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Reflections on the 39th SIR Meeting
SIR 2014, the society’s 39th annual scientific meeting, was held in San Diego between March 23 and 27. The theme this year was “Convergence,” keeping in line with the multidimensional nature of IR in daily practice. Plenary sessions, abstract presentations, workshops, and fellow and student programs were all part of an exciting 5-day showcase of the latest advances in interventional radiology.
James B. Spies, MD, MPH, FSIR, chairman of the radiology department at Georgetown University, assumed office as the Society of Interventional Radiology’s 2014–2015 president. A leading researcher in the field of uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) for more than 15 years, Spies has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers on his research into the technique that embolizes the blood supply to fibroids (noncancerous growths that develop in the muscular wall of the uterus) and has been a principal investigator in five funded research trials, including the FIBROID Registry, and developed the UFS-QOL, the only fibroid-specific symptom and quality of life questionnaire currently available.
James F. Benenati, MD, FSIR, delivered the 2014 Dr. Charles T. Dotter Lecture at the March 23 opening plenary session of SIR 2014. The lecture was supported by the SIR foundation an recognizes an interventional radiologist’s extraordinary contributions to the field, dedicated service to SIR and distinguished career achievements. Benenati who is a past president of SIR, delivered the lecture titled “Thirty Miles East of Samar,” to a packed audience highlighting training, innovation, working collaboratively with other medical specialties and political issues affecting medicine using the background of the World War 2 story of American courage and innovation.
The Society of Interventional Radiology presented its highest honor, the SIR Gold Medal, to Michael D. Dake, MD, FSIR; Matthew A. Mauro, MD, FSIR; and Lenny K. Tan, MD, FSIR. The Gold Medal acknowledges distinguished and extraordinary service to SIR or to interventional radiology.
The fourth annual SIR Foundation Gala was held at the San Diego’s Hotel Del Coronado. The paparazzi, and autograph-seekers awaited attendees at the entrance. William C. Culp, MD, FSIR, was awarded the 2014 Frederick S. Keller, MD, Philanthropist of the Year Award. More than $380,000 was raised to support the Foundation’s research and educational program.Fund-A-Need, a fast moving appeal for donations during the gala when attendees raise their bidder paddles to give, brought in a record-breaking $40,000 in unrestricted donations.
The SIR mobile app was a wonderful addition to this years SIR helped manage individual schedules in real-time along with updates and alerts.
With a comprehensive agenda that covered the entire spectrum of IR, SIR 2014 lived up to its theme and was indeed the convergence of several great minds of IR. SIR moves to Georgia in 2015 and will be held in the World Congress Center Atlanta, Georgia from February 28 to March 5, 2015.
