The 8th Early Career Clinical Endocrinologists (ECCE) meeting, held on Thursday 17 October, during EndoBridge 2024, focused on “Imaging in Endocrinology”.
The European Council of Affiliated Societies (ECAS) of the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) organised the ECCE meeting. This year it was moderated by Professors Anton Luger (AUT), Bulent Yildiz (TUR), Charlotte Höybye (SWE), Djuro Macut (SER), and Dimitrios G. Goulis (GRC). The meeting was attended by 23 early-career participants representing 17 countries. Dr. Evangelos Chartampilas (GRC) delivered the keynote lecture on “Imaging in Endocrinology: Ultrasound (US), Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)”.
Two new initiatives, successfully introduced in the 7th ECCE, were repeated in this year’s meeting: the active participation of the ESE Young Endocrinologists and Scientists (EYES) committee and the national perspectives of early career endocrinologists. Regarding the former, the EYES Committee Member Dr. Julia Beck (CHE) informed us about “Supporting early career endocrinologists at the European level”. Regarding the latter, Dr. Roman Králik (SVK) presented “Slovakia’s national perspective” and Assistant Professor Bilel Ben Amor (TUN) “Endocrinology training in Tunisia: the experience of young endocrinologists”.
The main outcomes of the meeting were:
- The differences in specialty training among the European countries are reflected in the differences in training for endocrine imaging; harmonisation is required.
- National Health Systems (NHS) tend to centralise the imaging facilities in each hospital rather than establish special facilities inside the Departments of Endocrinology.
- Some rural areas have limited imaging facilities; as a result, endocrinologists lack essential diagnostic tools.
The main proposals of the meeting were:
- Formal and universal training in endocrine imaging during specialty training in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism would be useful. The training could be provided in different ways, such as:
- Continuous and adequate exposure to endocrine imaging during specialty training, including imaging in Male and Female Reproductive Endocrinology and minimally invasive procedures [e.g. thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA)].
- Every Endocrine Department should have unrestricted access to US imaging. A financial investment may be necessary.
- Inclusion of obligatory rotation to endocrine imaging structures for a pre-determined period (e.g. 2-3 months).
- Establishment of interdisciplinary meetings involving the endocrine and radiology staff at pre-determined periods (e.g. weekly or monthly).
- The basics of imaging, especially ultrasound, CT and MRI, should be taught at the pre-graduate level during the pre-clinical years.
- It would be desirable if the above principles were completed with clinical practice during the pre-graduate clinical years.
- Endocrine imaging should be reinforced in endocrinology curricula. The final aim should be an endocrinologist capable of selecting the appropriate imaging method, interpreting its results, and performing some of them (e.g., neck US). Collaboration at national and European level would be important to achieve this aim.
- This is usually a pre-congress course on thyroid US at every European Congress of Endocrinology (ECE). However, consideration could be given nationally and regionally to providing more hands-on courses for Continuous Medical Education (CME) on endocrine imaging.
- The formal education of trainees and early career specialists in endocrine imaging would result in wiser use of these facilities and reduce the relevant costs.
You can watch a short video of the meeting here.
The 9th ECCE meeting will take place next October during the EndoBridge 2025. The main topic will be “Nuclear Medicine and Endocrinology”.
Photo: 8th Early Career Clinical Endocrinologists (ECCE) Meeting on 17 October 2024
10/12/2024