Workshop Date
December 8 - 9, 2026
Workshop Venue
Lumen Hotel Lisbon
Rua Sousa Martins, 20
1050-217 Lisboa, Portugal
Workshop Language
The workshop will be held in English.
Prof. Luis Curvo-Semedo
Centro Hospitalar e Universitário
Coimbra, Portugal
Prof. Regina G.H. Beets-Tan
Maastricht University
Maastricht, The Netherlands
Dr. Doenja Lambregts
The Netherlands Cancer Institute
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Prof. Luis Curvo-Semedo
Centro Hospitalar e Universitário
Coimbra, Portugal
G. Beets, Maastricht/NL
R.G.H. Beets-Tan, Maastricht/NL
N. Bogveradze, Vienna/AT
L. Curvo-Semedo, Coimbra/PT
E. Dresen, Leuven/BE
M. Lahaye, Amsterdam/NL
D. Lambregts, Amsterdam/NL
M. Maas, Amsterdam/NL
S. Nougaret, Montpellier/FR
J. van Griethuysen, Amsterdam/NL
Description
MRI is the main diagnostic tool used for the primary staging and treatment stratification of rectal cancer, and also plays a key role in assessing response after neoadjuvant treatment to help select patients for organ-preserving treatments.
In this renewed edition of our popular case-based workshop, participants are offered the chance to review more than 100 MRI scans of real-life clinical rectal cancer cases with hands-on feedback from an international faculty of experts. Participants are offered a variety of lectures with practical tips on how to perform and report MRI for primary staging and restaging, and how to apply the recently updated 2026 ESGAR rectal imaging guidelines in daily practice. The workshop will feature live, interactive multidisciplinary case discussions with input from established colorectal surgeons and radiation oncologists.
This workshop offers focused hands-on training, organized onsite in Lisbon, Portugal. Case review will be conducted using the dedicated ESGAR case viewing platform. Participants will receive complimentary online access to the cases and study materials for an additional two weeks after the workshop.
Target group
Senior residents, general or abdominal radiologists, or other clinicians searching to upgrade their skills in clinical interpretation of rectal cancer MRI. At least some previous experience in reading rectal MRI is recommended.
Learning objectives
- To understand the role of rectal MRI and its impact on treatment planning
- To know how to write a good quality staging and restaging report and learn how to apply the ESGAR rectal imaging guidelines in clinical practice
- To learn the main pearls and pitfalls of MR image interpretation
- To understand the benefit of modern techniques such as functional imaging (DWI) and AI
- To know the role and limitations of rectal MRI in the era of organ preservation
Day 1 - Tuesday, December 8, 2026
Primary staging and treatment planning
| 08:30 | Registration | |
| 09:00 | Welcome and introduction | L. Curvo-Semedo, Coimbra/PT D. Lambregts, Amsterdam/NL |
| 09:15 | Opening lectures - Radiology in rectal cancer – where are we now? - Optimizing the MRI protocol – current guidelines | R. Beets-Tan, Maastricht/NL E. Dresen, Leuven/BE |
| 09:45 | Case based practice - Staging early tumors (part I) - Individual case reading (learning by doing) - Early cases – tips & tricks from the clinical floor | Full faculty L. Curvo-Semedo, Coimbra/PT; M. Lahaye, Amsterdam/NL |
| 11:00 | Coffee break | |
| 11:30 | Cased-based practice - Staging early tumors (part II) - Understanding anatomy! - ESGAR staging guidelines 3.0 – a practical overview - Individual case reading – learning by doing | N. Bogveradze, Vienna/AT D. Lambregts, Amsterdam/NL Full faculty |
| 13:00 | Lunch break | |
| 14:00 | Case-based practice - Staging advanced tumors (part I) - Ugly cases – tips & tricks from the clinical floor - Individual case reading – learning by doing | E. Dresen, Leuven/BE; M. Maas, Amsterdam/NL Full faculty |
| 15:30 | Coffee break | |
| 16:00 | Multidisciplinary Tumour Board 1 (primary treatment stratification) Moderators and case-presenters: R. Beets-Tan, N. Bogveradze Radiologists: L. Curvo-Semedo Radiation Oncologist: tbd (local) Surgeon: tbd (local) | |
| 16:45 | Case-based practice - Staging advanced tumors (part II) - Individual case reading (learning by doing) | Full faculty |
| 17:15 | Adjourn | |
Day 2 – Wednesday, December 9, 2026Restaging and organ-preservation | ||
| 09:00 | Case-based practice: Restaging and follow up (part I) - Why do I need restaging – the surgeon’s view - ESGAR restaging guidelines 3.0 – a practical overview - Individual case reading – learning by doing | G.Beets, Maastricht/LNL M. Maas, Amsterdam/NL Full faculty |
| 11:00 | Coffee break | |
| 11:30 | Case-based practice: Restaging and follow-up (part II) - Assessing response – lessons from the clinical floor - Individual case reading – learning by doing | E. Dresen, Leuven/BE; D. Lambregts, Amsterdam/NL Full faculty |
| 13:00 | Lunch break | |
| 14:00 | Multidisciplinary Tumour Board 2 (Restaging and organ-preservation) Moderator & case presenter: L. Curvo-Semedo Radiologists: R. Beets-Tan, S. Nougaret Radiation Oncologist: tbd, /PT Surgeon: G. Beets | |
| 14:45 | Coffee break | |
| 15:15 | Imaging and organ-preservation - Challenges in organ-preservation – lessons from the floor - Individual case reading (learning by doing) | M. Maas, Amsterdam/NL; S. Nougaret, Montpellier/FR Full faculty |
| 16:15 | The future of radiology - A look into the future - Interactive discussion with panel and course participants | Moderator: R. Beets-Tan, Amsterdam/NL Panellists: J. van Griethuysen, Utrecht/NL, N. Bogveradze, Vienna/AT |
| 16:45 | Adjourn and closing remarks | L. Curvo-Semedo, Coimbra/PT |
| 17:00 | Last case run - optional | Full faculty |
Registration
Registration Fees
| Radiologists | ||
| ESGAR Member | € 1,690.00 | |
| Non-Member | € 2,090.00 | |
| ESGAR member + Buddy | € 2,590.00 | |
| Non-Member + Buddy | € 2,990.00 | |
| ESGAR member Combined | € 2,680.00 | |
| Non-Member Combined | € 3,080.00 |
Combined registration
In addition to the regular registration categories, special reduced-fee combined registration options are available for participants wishing to attend both the Rectal Cancer and Peritoneal Workshop programmes.
To benefit from this combined offer and complete your booking, please contact the ESGAR Office at office(at)esgar.org, where the team will be pleased to assist you with registration.
Buddy registration
Each full time radiologist can bring one colleague from his/her institute and evaluate the cases together sharing one workstation. The combined registration is at a reduced fee. Please contact the ESGAR office via email office(at)esgar.org to be registered.
Registration fee includes
- access to lectures
- a personal login to the case reading webplatform which gives access to 100 MRI scans of real-life clinical rectal cancer cases for one extra week after completion of the onsite workshop
- hands-on training on workstation
- coffee breaks
- lunches
- certificate of attendance
The number of participants per workshop is limited and registrations will be accepted on a first come first served basis.
Cancellation policy
ESGAR offers the possibility of ensuring the registration with our partner “Europäische Reiseversicherung”. Thus, ESGAR will not refund any amount after a cancellation of registration itself. All requests have to be issued to the “Europäische Reiseversicherung” directly. Refunds will be given within the terms and conditions of the “Europäische Reiseversicherung”. All cancellations have to be made in writing (e-mail, fax or letter) to the Central ESGAR Office and confirmed.
CME Accreditation
An application has been made to the UEMS/EBR for CME/CPD accreditation of this event.
Accommodation
We recommend staying at the workshop venue: The Lumen Hotel Lisbon. Please book early in order to ensure availability.
City Information
Lisbon is the capital of Portugal, located on the western coast of the Iberian Peninsula along the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of around 550,000 in the city (and over 2.8 million in the metropolitan area), it is known for its historic neighborhoods, vibrant culture, and scenic viewpoints.
Language: Portuguese
Time Zone: UTC+0 (Winter), UTC+1 (Summer)
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Electricity: 230V, 50Hz AC
Country Dialing Code: +351
Closest Airport: Humberto Delgado Airport (Lisbon Airport)
How to reach the venue from Lisbon Airport:
- Taxi / Ride-hailing: The easiest option. Taxis, Uber, and Bolt are available at the airport; the journey to the hotel takes approximately 15–20 minutes, depending on traffic.
- Metro: Take the Red Line (Linha Vermelha) from the airport towards São Sebastião, then change at Saldanha (or Alameda) to reach a station within walking distance of the hotel. Total travel time is approximately 25–30 minutes.
- Bus: Several city bus lines connect the airport to central Lisbon; from there, the hotel is a short taxi or walking distance depending on the stop.