European Course Book (ECB)

Dear ultrasonographer, dear friend,

The 22nd EUROSON Congress hosted by EFSUMB and the Danish Society of Diagnostic Ultrasound to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark 22-25 August 2010 will be coming up soon. This might be a good time to announce that the first chapters of the planned EFSUMB-European Course Book will be published in the beginning of August (just before the EUROSON congress) on the website (www.EFSUMB.org). The respective chapters can be downloaded as PDF-files. In the following paragraphs a short introduction, history and perspectives of EFSUMB are summarised.

On February 11, 1972, the delegates of 13 European societies met in Basel (Switzerland) for the formal foundation of the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB). The Federation's purpose shall be to promote the exchange of scientific knowledge and development in the medical and biological professions as applied to ultrasound. The Federation shall propose standards and give advice concerning criteria for the optimum apparatus and techniques, and concerning presentation and interpretation of results. This aim is to be served by arrangement of congresses and study and development meetings on an international level, as well as the exchange of information both in and outside Europe by the member organisations. EFSUMB has strengthened the interdisciplinary collaboration in the field of diagnostic ultrasound and for safety of ultrasound in medical use.

The European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) has proposed minimal training requirements for the practice of medical ultrasound in Europe (www.efsumb.org). These identify three levels of training and expertise. The boundaries between the three levels are difficult to define precisely and should be regarded as a guide to different levels of competence and experience. There is a demand to incorporate ultrasound experience into clinical courses and accreditation. It is of interest that up to now no EFSUMB dedicated Course Book (ECB) has been considered and published.