European Conference of Radiology 2025: Sustainability and healthcare equity

The European Conference of Radiology 2025, held last week in Vienna, Austria, saw over 20,000 attendees discussing radiology, sustainability, and global healthcare equity.

Starting on February 24, this year’s conference charted attendance of 20,522 participants from 131 countries, gathering in Vienna under the theme “Planet Radiology”.

Radiologists, radiographers, industry leaders and multidisciplinary experts were in attendance, paying visits to the Austria Centre, where each area was transformed into a different environment, such as deserts and underwater worlds.

‘Power to shape healthier planet’

Talks were given by visiting dignitaries, including congress president Andrea Rockall, deputy head of the British Embassy Vienna, Emma Baines and director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi.

Plenary lectures by Simon Reeve, Rowland Illing and Linda Moy covered planetary care, cloud-based technology, and ocean safe imaging.

Ask Me Anything sessions, meanwhile, offered opportunities to engage directly with leading experts.

Professor Rockall said: “This congress has truly embodied the spirit of ‘Planet Radiology’. It has been a testament to radiology’s power to shape a healthier planet. 

“The energy, passion, and innovation I witnessed at ECR 2025 was nothing short of inspiring and I hope attendees have taken some of the important messages of the meeting home with them, using the blueprint we have provided to make medical imaging more sustainable and equitable.”

Cutting-edge developments

Highlights included the In Focus programme, Imagers Fixing the World, part of the In Focus initiative, which showcased inspiring projects that advance both global health equity and planetary sustainability.

In Focus projects allowed researchers to deliver initiatives such as AI-driven diagnostics in underserved regions and pioneering green radiology initiatives. The In Focus Lounge featured a unique poster installation where attendees could learn more about projects and stories that are benefitting the planet and underserved communities.

This year, the AI Theatre and Exhibition returned, allowing attendees to engage with cutting-edge developments in AI and machine learning. The Pixel Pandemonium also debuted, a platform fostering collaboration between early-stage AI/ML researchers and the radiology community.

Practical demonstrations

Also available to visit was the Cube, an immersive space to explore the advances in interventional radiology through hands-on workshops and demonstrations, with a special focus given to green practices in IR.

The congress welcomed over 220 industry exhibitors and featured an extensive programme tailored to radiographers, reinforcing its commitment to multidisciplinary engagement.

This year’s congress also saw a total of 1,240 late-breaking abstracts submitted, bringing the overall submission count for ECR 2025 to almost 10,000 abstracts, representing an all-time high in ECR history.

Professor Rockall said: “The record-breaking engagement this year reflects the radiology community’s commitment to addressing some of the most pressing issues of our time. Under the theme of ‘Planet Radiology,’ which emphasises planetary health, sustainability, and global health equity, I feel these submissions demonstrate a collective determination to innovate and collaborate in ways that extend beyond medicine and resonate globally. I look forward to witnessing the impactful research that will shape both our field and our planet’s future.”

Almost all ECR 2025 sessions are available to view on ESR Connect with the Premium Education Package, available online here.

(Image: ECR hall, by sLkphoto.at-Kreuzberger-Sebastian)