific topics such as advanced interventional techniques, new imaging biomarkers, and the evolving role of contrast-enhanced mammography. These sessions were highly appreciated for their interactive and practical format.
Industry partners contributed significantly with hands-on workshops showcasing the latest innovations in imaging technology, from state-of-the-art ultrasound and MRI techniques to AI-powered workflow tools. These sessions provided an invaluable bridge between clinical needs and technological advancement.
A Meeting to Remember
EUSOBI 2025 will be remembered for its energy, inclusivity and scientific excellence. It was a meeting that balanced innovation with empathy, and ambition with sustainability — a reflection of how our community continues to evolve.
As the closing session looked ahead to Maastricht 2026, the sense of connection and shared purpose was unmistakable. Once again, EUSOBI proved to be more than a meeting — it’s a community shaping the future of breast imaging together.
Picture from the EUSOBI Young Club workshop at the annual meeting 2025.