Update on the value of contrast Echocardiography

Prof Attila Kardos

Consultant Cardiologist, Milton Keynes University Hospital

Prof Attila Kardos is a consultant cardiologist in Milton Keynes University Hospital, where he is also the Associate Director of Research and the Director of the Cardiovascular Research Group. He has a Honorary Chair at the University of Buckingham as Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, and holds a Visiting Professorial position at both Cranfield and Open Universities. He has been a Honorary Senior Lecturer to the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford. He is the director of the Multimodality Cardiovascular Imaging Services in Milton Keynes.

Prof. Paul Leeson

Head of Oxford Cardiovascular Clinical Research Facility, University of Oxford

Paul Leeson is Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Oxford, Fellow at Wolfson College and Head of the Oxford Cardiovascular Clinical Research Facility. He is also a Consultant Cardiologist at the John Radcliffe Hospital, where he provides expertise in Cardiovascular Imaging, as well as General Cardiology and Cardiovascular Prevention through the Oxford Specialist Hypertension Clinic.

Prof. Harald Becher

Professor of Medicine - Alberta Heart Institute, University of Alberta Hospital

Prof Becher joined the University of Alberta and the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute in 2010. He held the position of Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta, NWT & Nunavut Chair for Cardiovascular Research for 10 years and currently holds a position as professor of Medicine and Alberta Cardiovascular and Stroke Research Centre (ABACUS) Director. In 2000 he became Professor at Bonn University and the chairman of the working group “Cardiovascular Ultrasound” of the German Cardiac Society (GCS).

Dr. Jose Banchs, MD, MBA, FACC, FASE

Consultant Cardiologist, Bracco Diagnostics Inc.

Jose Banchs is the senior director, of medical planning for cardiac ultrasound imaging at Bracco Diagnostics. He completed his cardiovascular disease training and advanced imaging research at Washington University in St. Louis and is a board-certified cardiologist with 27 years of clinical experience. He served as the director of echocardiography at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for 12 years prior to being the director of echocardiography at the University of Colorado and UC Health Anschutz Medical Campus. He was a professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado where he also completed an MBA in Healthcare Management and economics in 2024. He joined Bracco in 2023 and in his current role provides medical support to the cardiac ultrasound operations.

Gianfranco Di Vanna

Senior Contrast Ultrasound Trainer - Managing Director, CEUS Consulting

Gianfranco has over 20 years’ experience with SonoVue in the field. He has developed experience as a contrast expert and trainer in many countries. He is specialised in contrast ultrasound settings and has collaborated as a trainer for several ultrasound manufacturers. He is actually full time in the field giving tips on Contrast usage, image optimisation and system settings.