Speaker: Dr. Àlex Rovira Cañellas, Head of group Neuroradiology Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR)

Abstract: There is an increasing need of sharing harmonized MRI data from large, cooperative studies as this is essential to develop new diagnostic and prognostic imaging biomarkers. In the field of different inflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders, the issue has become of paramount importance due to the need to translate into the clinical setting some of the most recent MRI achievements. However, differences in MRI acquisition parameters, image analysis and data storage across sites, with their potential bias, represent a substantial constraint. This presentation focuses on the state of the art, recent technical advances, and desirable future developments of the harmonization of acquisition, analysis and storage of large-scale multicentre MRI data. Huge efforts are currently being made to achieve all the requirements needed to provide harmonized MRI datasets in the neuroscience field, as proper management of large imaging datasets is one of our greatest opportunities and challenges in the coming years. Recommendations based on these achievements will be provided here. Despite the advances that have been made, the complexity of these tasks requires further research by specialized academical centres, with dedicated technical and human resources. 

Short CV: Dr. Àlex Rovira is a full-time neuroradiologist, who gained his MD in 1983 at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. After formal training in Radiology at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital (Barcelona), he undertook a visiting fellowship at Shands Hospital (Gainesville, University of Florida) in 1989. Dr. Rovira is the Director of the Section of Neuroradiology at University Hospital Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona (Spain). 
He is currently member of the Research Committee de la European Society of Radiology, of steering committee member of MAGNIMS (European Multicenter Collaborative Research Network on MRI in MS) and of the Executive Committee of the International Society of Radiology. He is on the editorial boards of Neurology, and Neuroradiology. He also served as President of the European Society of Neuroradiology (2016-2018), as President of the Spanish Society of Neuroradiology (2009-2015), as Chairman of MAGNIMS (2012-2018) and member of the executive committee of the Spanish Society of Radiology (2014-2022), of the World Federation of Neuroradiological Societies (2018-2022) and of the Executive Committee Member of the International Society of Radiology (2020-2023)
Dr. Rovira has authored more than 520 articles (Scopus; total citations 23,613; h-index: 80), and 30 book chapters or monographs. He is also the editor of three books: “Essential Radiology” (Panamericana 2019), “Clinical Neuroradiology” (Springer 2019), and “Controversies in Radiology” (Aran 2020). He has been invited as Visiting Professor at the University of Toronto, McGill University (Montreal), Lysholm Department of Neuroradiology (UCL, London), Ottawa University, and at University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill). He is an honorary member of the Paulista Society of Radiology, and of the Polish Society of Radiology.

Register here to attend by Zoom:  https://gencat.zoom.us/j/94909840452