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25-28 June 2026 | Bologna, Italy

INSPiRED, My Place to Belong

Preliminary Program

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Pre-Courses

Imaging of the Pediatric Chest

Chair: Robert Paul Guillerman (USA)

08:30–08:40 Welcome and Course Introduction – Robert Paul Guillerman (USA)
08:40–09:10 Pediatric Chest X-Ray Interpretation: The Basics – Robert Paul Guillerman (USA)
09:10–09:40 How to See What You Want to See with Chest CT – Savvas Andronikou (USA)
09:40–10:10 Chest CT Interpretation: When What You Know Isn’t Always So – Andrew Schapiro (USA)
10:10–10:30 Coffee Break / Discussion
10:30–11:00 Fetal and Neonatal Chest Imaging – Christopher Cassady (New Zealand)
11:00–11:30 Imaging of Congenital Lung Malformations – Pierluigi Ciet (the Netherlands)
11:30–12:00 Airway Imaging – David Biko (USA)
12:00–13:00 Lunch Break
13:00–13:45 Little Lungs, Big Insights: Radiologist-Pulmonologist Collaboration to Transform Pediatric Health – Savvas Andronikou (USA)
13:45–14:15 Going Nuclear: Thoracic Scintigraphy, PET-CT and PET-MRI – Helen Nadel (USA)
14:15–14:45 Lung MRI: The Future is Now – Jason Woods (USA)
14:45–15:15 Real Applications of Artificial Intelligence – Bruno Hochhegger (USA)
15:15–15:45 Advances in Thoracic Interventional Radiology – Seth Vatsky (USA)

Cochairs: Renato Cutrera (Italy), Gustavo Nino (USA), Jean-Paul Praud (Canada), Aroonwan Preutthipan (Thailand), Joel Reiter (Israel)

Morning Session

08:15–08:45 The Scope and Mechanisms of Pediatric Sleep-Disordered Breathing – Jean-Paul Praud (Canada)
  • Prevalence & burden
  • Physiology of breathing during sleep
  • Pathophysiology and pediatric OSA phenotypes
08:45–09:15 Polysomnography in Children: Standards, Pitfalls, and Interpretation
09:15–09:45 Other Diagnostic Tools to Complement or Replace PSG: Questionnaires, Video clips, Imaging, Oximetry, Cardiorespiratory Polygraphy, DISE – Renato Cutrera (Italy)
09:45–10:15 New Home-Based Devices: Ready for Clinical Use? (including Wearable, Nearable and Airable Devices)
10:15–10:30 Coffee Break
10:30–11:00 Artificial Intelligence and Personalized Medicine in Pediatric Sleep Medicine: From Automated Scoring to Phenotyping – Gustavo Nino (USA)
11:00–11:30 Treatment Options Beyond Adenotonsillectomy
  • Adenotonsillectomy overview
  • CPAP challenges
  • High-flow Nasal Cannula
  • Other therapies: anti-inflammatory treatment, weight management, positional treatment, orthodontics, myofunctional therapy
  • Emerging therapies: Hypoglossal nerve stimulation, transcutaneous ansa cervicalis stimulation
11:30–12:15 Panel Discussion (All Speakers) – Moderator: Aroonwan Preutthipan (Thailand)
“Questions and Challenges in Setting up Pediatric SDB Programs”
12:30–13:15 Lunch Break and Visit the Device Display with Speakers

Afternoon Session

13:15–14:15 Interactive Clinical Cases – Discussions of real-life clinical cases and PSG, polygraphy, and oximetry tracings, CPAP downloads, cloud monitoring – Gustavo Nino (USA) & Sonia Khirani (France)
14:15–14:45 Meet the Devices: What to Choose and How to Apply? Home-based sleep apnea tests, CPAP, masks, high-flow nasal cannula
14:45–15:15 Beyond OSA – Sleep Disorders Pediatric Pulmonologists Should Recognize – Joel Reiter (Israel)
  • Central sleep apnea
  • Insomnia
  • Narcolepsy
  • Parasomnias (short overview, clinical relevance)
15:15–15:30 Wrap-Up & Take-Home Messages:
Building and Strengthening Pediatric SDB Programs: Key Steps Forward

Chairs: Malena Cohen–Cymberknoh (Israel), Renato Stein (Brasil), Manuel E. Soto Martínez (Costa Rica)

08:30–08:40 Welcome (Bienvenida) – Manuel E. Soto-Martínez (Costa Rica) & Malena Cohen–Cymberknoh (Israel)
08:40–08:55 Reinventing RSV Prevention: A New Chapter in Pediatric Pulmonology
(Reinventando la Prevención del RSV: Un Nuevo Capítulo en Neumología Pediátrica)
Renato Stein (Brasil)
08:55–09:10 New Approaches to the Diagnosis and Assessment of Severe Asthma in Children and Adolescents
(Nuevos enfoques en el diagnóstico y manejo del asma en niños y adolescentes)
Erick Forno (USA)
09:10–09:25 Severe Asthma in Children: From Phenotype to Endotype and its Therapeutic Impact
(Asma grave en niños: del fenotipo al endotipo y su impacto terapéutico)
Álvaro Tejeiro (Argentina)
09:25–09:40 Approach to the Child with Recurrent Wheezing
(Abordaje del paciente con sibilancias recurrentes)
Natalia Rivera (Chile)
09:40–09:55 Tuberculosis in Latin America: Changes in Prevalence, Diagnostic Challenges, and New Management Guidelines
(Tuberculosis en Latinoamérica: cambios en la prevalencia, desafíos diagnósticos y nuevas guías de manejo)
Marcelo Scotta (Brasil)
09:55–10:05 Q&A
10:05–10:35 Coffee Break
10:35–10:50 Extrapulmonary Manifestations in the Era of CFTR Modulators
(Manifestaciones extrapulmonares en la era de los moduladores del CFTR)
Malena Cohen-Cymberknoh (Israel)
10:50–11:05 Current Concepts on Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia and the Spectrum of Ciliopathies
(Conceptos actuales sobre la disquinesia ciliar primaria y el espectro de ciliopatías)
Carlos Milla (USA)
11:05–11:20 Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approach to Pediatric Interstitial Lung Diseases
(Abordaje diagnóstico y terapéutico de las enfermedades intersticiales pediátricas)
Antonio Moreno-Galdó (Spain)
11:20–11:35 New Strategies in Noninvasive Ventilation and Respiratory Support in Pediatrics
(Nuevas estrategias de ventilación no invasiva y soporte respiratorio en pediatría)
TBA
11:35–11:45 Q&A
11:45–12:00 Functional Respiratory Disorders, Habitual Cough and Beyond
(Trastornos funcionales respiratorios, tos habitual y más allá)
Joel Reiter (Israel)
12:00–12:15 Respiratory Care in the Extremely Preterm Infant: Preventing Chronic Lung Disease
(Cuidados respiratorios en el prematuro extremo: prevención del daño pulmonar crónico)
Ranniery Acuña (Colombia)
12:15–12:25 Q&A
12:25–12:30 Closure

Chair: Robert S. Tepper (USA)

Course Rationale & Statement of Need

Pediatric pulmonary function testing provides a sophisticated array of diagnostic tools for children, from preschool age through adolescence. However, in clinical practice, the emphasis should not be on the novelty of a test but on its ability to answer a specific clinical question and guide patient management. Too often, lung function tests are ordered as a standard battery, leading to data overload without clear clinical relevance. This approach can result in unnecessary testing, increased costs, and potential misinterpretation of results.

This course bridges that gap by reversing the traditional paradigm. Rather than starting with a menu of available tests, we will begin with the patient. Using a case-based format—focused on preschoolers, school-aged children, and adolescents—we will demonstrate how to refine a precise clinical question for both common and complex respiratory diseases. To ensure a strong foundation, we will first briefly review the physiological principles of pulmonary function assessment.

This question-driven approach ensures that the selected test is the most appropriate one, delivering clinically meaningful insights that directly influence diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment decisions. The focus remains on real-world application and the practical significance of the results.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Formulate precise clinical questions to guide the selection of pulmonary function tests in preschoolers, children, and adolescents.
  • Select the most appropriate lung function tests to assess pathophysiology in asthma, cystic fibrosis, BPD, and PCD.
  • Interpret lung function results within the context of the individual patient's clinical presentation and disease, using the best reference values available.
  • Integrate lung function data with other clinical information to make informed decisions about diagnosis and management.
  • Recognize the strengths and limitations of different lung function tests in various pediatric age groups, from preschool to adolescence.
08:30–08:45 Welcome and Introduction – Robert S. Tepper (USA)
The “Question-First” Paradigm – Setting the Stage: Why the clinical question is paramount in pediatric lung function testing
08:45–09:15 Session 1:
Fundamentals of Pulmonary Function Testing: Key Physiological Concepts
Robert S. Tepper (USA)
09:15–10:00 Session 2: Asthma – Enrico Lombardi (Italy)
  • Case 1: The wheezing preschooler – is it asthma?
  • Case 2: The teenager with poor symptom perception – how do we monitor control?

Clinical Question:
Is there evidence of reversible airway obstruction? What is the degree of baseline airway obstruction and hyperinflation?

Key Tests to Discuss:
Spirometry and Oscillometry (pre/post BD), Plethysmography, Airway Resistance, Residual Volume
10:00–10:45 Session 3: CF & PCD – Nicole Beydon (France)
  • Case 3: Quantifying early airway disease in a preschooler with CF.
  • Case 4: Assessing airway clearance efficacy and/or disease progression in a child with PCD.

Clinical Question:
Is there ventilation inhomogeneity suggesting early small airway disease?

Key Tests to Discuss:
Nasal NO, Lung Clearance Index (LCI), Spirometry, choice of reference value
10:45–11:00 Coffee Break
11:00–11:45 Session 4: The Consequences of Prematurity – Marcus Herbert Jones (Brazil)
  • Case 5: A 13-year-old former preterm infant with BPD presents with exercise intolerance. What is the underlying physiology?

Clinical Question:
Is the limitation due to airway obstruction, reduced lung volumes, or a gas exchange abnormality?

Key Tests to Discuss:
Spirometry, Plethysmography, bronchodilator response, DLCO
11:45–12:15 Panel Discussion & Interactive Q&A
12:15–13:15 Practical Experience with Spirometer and Oscillometry Equipment

Chair: Sigmond Kharasch (USA)

08:30-09:00 Welcome and Introductions
09:00-09:45 Lung Ultrasound Lecture
09:45-10:30 Hands on Lung Ultrasound Training
10:30-11:15 Diaphragmatic Ultrasound Lecture
11:15-12:00 Hands on Diaphragm Ultrasound Training
12:00-13:00 Lunch
13:00-13:45 Artificial Intelligence Use in Lung Ultrasound
13:45-14:00 Lung Ultrasound in Chronic Pediatric Disease
14:00-14:15 Wrap Up and Discussion

Course Leads & Chairs: Andrew Bush (UK), Eitan Kerem (Israel), Thomas Ferkol (USA), Susanna McColley (USA), Peter Le Souef (Australia), Quique Bassat (Spain), Guy Hazan (Israel)

Theme: Essential Academic Skills for the Next Generation
Format: Short focused lectures + interactive exercises

Course Objectives

  • Acquire core academic skills essential for launching an independent career in research and education.
  • Learn how to prepare key academic materials, including a professional CV, abstracts, posters, and presentations.
  • Understand the structure and strategy behind writing a scientific paper and a grant proposal.
  • Develop effective communication skills for presenting research at congresses and journal clubs.
08:30–08:45 Welcome and Introduction
  • Course goals, structure, and introductions
08:45–09:15 Building Your Academic Profile: How to Write a CV
Speaker: TBA
  • Key elements, tailoring for academia, grants, and awards
  • Exercise: Quick peer review of CV summaries
09:15–09:45 How to Write an Abstract for a Congress
Speaker: TBA
  • Turning ideas into concise, high-impact abstracts
  • Exercise: Improving a sample abstract
09:45–10:30 How to Design and Present a Poster for a Congress
Speaker: TBA
  • Layout, visuals, and communicating results at a glance
  • Exercise: Review of example posters
10:30–10:50 Coffee Break
10:50–11:20 How to Deliver an Oral Presentation at a Congress
Speakers: TBA
  • Tips on structure, slides, timing, and confidence
  • Exercise: Short volunteer presentations with feedback
11:20–11:50 How to Write a Scientific Paper
Speaker: TBA
  • From data to story: structure, clarity, and responding to reviewers
11:50–12:20 How to Write a Grant Proposal
Speaker: TBA
  • Framing a research question, writing aims, and common pitfalls
13:00–13:30 Lunch Break
13:30–14:00 Integrating Skills for Career Growth
Panel: TBA
  • Q&A and discussion: applying these skills in academic life
14:00–14:45 Choosing a Mentor and Making It Work
Speakers: TBA
  • Identifying mentors, setting expectations, getting the most out of mentorship
Presentation of the NEXTGEN one-on-one mentorship program
15:15–15:30 Wrap-Up and Next Steps
  • Feedback, mentorship pairing, and closing remarks

Meeting of the National Representatives Forum

16:00–17:30 National Representatives Forum Meeting

Contact Us

The 4th INternational Society of Pediatric REspiratory Diseases Congress

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