From small 1997 initiative to one of Europe’s largest breast imaging societies

The European Society of Breast Imaging (EUSOBI) has grown from a small initiative founded in 1997 into an organisation with 2,750 members from 98 countries as of 2026, according to a statement published in the journal European Radiology Breast. The society now ranks among the three largest radiological subspecialty societies in Europe, a trajectory traced in detail by authors writing on behalf of the EUSOBI Board.

The article, led by Thomas H. Helbich with co-authors including Fiona J. Gilbert, Ritse M. Mann and Michael Fuchsjäger, reviews the society’s development from 1997 to 2026. It highlights three parallel strands of growth: expansion in membership, an increasingly broad educational programme, and rising academic output. The society’s activities today include numerous statutory committees, task forces and a social media panel, alongside multiple educational courses run in addition to its annual congress.

Academic work is a central part of the society’s current profile. EUSOBI publishes a wide range of recommendations, patient information materials, guidelines and surveys. A recent milestone noted in the statement is the launch of a dedicated scientific journal in collaboration with the European Society of Radiology (ESR), which the authors describe as underscoring the society’s academic maturity and international relevance. The new journal, European Radiology Breast, is itself the venue for the published account, appearing as an open access article in the journal’s first volume.

The authors frame the motivation for the historical review as an unmet need for greater visibility of EUSOBI’s history. They argue that witnessing the society’s successful development, and its expansion in membership, educational activities and academic output, underscores the value of the organisation. The statement attributes the growth to the long-term commitment, vision and engagement of the society’s members, supported by the contributions of the EUSOBI office team.

The published account is a society statement rather than a research study, so it documents institutional history and current activities rather than reporting experimental findings. Its scope is limited to EUSOBI’s own development between 1997 and 2026, with the membership figure of 2,750 across 98 countries and the society’s position among Europe’s three largest radiological subspecialty societies given as of 2026. Readers seeking the full historical narrative, including the society’s educational and academic milestones over nearly three decades, are directed to the open access article, which is freely available in European Radiology Breast.

Subject of Research: The historical development and current activities of the European Society of Breast Imaging from 1997 to 2026.

Article Title: The evolution of the European Society of Breast Imaging (EUSOBI) into a leading radiological society

Article References: Helbich, T. H., Gilbert, F. J., Kilburn-Toppin, F., Giannotti, E., Athanasiou, A., D’Angelo, A., Dietzel, M., van Nijnatten, T. J. A., Mann, R. M., Fuchsjäger, M., & on behalf of the EUSOBI Board (2026). The evolution of the European Society of Breast Imaging (EUSOBI) into a leading radiological society. European Radiology Breast, 1(1), Article 5. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44502-026-00007-8

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s44502-026-00007-8

Keywords: EUSOBI, breast imaging, radiology, European Society of Radiology, medical societies, European Radiology Breast, guidelines, medical education, scientific journal, radiological subspecialty, evolution, European