Key Points
- The SPIR 2022 meeting, “InSPIRing Innovation,” was held in Galway City, Ireland, September 25–27.
- Dr. Karun Sharma presented “MR-HIFU for Pediatric Diseases: Non-Invasive Tissue Ablation and Much More.”
The Society of Pediatric Interventional Radiology (SPIR) 2022 meeting, “InSPIRing Innovation,” was held in Galway City, Ireland, September 25–27, 2022.
Karun Sharma, MD, director of interventional radiology at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC (a focused ultrasound center of excellence), presented “MR-HIFU for Pediatric Diseases: Non-Invasive Tissue Ablation and Much More,” which covered focused ultrasound pediatric applications ranging from ablation of osteoid osteoma and soft tissue tumors to enhancing drug delivery for sarcoma and brain tumors and, finally, for enhancing host immune response.
“It is important for pediatric interventional radiologists to be aware of current clinical indications and the research that is being performed to expand pediatric indications for focused ultrasound,” said Dr. Sharma. “As a noninvasive and radiation-free therapy, focused ultrasound is especially relevant to our young patients.”
Dr. Sharma was pleased to report that there was also an “Introduction to Histotripsy” talk given at the meeting. The SPIR conference included the following sessions:
- Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in IR
- Controversies Debate
- How I Do It: Practice Elements to Procedural Techniques
- Education and Research
- Lymphatic Interventions
- Neurointerventions
- Venous Interventions/Vascular Access
- Global Outreach in IR
Access to meeting content is available on the SPIR website through January 31, 2023.