Neuroradiology – VHIR Annual Report 2023

The Neuroradiology Group has mainly focused on the development and implementation of quantitative imaging biomarkers with the potential to significantly impact the study of neurological diseases. The Group also serves as an MRI analysis platform for other research groups. In 2023, we developed quantitative measure to assess spinal cord reserve, a concept potentially significant in multiple sclerosis (MS) research. Additionally, we introduced novel methods employing artificial intelligence for measuring brain vein density in migraine; and identifying lesions in the optic nerve in MS. We have also evaluated the potential applicability of “The Virtual Brain”, a tool funded by the European Union, for advancing our understanding of the association between structural and functional connectivity and their roles in disability and cognition. In our collaboration with TensorMedical (spin-off), we advanced the evaluation of an automated tool designed for detecting new MS lesions in brain images.

eCORE

Brain & Mind and Behaviour
Personalized Medicine, Innovative Diagnostics, Molecular Imaging & Digital Health

Team

Group Leader
Alex Rovira Cañellas

Principal Investigator (PI)
Deborah Pareto, Àlex Rovira

Researchers
Carlos Tortajada, Cristina Auger, Xavier Aymerich, Silvana Sarria, Gerard Martí, Sofía Sceppacuercia, Margareta Clarke, Willem Calderon

Lab Technicians
Juan F. Corral, Manel Alberich

Nursing and Technical Staff
Elena Huerga, Ana María Nieto

Publications

65.6

%Q1

258.70

Impact Factor

8.08

Average Impact Factor

Sastre-Garriga J, Rovira A, García-Vidal A, Carbonell-Mirabent P, Alberich M, Vidal-Jordana A, Auger C, Tintore M, Montalban X, Pareto D.
Spinal cord reserve in multiple sclerosis
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2023 Jul; 94(7):502-510.
DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2022-330613
IF: 10.15

González R, Aymerich FX, Alberich M, Caronna E, Gallardo VJ, Pozo-Rosich P, Rovira À, Pareto D.
Estimation of the density of veins from susceptibility-weighted imaging by using Mamdani fuzzy-type rule-based system. Investigating the neurovas-cular coupling in migraine
Neuroimage Clin 2023: 39: 103489
DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103489
IF: 4.88

Pareto D, Corral JF, Garcia-Vidal A, Alberich M, Auger C, Rio J, Mongay N, Sastre-Garriga J, Rovira À.
Assessing the Equivalence of Brain-Derived Measures from Two 3D T1-Weighted Acquisitions: One Covering the Brain and One Covering the Brain and Spinal Cord
AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2023 May;44(5):569-573
DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A7843
IF: 3.83

Hodel J, Vernooij MW, Beyer MK, Severino M, Leclerc X, Créange A, Wahab A, Badat N, Tolédano S, van den Hauwe L, Ramos A, Castellano A, Krainik A, Yousry T, Rovira À.
Multiple sclerosis imaging in clinical practice: a European-wide survey of 428 centers and conclusions by the ESNR Working Group
Eur Radiol 2023 Oct;33(10):7025-7033.
DOI: 10.1007/s00330-023-09701-1
IF: 5.32

Martí-Juan G, Sastre-Garriga J, Martinez-Heras E, Vidal-Jordana A, Llufriu S, Groppa S, Gonzalez-Escamilla G, Rocca MA, Filippi M, Høgestøl EA, Harbo HF, Foster MA, Toosy AT, Schoonheim MM, Tewarie P, Pontillo G, Petracca M, Rovira À, Deco G, Pareto D.
Using The Virtual Brain to study the relationship between structural and functional connectivity in patients with multiple sclerosis: a multicenter study
Cereb Cortex 2023 Jun 8;33(12):7322-7334.
DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad041
IF: 5.36

Projects

Incorporating the structural-functional spinal cord characterization by magnetic resonance imaging. Application in multiple sclerosis (PI18/00823)
Principal Investigator: Deborah Pareto Onghena
Agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 37,510 €
Period: 2019-2023

TReatment And VISual Recovery in Optic Neuritis – The TRAVIS study (PI19/00950)
Principal Investigator: Jaume Sastre-Garriga, Alex Rovira Cañellas
Agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 96,800 €
Period: 2020-2024

Characterization of disability and cognition in people with multiple sclerosis from conventional magnetic resonance imaging (PI22/01709)
Principal Investigator: Deborah Pareto Onghena
Agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 87,120 €
Period: 2023-2025

Structural and functional characterization of the anterior visual pathway in people with multiple sclerosis (PI22/01589)
Principal Investigator: Angela Vidal-Jordana, Alex Rovira Cañellas
Agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 48,400 €
Period: 2022-2025

Perfusion MRI in focal status epilepticus (ethical committee code: PR(AG)376/2022)
Principal Investigator: Silvana Isabel Sarria Estrada
Agency: None
Funding: None
Period: 2020-2023