Conceived before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic upended our world, the Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR)’s first pediatric thoracic-imaging-focused meeting took place virtually in August 2021. The conference was planned by the Thoracic Committee of the SPR, and while it was originally intended to be an in-person meeting, the pandemic necessitated a change of plans.

World-renowned experts and rising stars in pediatric thoracic imaging came together to share their knowledge and experience and to discuss challenging and timely issues in pediatric thoracic disease imaging. The meeting had more than 30 speakers from multiple disciplines and nearly 20 institutions. Attendees hailed from more than 30 countries. Topics presented were broad and included the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and e-cigarettes or vaping use–associated lung injury (EVALI). Other topics ranged to imaging in other infectious and inflammatory, rheumatologic, vascular, oncologic and congenital conditions.

We had the pleasure of hearing from our renowned pulmonology colleagues on the latest in fibrotic and interstitial lung disease research, and our cardiology colleagues on imaging of vascular rings and slings and vasculitis in Williams syndrome.

Numerous imaging experts shared cutting-edge technologies including advanced MRI techniques for lung and airway evaluation; CT techniques including CT angiography, dual-energy applications and low-dose CT in non-sedated children; and US techniques for evaluating the diaphragm and lung as well as palpable abnormalities.

In this special issue of Pediatric Radiology, you will get a glimpse of the breadth of subjects covered in the meeting and have the opportunity to do a deep dive into many of these topics of interest to pediatric radiologists.