Scientific papers presented at the European Congress of Radiology: a two-year comparison.

The purpose of this report was to determine the rate at which abstracts orally presented at the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) 2001 were published in 2001-2005 Medline-indexed journals and to compare publication rates and factors with presentations at the ECR in two different periods (2001 and 2000). Absolute and relative publication rates (APR, RPR) and different publication-related factors were analysed. From 991 abstracts originating from 52 countries, 449 articles (APR 45%) were subsequently published in 125 journals, most frequently in European Radiology (n=79, 18%). Country of origin statistically (p<0.0001) influences subsequent publication of the abstract, with Germany having the highest number of presentations (n=300) and derived articles (n=175, RPR 58%) whereas Sweden had the highest RPR (82%). Interventional and physics studies had the highest RPR (59% and 58%, respectively). The ECR meeting has a very high and stable APR (ECR 2001: 45% vs ECR 2000: 47%), and the journal European Radiology had the larger number of related publications (18% RPR following ECR 2001 compared with 14% from ECR 2000). Germany had the highest number of presentations and publications for both meetings. The highest RPR for ECR 2001 was found in interventional and physics studies whereas chest and cardiac studies had the highest RPR for ECR 2000.