The Korean Society of Radiology's 80th Anniversary Academic Conference Successfully Concludes... What Are Its Key Features?

- The Korean Society of Radiology's AI Translation System That Surprised Even the Presidents of the U.S. and European Radiological Societies

- First patient session operation, eco-friendly approach, etc.

10-21-2025 05:00:03

[by Medical World News Kim Young-shin]

The Korean Society of Radiology (President Seung-Eun Jeong, Professor of Radiology at Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital) held the 81st Academic Conference (KCR 2025) commemorating the 80th anniversary of the society's founding at COEX in Seoul from September 24 to 27.

Held under the theme 'Unwavering Endeavors,' this academic conference attracted attention with its rich academic events and 80th anniversary celebrations, attended by approximately 3,500 people, including 665 foreign participants from 38 countries.

Accordingly, we will examine the representative features of this academic conference.

◆ AI Translation System… Favorable Reviews from Domestic and International Attendees

The real-time AI interpretation system showcased at KCR 2025 received favorable reviews.

The event continued to receive favorable reviews not only from domestic participants but also from international attendees, including Dr. Umar Mahmood, the current president of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA); Professor Curtis P. Langlotz, the former president of Stanford University; Professor Minerva Becker, the current president of the European Society of Radiology (ESR); and Professor Mathias Prokop of Radboud University in the Netherlands.

According to KCR 2025 Secretary General Hwang Sung-il (Professor of Radiology at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital), overseas participants commented, “I have attended many international academic conferences, but I have never seen a translation this perfect and fast (without errors),” and added, “It would be good to use this in our own countries as well.”

Domestic participants also expressed reactions such as, “There seem to be almost no errors,” “It seems distinctly different from the last time,” “I was quite surprised by how natural almost all of the translations were,” and “I feel like I have seen new possibilities for overcoming language, which is a major barrier in international academic conferences.”

An official from Puzzle AI, which developed and integrated this AI translation system, stated, "Until now, AI interpretation at international academic conferences has had limitations, and we have successfully overcome these limitations for the first time through our technology." The official added, "This proves that Puzzle AI's technological capabilities are at a global level. We believe this will be the first step in opening a new era of international academic exchange without language barriers."

Secretary General Hwang Seong-il stated, "There were significant issues with the AI ​​interpretation program implemented for the first time last year, so this year we replaced the company and upgraded it to an AI interpretation system specialized in radiology through feedback gathered from multiple demonstrations and meetings with the society." He added, "Based on this year's experience, we plan to make further upgrades next year, such as improving interpretation quality and time efficiency, enhancing display methods, and inserting VOD captions. It appears that we will need to continue developing this through close cooperation in the future."

◆ Aiming for an eco-friendly academic conference

Another feature of KCR 2025 is that it promoted an eco-friendly academic conference.

In particular, instead of the previously used booklet-type abstract, it has been made available for viewing and use online through methods such as scanning QR codes.

In addition, efforts were made to minimize the use of disposable cups by attendees by encouraging the use of tumblers when consuming beverages such as coffee, and by introducing dishwashers for tumbler users.

◆ First-ever operation of patient participation sessions

One of the biggest features of this academic conference is that it operated patient participation sessions for the first time.

Steve Ebdon-Jackson, who worked at the UK Department of Health and Public Health, attended the patient session held at KCR 2025 on September 26 as an invited speaker and introduced the operation of the Patient Advisory Group (PAG) within the European Society of Radiology (ESR).

He said, “Involving patients in the medical decision-making process is a demand of the times. Using language that patients can understand is the starting point of communication,” adding that “the willingness of medical staff to secure time to communicate with patients is also necessary.”

He added, “Doctors must consider various ways to approach patients from their perspective.”

President Jeong Seung-eun (Professor of Radiology at Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital) stated, "Starting with this patient session, the Korean Society of Radiology plans to carry out various activities, such as launching a Patient Committee, to approach the improvement of medical services from the patients' perspective."

◆ Most attendees 'studying hard'

At this academic conference, it was observed throughout the venue that most attendees listened attentively to the lectures and actively participated.

In fact, not only domestic but also foreign attendees remained at the conference venue to actively listen to and participate in the lectures they wanted. The ratio of session participants to registrants reached an all-time high, which led to some inconveniences, such as a shortage of lunch boxes for the lunch symposium that had to be replaced with alternatives.

Secretary General Hwang emphasized, “More attendees than in previous years actively participated in sessions at the conference, resulting in a shortage of some lunch boxes that were prepared based on our predictions,” adding, “We will make further efforts to improve these aspects in the future.”

Chairman Jeong said, “I was pleased to see most of the attendees participating diligently and studying, as it seemed we were fulfilling the role of a true academic conference,” adding, “We will continue to develop diverse programs to encourage active participation in the future.”

Meanwhile, KCR is recognized as a leading academic conference in the Asian region that radiologists and researchers across the country are eager to attend.

Source: Medical World News(https://medicalworldnews.co.kr/)