From 27 September to 1 October, the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress 2025 took place at RAI Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Multiple members of the IMAGIO consortium (especially from Work Package 4,multimodal diagnosis and therapy in early-stage lung cancer) proudly participated in this congress. ERS is the largest scientific and clinical event in Europe dedicated to respiratory medicine, attracting more than 22,000 delegates from around the world. Here, the latest advances in lung cancer research from the IMAGIO’s project were shared with a broad scientific audience, which significantly strengthened the project’s visibility.
The Higher Harmonic Generation (HHG) microscope stood out as a key highlight at the congress. This advanced microscope allows real-time visualisation of tissues without the need for any preparation, sectioning or staining. It was demonstrated by Sylvia Spies and IMAGIO partner Flash Pathology during two educational live case sessions from the Amsterdam UMC, co-chaired and executed by Prof. Dr. Erik van der Heijden, Prof. Dr. Jouke Annema, and Dr. Roel Verhoeven. Sylvia also presented three posters on using the HHG microscope in pleural biopsies (tissue samples from the lungs’ outer lining), asthmatic biopsies (These involve collecting tiny samples from the airways of patients with asthma), and lung nodule biopsies (These are tissue samples taken from small growths or “nodules” found in the lungs), highlighting the tool’s versatility across different respiratory conditions.
Another remarkable achievement came from Annick van der Kroef, who won the Best Abstract prize in Thoracic Oncology. She presented her research on the diagnostic accuracy of HHG microscopy in lung biopsies, reinforcing IMAGIO’s position at the forefront of innovation in cancer imaging. In addition, Siem de Jong presented his research on AI-based analysis of HHG imaging, demonstrating how artificial intelligence can enhance image interpretation and help identify cancerous tissue. The above achievements were made possible thanks to the contribution of the already named IMAGIO team members, as well as Prof. Dr. Marloes Groot and Dr. Francesco Ciompi.
Adding to these accomplishments, Inge Wijma presented a poster on the AirWaze study. This clinical study is a collaboration between the Radboudumc and Philips and explores how advanced imaging can guide the clinicians through the airways to improve the accuracy and safety of lung biopsies. Together, these contributions highlighted IMAGIO’s multimodal approach, combining imaging, artificial intelligence and clinical expertise to develop better tools for diagnosing and treating lung cancer. IMAGIO’s strong presence at the ERS Congress 2025 marked an important step in spreading the project’s vision: transforming cancer care through advanced imaging and precision diagnostics. The event’s global reach provided an ideal platform to share IMAGIO’s progress, build collaborations and inspire continued innovation in respiratory and oncology research.
