Sunday February 17, 2008

•  Welcome reception and registration
  Hotel Steigenberger Belvedere,Promenade 89, Davos

Monday February 18, 2008, Morning session

• Welcome, opening remarks and general information
  J. Roelandt (Rotterdam, NL)

• NEW TECHNIQUES AND FURTHER VALIDATION OF THE OLD
  Chairmen: J. Roelandt, J. KissloAdvances in real-time 3D echo: improved image quality and analytic software 
•  more accurate structure and function assessment?
  J. Kisslo (Durham, US)
• Myocardial Doppler imaging (TDI): pulsed-wave and color TDI, strain and strain rate.
  J. Roelandt (Rotterdam, NL)
• Myocardial speckle tracking: vector velocity imaging, twist and torsion.
  M. Geleijnse (Rotterdam, NL)
• Now that we know TDI and speckle tracking techniques: which parameters to assess LV function and their utility in daily practice.
  P. Nihoyannopoulos (London, UK)
• CMR: complimentary to echo or competitive? Who will be the imaging experts of the future
  J. Thomas (Cleveland, US)
• Case examples
  M. Geleijnse, J. Kisslo, P. Nihoyannopoulos
• Discussion
  

Monday February 18, 2008, Afternoon session

• VALVULAR DISEASE (1): REGURGITANT LESIONS

• Chairmen: J. Thomas, L. Pierard
• The changing valve pathology requires new information: the role for echo/Doppler.
  I. Kronzon (New York, US)
• Valvular regurgitation (AR and MR): a step-wise approach to quantification (PISA, jet size, vena contraction, regurgitant volume, EROA). How to avoid mistakes? Is real-time 3DE helpful?
  J. Thomas (Cleveland, US)
• Asymptomatic severe mitral regurgitation: the importance of left ventricular quantification.
  J-L. Monin (Créteil, FR)
• Exercise testing in valvular regurgitation: is it helpful for clinical management?
  L. Pierard (Liege, BE)
•  The forgotten valve: tricuspid regurgitation (isolated, mechanically and electrically induced). Consequences, assessment and management.
  H. Becher (Oxford, UK)
• Multiple-choice questions
  J. Roelandt
• Case examples
  H. Becher, J. Thomas, L. Pierard, J-L. Monin, I. Kronzon
• Discussion

Tuesday-February 19, 2008, Morning Session

• COMMON AND IMPORTANT CLINICAL CONDITIONS
  Chairmen: R. Erbel, N. Pandian
• Pulmonary hypertension: diagnosis and guided management by echo/Doppler.
  R. Erbel (Essen, DE)
• The difficult ventricle: assessment of RV function in daily practice. How to assess: echo/Doppler? CMR or RT3DE?
  N. Pandian (Boston, US)
• The patient with acute chest pain: triple rule-out (dissection, pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction).
  I. Kronzon (New York, US) 
• The many manifestations of myocarditis: an important role for echo/Doppler assessment.
  R. Erbel (Essen, DE)
• Multiple-choice questions
  J. Roelandt
• Case examples
  I. Kronzon, N. Pandian, R. Erbel 
• Discussion

Tuesday February 19, 2008, Afternoon Session

• HEART FAILURE AND CRT
  Chairmen: J. Bax, P. Nihoyannopoulos
• An update of CRT trials
  M. Schalij (Leiden, NL)
• Echo/Doppler techniques for CRT selection: which methods and which criteria in 2008? How to avoid problems?
  P. Nihoyannopoulos (London, UK)
• Echo/Doppler techniques for lead monitoring and device optimalization: which technique predicts outcome?
  J. Bax (Leiden, NL)
• Echo/Doppler techniques for follow-up of CRT patients
  J. Thomas (Cleveland, US)
• CMR and MRCT: complimentary or pivotal role in patient selection?
  J. Bax (Leiden, NL)
• Multiple-choice questions
  J. Roelandt
• Case examples
  M. Schalij, P. Nihoyannopoulos, J. Thomas 
• Discussion

Wednesday February 20, 2008, Morning Session

• Left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure
  Chairmen: M. Schalij, I. Kronzon
• Practical approach to evaluate systolic function: which parameters (TEI index, FS%, EF)? Increasing role of real-time 3DE?
  J. Kisslo (Durham, US)
• Practical approach to evaluate diastolic function: which parameters?
  I. Kronzon (New York, US)
• Asymptomatic LV dysfunction and the patient with suspected heart failure: which tests (ECG, biomarkers and echo) in general practice?
  M. Schalij (Leiden, NL)
• The reliability of echo/Doppler indices of LV dyssynchrony – a critical appraisal.
  P. Nihoyannopoulos (London, UK)
• Case examples
  J. Kisslo, P. Nihoyannopoulos, H. Becher, I. Kronzon
• Discussion

Wednesday-February 20, 2008, Afternoon Session

• VALVULAR DISEASE (2): STENOTIC LESIONS
  Chairmen: J-L. Monin, M. Geleijnse
• Aortic stenosis: comprehensive assessment. Is it the valve or the ventricle?
  M. Geleijnse (Rotterdam, NL)
• Asymptomatic severe and moderate aortic stenosis : when to replace the valve ?
  J-L. Monin (Créteil, FR)
  Severe aortic stenosis in the elderly: medical therapy, surgery or percutaneous valve replacement.
  L. Pierard (Liege, BE)
• Experience with percutaneous aortic valve replacement.
  P. de Jaegere (Rotterdam, NL)
• New and old prosthetic valves: principles of assessment and criteria of dysfunction.
  N. Pandian (Boston, US)
• Multiple-choice questions
  J. Roelandt
• Case examples
  M. Geleijnse, N. Pandian, J-L. Moning
• Discussion
  

Thursday February 21, 2008, Morning Session

• CORONARY AND ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE
  Chairmen: D. Poldermans, J. Bax
• Acute myocardial infarction: prediction of outcome and prognosis.
  S. Mollema (Leiden, NL)
• Left atrial assessment: how to assess size and function and clinical relevance.
  J. Roelandt (Rotterdam, NL)
• Dysfunctional myocardium (ischemia, viable, scar): best practical method for detection and therapeutic options in 2008.
  J. Bax (Leiden, NL)
• Update on stress echo and contrast echo for diagnosing coronary artery disease.
  M. Geleijnse (Rotterdam, NL)
• Ischemic mitral regurgitation: assessment, prognosis and management.
  L. Pierard (Liege, BE)
• Multiple-choice questions
  J. Roelandt
• Case examples
  L. Pierard, D. Poldermans, J. Bax, M. Geleijnse
• Discussion

Thursday February 21, 2008, Afternoon Session

• COMMON CONDITIONS
  Chairmen: M. Geleijnse, H. Becher
• Contrast Echocardiography
• Contrast echocardiography: can we miss it in 2008?
  N. Pandian (Boston, US)
• Contrast echocardiography: what holds the future – perfusion imaging, molecular imaging?
  H. Becher (Oxford, UK)
• Vascular Disease
•  Two easy measurements with important prognostic and therapeutic significance: the carotid intima/media thickness (IMT) and the abdominal aortic dimensions.
  D. Poldermans (Rotterdam, NL)
• The sources of embolism: atrial fibrillation, thrombosis, mass lesions, PFO.
  M. Geleijnse (Rotterdam, NL)
• The cardiac patient undergoing non-cardiac surgery: the many contributions of echo/Doppler from risk assessment to surgery and beyond.
  D. Poldermans (Rotterdam, NL)
• Closing remarks