The German Röntgen Society (DRG) has awarded five honorary memberships to professionals whom it considers have had a special influence on radiology: Prof. Regina Beets-Tan, PhD; Prof. Min Chen; Prof. Dr. Walter Heindel; Claus Becker; and Sabine Schlender.
The group is recognized for its outstanding scientific achievements, its professional political work, its merits in teaching and the promotion of young researchers, and its many years of commitment to the radiology community in Germany and worldwide, the DRG said.
Beets-Tan is the longstanding chair of the Department of Radiology at the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam and the former ESR president. She has played a key role in shaping European radiology, the DRG noted.
Former ESR President Prof. Regina Beets-Tan received honorary membership of the DRG from Prof. Dr. Konstantin Nikolaou at RöKo 2025.DRG
Her work on MRI of the anorectal region and abdominal tumor imaging has been setting standards in diagnostics and therapy planning for years. In numerous international functions, including as scientific director of the European Institute for Biomedical Imaging Research and a member of the EU Mission Board for Cancer, she contributes her expertise to the future of radiological research, DRG said.
Chen is a professor of radiology at Peking Union Medical College and Peking University Health Science Center and heads the Department of Radiology and Medical Image Center at Beijing Hospital. A pioneer of high-resolution prostate MRI in China, Prof. Chen has contributed to significant progress in the diagnosis and staging of prostate cancer through his work, the DRG said.
Heindel is the longstanding head of the Reference Centre for Mammography in Münster, a senior professor at the University of Münster, and former director of the Clinic for Radiology.
Becker is a senior medical technologist for radiology at the University Hospital Regensburg, a committed lecturer, and chairman of the German Society for Medical Technologists for Radiology. He has played a key role in shaping the development of the profession, the DRG said.
Schlender was for many years a supporting pillar for the office of the professional society. Her tireless commitment to member support, committee work, and organizational development has accompanied generations of members and has significantly shaped the internal culture of the DRG, the society said.
