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- Module I: Siena, 17-18 Feb 2022
- Intermediary Webinar: 21 Apr 2022
- Module II: Barcelona, 7-9 Jun 2022
Modules I & II are mandatory to the completion of the course and are included in the registration fee of €600.
Early Bird Special: 20% discount on registration fee.
All applications will be reviewed by the scientific committee members who will select the best candidates according to their profiles. Successful candidates will participate in both Module I & II.
The following requirements are needed to apply:
The registration fee includes both Modules I & II, as well as :
This collaborative EXCEMED multi-format programme, includes a series of international MRILab Workshops designed for young neurologists / neuroradiologists or other professionals with a particular interest in quantitative MRI applied to research in Multiple Sclerosis.
The International MRILab - A Journey From The Basics To Advanced Methodologies of MRI, is endorsed by ECTRIMS and ESNR.
In demyelinating and neurodegenerative disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) supports diagnostic and therapeutic decisions, assesses prognosis, and improves understanding of the disease. Standardisation and optimisation of MRI acquisition protocols and analysis are therefore critical, both in clinical and research settings. Quantitative methods assessing lesions and atrophy are far less subjective for measuring disease burden in MS, compared with visual inspection, and are moving from research into clinical settings. Structural damage is predictive of motor and cognitive disability and needs to be accurately quantified, also in order to measure response to treatment. Several methods for imaging post-processing have been developed over time with different strengths, limits and scopes. However, whereas quantitative MRI measures have been extensively used in clinical studies and as endpoints in clinical trials, their introduction in the clinical setting has been difficult due to a number of methodological issues.
EXCEMED together with the team of the University of Siena - Experimental Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences - and with the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona - Section of Neuroradiology and MRI Unit, Department of Radiology designed the MRILab - have developed an international training period for young neurologists and neuroradiologists particularly interested in quantitative neuroimaging applied to research in demyelinating and neurodegenerative disorders.
Through a series of different educational formats - both live and online - the MRI-Lab, facing basic and advanced methodological key aspects related to the use of quantitative measures of lesions and atrophy, aims to achieve the following learning objectives:
These preparatory tutorials provide an overview of the course for the modules, focusing on the main goals that attendees will achieve through their learning journey in the field of quantitative MRI. The video scribing format facilitates the understanding of the entire learning path, translating scientific concepts into graphic maps. The tutorials will:
The post-course tutorials aim to summarise the main topics delivered in the modules. It will provide attendees with tips and practical exercises to help them develop original research projects building on the information gathered during the course. The tutorials will:
In order to get a full benefit of attending the course, attendants need to have some knowledge in the analysis of brain and spinal cord MRI studies, and ensure that the basic tools required to perform basic quantitative analysis of brain and spinal cord MRI studies will be available at their host institution (or on a personal laptop). Instructions on how to install the tools will be given on module I, and thy should be installed before the module II. Requirements: MIPAV (https://mipav.cit.nih.gov/), Matlab (basic license), Statistical Parametric Mapping (www.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/spm; free software but needs Matlab to run), FSL (https://fsl.fmrib.ox.ac.uk/fsl/fslwiki) and Spinal Cord Toolbox (https://sourceforge.net/projects/spinalcordtoolbox/), which run over a Linux/Unix system (in case you work with PCs, a Virtual Machine should be installed).
An application for CME accreditation has been made to the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME®)
14.00 Opening and Welcome
N. De Stefano (Italy) - À. Rovira (Spain)
14.15 L1: MRI acquisition protocols and characteristics of MRI sequences for brain lesion load and volume assessment
À. Rovira (Spain)
14:35 L2: Clinical relevance of white matter lesions
N. De Stefano (Italy)
14.55 Q&A
15.15 Break
15.25 L3: Pathology of grey matter in multiple sclerosis
M. Schoonheim (The Netherlands)
15.45 L4: Clinical relevance of grey matter lesions
N. De Stefano (Italy)
16.05 L5: MRI acquisition protocols for grey matter lesions assessment
À. Rovira (Spain)
16.25 Q&A
16.45 Wrap-up day 1
17.00 End day 1
09.00 L6: MRI markers of disease progression
À. Rovira (Spain)
09.20 L7: Clinical relevance of brain and spinal cord atrophy
N. De Stefano (Italy)
09:40 L8: Artificial intelligence for creating predictive models in multiple sclerosis
M. de Bruijne (The Netherlands)
10.00 Q&A
10.20 Break
10.30 Introduction to hands-on training (module II)
Installation of the tools required for the hands-on session on module II
M. Battaglini (Italy) - D. Pareto (Spain)
12.30 Homework: Install the required toolboxes (MIPAV, Matlab, SPM, FSL and SCT)
13.00 Final wrap-up day 2
13.15 Closing Lunch
08.45 Opening and Welcome
N. De Stefano (Italy) - A. Rovira (Spain)
09.00 L1: MRI acquisition issues influencing the accuracy of quantitative measurements
M. Battaglini (Italy) - D. Pareto (Spain)
09.30 L2: Practical Issues with brain lesions segmentation and brain lesions segmentation
M. Battaglini (Italy) - D. Pareto (Spain)
10.00 Q&A
10.15 Coffee break
10.30 Hands on practice training: brain lesions (lesion load)
M. Battaglini (Italy) - D. Pareto (Spain)
Learn the Tools: how to use MIPAV to perform manual lesion load
• Case 1: T2-W lesion load
• Case 2: T1-W lesion load (or black-holes)
• Case 3: Gadolinium enhancing lesion load
13.00 Lunch
14.00 Hands on practice training: brain lesions (lesion load)
M. Battaglini (Italy) - D. Pareto (Spain)
How to measure lesion load segmentation with "Lesion Segmentation Toolbox"
16.00 L3: How to recognize and differentiate spinal cord lesions
À. Rovira (Spain)
16.30 Q&A
17.00 End of day 1
09.00 L4: Practical issues with global brain volume segmentation
N. De Stefano (Italy)
09.30 L5: Methods to quantify global brain volumes /changes: pros and limits
M. Battaglini (Italy) - D. Pareto (Spain)
10.00 L6: Methods to quantify regional brain volumes: pros and limits
M. Battaglini (Italy) - D. Pareto (Spain)
10.30 Q&A
10.45 Coffee break
11.00 Hands on practice training: brain volume
M. Battaglini (Italy) - D. Pareto (Spain)
Learn the Tools: how to use SIENAx/SIENA to assess brain volume/change estimation
• Cross-sectional cases: SIENAx
• Effect of filling on calculated GMF, WMF, BPF
• Longitudinal cases: SIENA
13.00 Lunch
14.00 Hands on practice training: Cortical GM volume
M. Battaglini (Italy) - D. Pareto (Spain)
Introduction to VBM
• VBM analysis of grey matter
15.30 Coffee break
15.45 Hands on practice training: deep grey matter volume
M. Battaglini (Italy) - D. Pareto (Spain)
• FIRST
17.00 Difficulties faced during hand-on sessions
(All Faculty Members)
17.30 End of day 2
09.00 L7: Methods to quantify spinal cord volumes: pros and limits
M. Battaglini (Italy) - D. Pareto (Spain)
09.30 Hands on practice training: spinal cord volume
M. Battaglini (Italy) - D. Pareto (Spain)
• MIPAV
• Spinal cord toolbox
11.30 Coffee break
11.45 Homework. Attendees will be instructed to perform a real research study based on quantitative assessment of MRI studies (a data set will be provided)
12.30 Final discussion and wrap-up
12.45 Module II conclusion
