Excellence and Advancement in
Interventional Procedures
To be the leading authority in minimally invasive image-guided techniques in Australia and New Zealand.
IRSA is the peak membership body for health care professionals working in the field of interventional radiology.
Who Are IRSA
Members
Our members are made up of those engaged in the medical subspecialty, Interventional Radiology. They are either actively practising, in training, or a member by association i.e. nurse or radiographer.
View IRSA Gold Medal Award RecipientsThe IRSA Gold Medal is the highest accolade to be awarded by the Interventional Radiology Society of Australasia. The Executive at their discretion, may award the Gold Medal to any person who has rendered outstanding service or benefactions to the development, teaching, or practice of interventional radiology in Australasia and/or New Zealand. The award shall be made on in accordance with guidelines determined by the IRSA Executive.
Gold Medal Award Recipients
- Gold Medal Winner 2021 – Prof. Tim Buckenham
- Gold Medal Winner 2016 – Dr Kevin Bell
- Gold Medal Winner 2013 – Dr Robert Allen
- Gold Medal Winner 2007 – Prof. Ken Thomson
- Gold Medal Winner 2006 – Dr Brian Parkinson
- Gold Medal Winner 2005 – Dr Geoffrey Reeves
View IRSA Honorary Life Members| 2019 | IRSA Uluru Dr Laura Findeiss, Dr Kelvin Hong |
| 2017 | IRSA Port Douglas Prof Otto van Delden, Dr David Sacks, Dr Venu Vadlamudi, Dr Jeff Carpenter |
| 2016 | IRSA Queenstown Dr Raman Uberoi, Dr Colin Nice |
| 2015 | IRSA Bali Dr David Breen, Dr Lindsay Machan, Dr Tan Bien Soo, Dr Tay Kiang Hiong |
| 2014 | IRSA Queenstown Dr Andy Platts |
| 2013 | IRSA Broome Dr Marco Manzi, Dr Nigel Hacking, Professor Michael Lee, Dr Hugo Rio Tinto |
| 2012 | IRSA Queenstown Professor Peter Gaines |
education and
training
To provide continuing education and training for its members.
advocacy
Advocating the definition, direction and goals of interventional radiology to best impact patient safety and care.
foster collaborative relationships
To form collaborative relationships with other organisations involved in Interventional radiology.
lead the way for interventional procedures
To be the leading authority in minimally invasive image-guided techniques in Australia and New Zealand.
OUR MISSION
The Interventional Radiology Society of Australasia (IRSA) is a not-for profit members society governed by the Executive Committee.
Our mission is to provide continuing education and training whilst advocating the definition, direction and goals of interventional radiology to best impact patient safety and care.
IRSA History
The Interventional Radiology Society of Australasia (IRSA) was first initiated in 1979 following a meeting the previous year at Hayman Island attended by a group of Australian and New Zealand Interventional Radiologists.
The first IRSA ASM was held at Falls Creek in Victoria, attended by 8 radiologists, their partners, and children. At this meeting it was decided that future meetings would be modelled on the English travelling club meetings, with an aim to include partners and children in future meetings. This has continued to the present day.
The early meetings were organised by Ken Thomson, Brian Parkinson and Kevin Bell. Their efforts in these early years saw the seed of IRSA develop. Professor Thomson, the first IRSA president, has been integral in making IRSA what it is today.
Cook Medical and Schering were co-sponsors of the first meeting. Meetings were held on a somewhat ad-hoc method over the next decade.
At the 1981 ASM, Professor Fred Keller was the invited international guest speaker.
ASMs were then held every 2-3 years until 2000 at which time the meeting became an annual event. In 2000 the IRSA membership voted to hold the ASM in Queenstown New Zealand every second year where practicable.
ASM Dates and Locations
PAST Presidents
| Ken Thomson | 1997 – 1998 |
| Toos Sachinwalla | 1998 – 1999 |
| Ken Thomson | 1999 – 2003 |
| Kevin Bell | 2003 – 2006 |
| James Burnes | 2006 – 2011 |
| Bill Clark | 2011 – 2013 |
| Tim Buckenham | 2013 – 2015 |
| John Vrazas | 2015 – 2019 |
| Gerard Goh | 2019 – 2021 |
| Chris Rogan | 2021 – 2023 |
The first IRSA Gold Medallist was Geoff Reeves from Cook Medical in recognition of the many years of support by Cook of the IRSA ASM. Gold medallist since include Professor Ken Thomson, the founding father of IRSA, Dr Kevin Bell and Professor Tim Buckenham.
Executive positions and a constitution were formalised at the Melbourne meeting in 1979 and at that time included a president, treasurer, and secretary. Since then the Executive has expanded to include Immediate Past President, with Appointed Members including a Public Officer and Junior Executive Member.
In 2011, IRSA formed an association with CIRSE, formalised at the 2011 CIRSE ASM in Munich. In 2016 this association was formalised, and IRSA members became eligible to sit the European Board of Interventional Radiology examination. Since this time many IRSA members have taken advantage of this opportunity, and have served as examiners on the EBIR committee.