Fira de Barcelona continues with its busy agenda of major international medical meetings. Following the World Conference on Lung Cancer held earlier this week at the Gran Via venue, it is now the turn of the Annual Congress of the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE), which will take place at the Barcelona International Convention Centre (CCIB) from tomorrow until September 17. This is the largest global event in the specialty, with more than 6,000 interventional radiologists and representatives of other disciplines from around the world gathering to discuss the latest medical and technological advances.
In this edition, under the motto 40 years Pioneering Progress, CIRSE marks its anniversary, consolidating its position as the most prestigious interventional radiology meeting in Europe. The congress returns to the CCIB, which has already hosted the editions in 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2022, and will be locally hosted by the Spanish Society of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (SERVEI). Over five days, it will feature 205 sessions, 736 presentations, 539 international speakers, 78 hands-on device trainings, and up to 1,600 poster and oral communications.
The scientific programme will cover the latest advances in arterial and venous interventions, interventional oncology, embolisation and non-vascular treatments, as well as cutting-edge techniques in neuroradiology, paediatric radiology and emergency procedures. It will also include sessions on aortic procedures and musculoskeletal treatments. Unpublished clinical trial results will be presented, while a dedicated section of the exhibition will focus on the role of artificial intelligence, robotics and virtual reality in clinical practice. In addition, a specific area on radiation protection will highlight patient and professional safety.
“Interventional radiology is medicine that heals without a scalpel. It is based on needles, wires and catheters to access organs and blood vessels, treating diseases in almost any part of the body without the need for open surgery. This means less pain, fewer risks and much faster recovery for patients,” explains Dr. José Andrés Guirola, member of the Local Host Committee and the Congress Scientific Committee.
Regarding the meeting in Barcelona, “the congress theme aptly reflects the moment interventional radiology is experiencing: we are entering the era of artificial intelligence and robotics,” adds Guirola. “In the coming years we will see robots guiding catheters with millimetric precision and AI systems capable of planning procedures and interpreting images in real time. Minimally invasive oncological therapies that act directly on tumours are also advancing, along with emerging fields such as musculoskeletal embolisation, minimally invasive treatments for prostatic and gynaecological conditions, or neurointervention in stroke. The CIRSE 2025 programme already reflects this future,” he concludes.
Supporting the next generation of specialists will be another key focus of the meeting. Through the European Trainee Forum, residents and students will have free access to the congress, with a dedicated programme designed to introduce them to interventional radiology as a career path, including sessions, activities and introductory workshops.
Final quarter with more than 25 events
The CIRSE congress opens the agenda for the final quarter at the CCIB, which is scheduled to host more than 25 events between September and December. In the medical field, it will also be the venue for other major congresses such as ECTRIMS on multiple sclerosis, the World Stroke Congress on stroke, and EANM on nuclear medicine. This event, together with those held in other venues, strengthens the role of Fira de Barcelona and the city as an international benchmark in organising major medical gatherings, a leadership that, according to the latest 2024 data from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), places Barcelona as the world’s leading city in the number of medical congresses.
The CCIB will also host professionals from other disciplines until the end of the year. Highlights include Mondiacult, the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies; the Gartner IT Symposium/XPO, the leading meeting for executives and analysts of this technology multinational; the Biostimulants World Congress (BSWC) on agricultural biotechnology; and the International Congress on Archives (ICA) for archival professionals.
