Newsletter July 2026

Artificial Intelligence & Interventional Pulmonology

A new frontier: from radiology to the bronchoscopy suite.

We were delighted to hold the latest EABIP Board Meeting, bringing together our Board members and delegates from many different countries. The exchange was rich, the ideas concrete, and the energy exactly what our mission needs.

A heartfelt thank you to all delegates and regents for your commitment, your valuable input, and your continued support. Your enthusiasm and collaboration are the driving force behind everything EABIP builds.

Many exciting projects are ahead, and we look forward to shaping the future of interventional pulmonology together through education, innovation, research and collaboration. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.

📖 Paper Highlight · Artificial Intelligence in Radiology

Radiology Artificial Intelligence: a Systematic Review and Evaluation of methods (RAISE)

Kelly BS, Judge C, Bollard SM, et al. European Radiology 2022. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-022-08784-6

Figure — Number of AI studies in radiology by subspecialty, 2015 to 2019.

This systematic review followed PRISMA methodology and surveyed deep learning in clinical radiology published between 2015 and 2019. From 11,083 records, 767 full texts were reviewed and 535 studies included. Ninety-eight percent were retrospective cohort studies (median 460 patients). MRI (37%) and neuroradiology dominated. Most models used supervised learning (88%) and addressed segmentation (39%), with UNet the most common architecture.

Reported performance was strong (median Dice 0.89, AUC 0.903, accuracy 89.4%). The key caveat: among the 77 studies allowing direct comparison, performance dropped by an average of 6% at external validation, and up to 44% in the worst case. As AI reaches navigation, airway recognition and on-site cytology, the same discipline applies: prospective design, registration, external validation and explainability are what move AI from hype to clinic.

📖 Paper Highlight · Transbronchial Lung Cryobiopsy

The diagnostic role of transbronchial lung cryobiopsy in inflammatory myeloid neoplasms

Petrarulo S, Ravaglia C, Sultani F, Dubini A, Piciucchi S, Poletti V, et al. Respiratory Medicine and Research 2026;90:101284. DOI: 10.1016/j.resmer.2026.101284

Fig. 1 — HRCT: cystic and nodular pattern of pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

Inflammatory myeloid neoplasms (IMN), including Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) and Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD), often require histological confirmation. Surgical lung biopsy (SLB) is the traditional standard but carries notable morbidity. This retrospective study from the group of Prof. Venerino Poletti (President Elect EABIP) assessed transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) as a less invasive alternative in patients diagnosed between 2014 and 2025.

Fig. 2 — Histopathology and immunohistochemistry of an IMN sampled by cryobiopsy.

Twenty-one patients underwent TBLC and seven SLB. TBLC established a diagnosis in 17 of 21 cases (81%), including 15 PLCH and 2 ECD, while SLB was diagnostic in all seven. Next-generation sequencing was feasible on nine cryobiopsy samples and identified MAPK-pathway mutations in three patients, confirming that cryobiopsy tissue supports molecular work-up. On safety, pneumothorax occurred in three PLCH patients (17%), all managed with a chest tube, and mean hospital stay after a TBLC-related pneumothorax was shorter than after SLB (3.2 vs 5.5 days, p=0.003). The conclusion: TBLC is a feasible and effective diagnostic approach for pulmonary IMN.

At the June EABIP Board Meeting, Ferhat Beyaz (MD, PhD candidate) and Prof. Erik van der Heijden (Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, and EABIP President) presented a European white paper project on the implementation of navigation bronchoscopy in clinical practice, and issued a call for participation.

The Dutch experience gives the project its foundation. Radboudumc started its navigation bronchoscopy programme in December 2017. Over the years the evidence has grown for high diagnostic yield, patient safety and favourable cost-effectiveness, leading to national reimbursement from January 1, 2024, and a nationwide implementation project launched in May 2023.

The next step is CBCT-guided navigation bronchoscopy across the country, with a goal of 6 to 10 navigation bronchoscopy centres by January 2027. The strategy is practical: local ambassadors, introduction at an expertise centre, infrastructure and personnel inventory, a training programme (now an ERS Skills Course), a national multidisciplinary meeting, on-demand support, and reimbursement. The determinant analysis behind it is published in BMJ Open Respiratory Research (Beyaz F, Geraats RM, Verhoeven RLJ, van der Heijden EHFM, et al.).

EABIP invites centres across Europe to take these local insights to European action. If your unit is building or scaling a navigation bronchoscopy programme, this is an opportunity to join a shared, structured implementation effort.

Academic Clinical Fellowship in Interventional Pulmonology — University of Athens

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) has launched its first Postgraduate Clinical Fellowship Program in Interventional Pulmonology. The programme is conducted in English, lasts 12 months, and is delivered with international institutions at the Interventional Pulmonology Unit of the 1st Department of Respiratory Medicine, NKUA, at “Sotiria” Chest Disease Hospital, under the auspices of the Hellenic Thoracic Society.

It covers the full spectrum of contemporary interventional pulmonology and is offered free of charge to board-certified pulmonologists who hold a salaried clinical position and have been granted educational leave or a scholarship. For the academic year 2026 to 2027, three fellows will be admitted through a competitive selection process. On completion, participants are awarded the title of Clinical Fellowship in Interventional Pulmonology by NKUA.

👤 Responsible faculty: Prof. Grigorios Stratakos, Professor of Interventional Pulmonology, NKUA, Past President EABIP.

JOFPI 2026 — Journées Francophones de Pneumologie Interventionnelle

Special edition · “Les EXPERTES du GÉTIF” with WiIP

The 2026 edition of the JOFPI puts the expertise, innovation and teaching of the women leaders of the field centre stage, organised with Women in Interventional Pulmonology (WiIP). Its objectives: to train, to promote female diversity and excellence, to encourage exchange, and to raise awareness of the specific challenges of lung disease management.

The ECBIP 2027 Call for Abstracts, Clinical Cases and Videos is now open

Not every congress offers all three. Whether you want to present original research, share an instructive clinical case, or showcase a procedural video, this is your opportunity to contribute to the 9th European Congress of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology in Ljubljana. See Upcoming Events below for dates and the congress website.

Masterclass for bronchoscopic lung diagnostics and therapy

deepdive Bronchoscopy Masterclass — 2nd edition

Lead by

Priv.-Doz. Dr. med. Filiz Özkan Universitätsmedizin Essen, Ruhrlandklinik

Dr. med. Jane Winantea Universitätsmedizin Essen, Ruhrlandklinik

Dr. med. Lea Marie Schotten Helios Klinikum Bonn / Rhein-Sieg, Ruhrlandklinik

Steigenberger Hotel Cologne, Germany

📆 17–19 September 2026

A practice-oriented, interactive masterclass on diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopy for lung cancer. Live demonstrations, hands-on workshop rotations, and lectures from leading European and international faculty cover EBUS-guided cryobiopsy, robotic navigation, ICG coils, recanalisation and stenting, microwave ablation, and the latest updates in SCLC and NSCLC therapy.

Hands-on workshop stations

Ten hands-on workshop stations covering navigation, ablation, stenting, pleural procedures, and the full EBUS toolbox.

Audience: experienced pulmonologists (≥ 50 bronchoscopies and ≥ 5 EBUS procedures).
Fees: Early bird €495 (until 17 July), regular €595. CME accreditation applied for.
Contact: Ophelia Maier — o.maier@swphl.de — +49 731 1445-868.

24th World Congress of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology

The premier international meeting in bronchology and interventional pulmonology returns for its 24th edition. Registration and abstract submissions are open, don’t miss the opportunity to present your work on the world stage.

Pre-Congress Workshops

Hands-on training for emerging and experienced interventional pulmonologists in advanced bronchoscopy and pleural procedures, learning from the world’s leading IP experts. New this year: dedicated nurse stations, an excellent opportunity for nurses to upskill in advanced bronchoscopy and pleural procedures.

Morning: radial EBUS + cryobiopsy of pulmonary nodules and transbronchial lung cryobiopsy; endobronchial valves for BLVR and persistent air leak; introductory bronchoscopy with simulated scenarios; pleural (indwelling pleural catheter + ultrasound-guided pleural biopsy); bronchial branch mapping; pulmonology-performed nasendoscopy (VCD/ILO).

Afternoon: robotic assisted bronchoscopy; linear EBUS-TBNA + mediastinal node cryobiopsy; rigid bronchoscopy + stent insertion; medical thoracoscopy; bronchial branch mapping; paediatric.

9th European Congress of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology

The 9th ECBIP will gather European and international experts to advance the frontiers of bronchology and interventional pulmonology through multidisciplinary collaboration. Save the date, and submit your abstracts, clinical cases and videos.

Apply for EABIP Endorsement

EABIP endorsement provides:

If you are organising a course, workshop, or scientific meeting, we invite you to submit your endorsement request in advance.

Our strength lies in our community.

We encourage members to:

• Share initiatives and collaborations
• Submit educational material
• Promote national and international projects

Together, we continue to build a strong, united, and forward-looking interventional pulmonology network.

Share your best moments!

You are invited to share your best bronchoscopic images and videos of airway and/or pleural abnormalities. Selected submissions will be featured in upcoming EABIP Newsletter issues and shared across our social media channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook).

✉ info@eabip.org