The CARS Congress is the annual event for a distinguished international community of scientists, engineers and physicians to present and discuss the key innovations that shape modern medicine on a worldwide basis.

After a successful hybrid CARS meeting in Munich this year, we are encouraged to follow the philosophy of a hybrid meeting also for CARS 2021 with a balanced combination of in-person and virtual presentations and discussions.

Founded in 1983, CARS has played a leading role in medical and imaging informatics for more than 35 years by focusing on research and development on novel algorithms and systems and their applications in radiology and surgery. Its growth and impact is due to CARS’s close collaboration with the IFCARS, ISCAS, CAR, CAD, CMI and IPCAI organizations.

Recent successful CARS congresses have taken place in Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, Tokyo, San Francisco, London, Chicago, Osaka, Geneva, Pisa, Fukuoka, Heidelberg, Rennes and Munich.

We would be delighted to welcome you at CARS 2021, which will take place in Munich, a very attractive central European city, well-known for its contributions in science, engineering, medicine and the arts, with a special touch of “Gemütlichkeit” as an infectious attribute of Bavarian culture.

At the CARS congress you will have the opportunity to meet scholars and practising experts in the fields of radiology, surgery, clinical medicine, engineering, informatics and healthcare management who have an interest in topics, such as

• advanced medical imaging
• image- and model-guided interventions
• image processing and visualization
• artificial/machine intelligence in radiology and surgery
• intelligent operating room of the future
• decision and action support in surgical management
• computer aided diagnosis
• medical simulation and evaluation
• surgical navigation and robotics
• model-guided and personalised medicine
• machine learning
• multidisciplinary computational anatomy
• integrated patient care
• surgineering
• hospital of the future

New IT-systems adapted to clinical environments, such as the operating room, but in particular, new methods and IT-tools for modelling the patient and medical processes as well as artificial/machine intelligence systems are increasingly shaping the scope of CARS. Clinical specialties represented at CARS include:

• computer assisted neuro-, ENT-, orthopaedic and spinal surgery, cardiovascular- and thoracic surgery, gastroenterological-, gynaecological- and urological surgery
• imaging and interventional radiology
• computed maxillofacial imaging
• computer assisted radiation therapy
• image guided navigation surgery
• minimally invasive and robotic surgery
• pathology informatics
• computer assisted radiology and minimally invasive therapies

In close cooperation with institutions which presented clinical results of novel IT methods and tools in IJCARS, special emphasis will be given to innovative clinical investigations which show significant advances in clinical workflows and patient outcomes.

Please note that the deadline for paper and abstract submissions for CARS 2021 in Munich is January 11, 2021. In addition to the abstract/paper submission, you are invited to submit short and informal proposals on tutorials, workshops and other special events which potentially can enhance the mission of CARS which is innovation, interdisciplinarity and internationality.

Dirk Wilhelm, MD, CARS 2021 President
Heinz U. Lemke, PhD, CARS Organizer