CIRSE 2026 Philips IVUS Case Competition: a Q&A with the winner

September 22, 2026

The Philips IVUS Case Competition at CIRSE 2026 gave emerging IRs a platform to share successful peripheral IVUS cases, exchange knowledge, and connect with mentors and industry experts. Out of 24 submissions, the top five cases were selected for presentation at CIRSE 2026. Dr. Stella Mitropoulou’s (Athens/GR) case was voted as the best presentation by the audience at the session. She spoke to CIRSE Insider about preparing her case report and what she learned along the way.

This initiative was kindly supported by Philips. 

Dr. Styliani (Stella) Mitropoulou won the Philips IVUS Case Competition at CIRSE 2026

Could you briefly introduce yourself and tell us about the case you presented? What made you choose this particular case?

Mitropoulou: My name is Styliani (Stella) Mitropoulou, and I am a fourth-year radiology resident in the 2^nd Department of Radiology at University General Hospital “ATTIKON” with a strong interest in interventional radiology.

The case I presented was entitled “Endovascular Treatment of Transplant Renal Artery Stenosis: The Role of IVUS.” It involved a 60-year-old female kidney transplant recipient with resistant hypertension and renal artery stenosis. The case focused on using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to obtain additional information beyond DSA and CT angiography to better assess the extent of the stenosis and to guide our treatment strategy.

We chose this case because it highlighted the added value of IVUS in a complex clinical scenario. What I found particularly interesting was how IVUS identified an additional distal stenotic lesion that was not visible on CTA or DSA, influencing our approach to treatment. It also demonstrated how intravascular imaging can support more precise decision-making while taking renal function preservation into consideration.

How did you prepare your case presentation? Did you practice your presentation with colleagues or mentors, and what feedback proved most helpful?

Mitropoulou: I prepared my presentation by thoroughly reviewing the clinical details of the case and practicing it repeatedly on my own. I wanted to make sure that my presentation was clear, well-structured, and that I could communicate the clinical reasoning behind our treatment decisions effectively.

I received valuable feedback from Prof. Stavros Spiliopoulos and Dr. Moschovaki-Zeiger. One of the most helpful recommendations came from Prof. Spiliopoulos, who encouraged me to emphasize the importance of clearly communicating that, without IVUS, we would not have identified the distal lesion and, consequently, we would not have been able to treat it.

This feedback helped me focus on the key message of the presentation: IVUS was not simply an additional imaging tool but also played a crucial role in identifying a lesion that was not detected on the initial imaging and guiding our treatment strategy.

How did you feel when your presentation was voted the best of the session by the audience?

Mitropoulou: At first, I couldn’t believe it. I was genuinely surprised and needed a moment to realize what had just happened. It was a very special moment for me, especially because I had put so much effort into preparing this presentation.

What made it even more meaningful was the support from the whole “Attikon” team and from everyone who came to attend and support us. For me, this achievement was first and foremost a recognition of the team and only secondly a personal achievement. I felt incredibly grateful and proud to have had the opportunity to represent our team and present such a meaningful case. It was a moment that I was very happy to share with everyone who had supported me along the way.

Dr. Mitropoulou presents as part of the Philips IVUS Case Competition at CIRSE 2026

What did you gain from taking part in the competition?

Mitropoulou: I gained much more than I initially expected from taking part in the competition. First of all, it gave me the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and challenge myself in a different setting. Of course, it was a great learning experience, but I also really appreciated the opportunity to connect with the other finalists and share this experience with them.

Looking back, I am very glad that I had the opportunity to be part of this competition, not only because I was selected as a finalist to present my case, but also because of the people I met and the conversations and ideas I took away from it.

What advice would you give those who are presenting an IVUS case at the congress next year?

Mitropoulou: I would say: know your case very well, keep your message clear, and practice. When presenting an IVUS case, I think it is important not to get lost in the technical details. Try to identify what makes your case interesting and what you want the audience to take away from it. Then, build your presentation around that key message.

And, of course, practice as much as you can. Rehearsing helped me feel much more comfortable with the flow of the presentation and allowed me to focus more on communicating the message rather than simply remembering the slides. Most importantly, I would encourage them to enjoy the experience and be proud of the work they are presenting.

Did the experience change your confidence or interest in using IVUS?

Mitropoulou: I would say that, rather than increasing my confidence in using IVUS, this experience strengthened my interest and made me want to learn more.

Preparing and presenting this case, as well as learning about how IVUS was used during the procedure, encouraged me to explore this tool further and seek more opportunities to gain hands-on experience with IVUS during my future training. So, for me, the biggest impact was that it sparked a stronger interest in learning more about IVUS and its applications.