Brief History
The formation of IBUS culminated from discussion held between a group of “ultrasound” focused multidisciplinary professionals whose common goal was the teaching of ultrasound in a gold standard, and who foresaw the need for better structured education in the rapidly advancing specialty of breast imaging.
Founding Member Jack Jellins, physicist of the Ultrasonic Institute in Sydney-Australia, the group that developed the grey scale technique (Founding President); Enzo Durante, surgeon in Ferrara-Italy, who began using ultrasound in 1973 and interventional procedures in 1974, founder of the first Italian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine in 1974; Bernd Joachim-Hackelöer, gynaecologist in Hamburg-Germany, who started studying ultrasound in 1972; Helmut Madjar gynaecologist in Wiesbaden-Germany (Founding Vice President) who started research in ultrasound in 1983 at Ultrasonic Institute in Sydney-Australia, and Rainer Otto radiologist in Baden-Switzerland (Founding Secretary) who made many contributions in developing interventional techniques. The group had wide experience in a range of diverse of biomedical and clinical fields that included imaging physics, breast surgery, breast imaging (ultrasound and X-ray mammography), interventional procedures, and medical education. The founding members became the first Executive Committee.
Since the beginning in 1991, IBUS has achieved a great deal and with the contribution of many colleagues has become one of the leading international providers of teaching programmes covering breast ultrasound and all the other imaging modalities.
Step by step breast ultrasound, thanks also to the teachings of the IBUS courses, has now gained an autonomous role and is viewed as one of the most important imaging methods not only for diagnosis but for imaging guidance system for percutaneous biopsy, preoperative staging and localization, and for intraoperative guidance in conservative surgery.
In 1997 in an IBUS meeting in Lund it has been stressed the concept of the importance of breast tissue’s density that is responsible of diagnostic failure of Rx mammography in dense breast. Now the concept of breast density is worldwide recognized and considered also an important risk factor.
This a great achievement when we reflect on the resources at our disposal. Today IBUS Breast Imaging School is a recognized entity by the medical community and industry throughout the world, and teaching program have been held in all continents.
IBUS consists of an international faculty which has developed into an international family. The family has grown step by step, and many today have formed close bonds as a result of a common goal driven by dedication and enthusiasm. As a result, IBUS has acquired an international reputation for providing education at the highest possible levels.
Over the years, IBUS has established relationships and collaborations with a number of Universities, Scientific Societies and Associations: World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB), Senologic International Society (SIS), European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, European School of Oncology (ESO), the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG), European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC), Radiological and Diagnostic Imaging Society of Sao Paulo (SPR), Hellenic Society for Breast Imaging (HSBI).
All courses held in Europe have been accredited through Continuing Medical Credits (CME) European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME The EACCME is an institution of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) European external CME credits (ECMEC) EACCME credits = AMA PRA Category 1 credits.
Last modified August 30, 2026