World Congress of the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology 2009

The first World Congress of the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) took place in 1976 in San Francisco. Since then the WFUMB has organized World Congresses triennially. The WFUMB World Congress has been held in Australia only once before in 1985 when the successful 4th WFUMB Congress was held in Sydney. Since then, the WFUMB has increased considerably in size and so has the capability of Sydney to host major international conference. The WFUMB is a Federation of Affiliated Organisations consisting of Regional Federations that cover National Societies of Ultrasound in Europe (European Federation of Societies in Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology - EFSUMB), in Asia (Asian Federation of Societies in Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology - AFSUMB), in North America (American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine - AIUM), in Latin America (Latin American Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology - FLAUS), in Australasia (Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine - ASUM) and in Mediterranean Africa (Mediterranean and African Society for Ultrasound - MASU). The total number of individual members is approximately 52,000, comprising of physicians, scientists, engineers and ultrasonographers. The objectives of the WFUMB are to encourage research, to promote international cooperation and to disseminate scientific information in the field of ultrasound in medicine. The 12th World Congress in Sydney will include exciting program topics: advanced imaging technology, quality assurance in radiology, medico-legal issues, 3D and 4D ultrasound, echocardiography, ultrasound contrast imaging, advances in therapeutic applications, hands-on workshops and live-demonstration sessions, pediatric cardiology, veterinary medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, musculoskeletal and emergency medicine. Delegates will have the opportunity to meet with exhibitors who will be displaying their new, innovative and technical diagnostic and t