European Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and Biology
Full day workshop
Chairs: Chantal Tax (NL & UK), Mariam Andersson (DK)
Committee: Elda Fischi-Gómez (CH), Emma Thomson (DK), Maëliss Jallais (UK), Isabelle Corouge (FR)
This whole-day workshop will provide a structured overview of state-of-the-art microstructure imaging, integrating physical foundations, methodological innovation, and complementary validation strategies, aiming to support interaction between communities that may otherwise operate separately. The target audience includes researchers, clinician-scientists, engineers, and trainees working in or entering the field of microstructure imaging.
Microstructure imaging is among the most rapidly advancing domains in magnetic resonance research, enabling increasingly specific insights into tissue architecture and pathological alterations. Despite these advances, important challenges persist regarding model assumptions, biological specificity, and cross-modal validation.
The workshop will open with an interactive session on the physics of diffusion in microstructure, introducing propagator formalism and diffusion encoding strategies. The second session will focus on multi-contrast microstructure MRI, including diffusion–relaxation methods, low-field relaxometry, and diffusion-QSM, emphasising how integrated contrasts enhance sensitivity to specific microstructural features. The third session will broaden the perspective of microstructure imaging beyond MRI, incorporating talks on advanced microscopy and ultrasound approaches by leading researchers within their respective fields, followed by a panel discussion. The final session will highlight emerging directions, including within-cell MRI and organoid-based microstructure imaging, and will introduce a proposed community-wide microstructure imaging challenge designed to stimulate methodological benchmarking and development, as well as collaborative discussion.
Abstract presenters will be invited to deliver short pitches, complemented by dedicated poster-viewing sessions.
Allison McGee,
University College Dublin
allison.mcgee@ucd.ie
Claude Portanier,
Mater Dei Hospital, Malta
claude.portanier-mifsud@gov.mt
Half day in the morning from 09:00 to 12:30
This session will be of interest to the MRI community, including researchers, medical physicists, clinicians and radiographers.
Please see below the proposed schedule with speaker names for those who have agreed to contribute if this pre-congress session is approved by the CPC.
09:00 Workshop Introduction (Allison McGee, Ireland)
09:10 ESMRMB practice guidelines when managing MR safety in vulnerable patients (Francesco Santini, Basel)
09:40 Safety considerations for remote MRI (Tomasz Bienias, Germany)
10:10 Safety considerations in paediatric MRI (Fernaiza Sahidjuan, GOSH London)
10:40 Q&A session 1
10:55 Coffee Break
11:15 MR scanning protocol optimisation for MR conditional implants (Claude Portanier Mifsud, Malta)
11:45 Considerations and processes for hearing implant MRI testing (Markus Nagl, Med-EL Medical Electronics Austria)
12:15 Q&A session 2
12:30 Close
Half-day workshop
Chair: Sonia Waiczies (DE)
Committee: Ismail Koubiyr (NL), Myrte Strik (NL)
Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Multiple Sclerosis and Related Neuroimmunological Disorders: Translating Clinical Needs into Robust MR Solutions
This meeting focuses on how advanced MRI can support diagnosis, prognostics, and therapy monitoring in MS, with translational extension to related autoimmune CNS diseases such as NMOSD and MOGAD. We aim to bring together MR physicists, imaging scientists, neurologists, neuroradiologists, and industry stakeholders, fostering exchange between clinical needs, biomarker development, and implementation.
Session 1: Optic Nerve | 13:30 – 14:15 |
Olivier Outteryck, Université de Lille, FR – Bringing Optic Nerve MRI to the Foreground: a Clinical Perspective Deborah Pareto, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, ES – Bringing the Optic Nerve into Focus: Technical and Quantitative MRI in MS | |
Session 2: MR Lesion Biomarkers | 14:15 – 15:00 |
Alessandro Cagol, University of Basel, CH – Paramagnetic Rim Lesions and Slowly Expanding Lesions in MS: from MRI Biomarkers to Clinical Impact Meritxell Bach Cuadra, Lausanne University, CH – Paramagnetic Rim Lesions and Slowly Expanding Lesions in MS: from MRI Acquisition to Automated Detection | |
Break | 15:00 – 15:30 |
Power pitch presentations of selected abstracts | 15:30 – 16:00 |
Session 3: Patient Trajectories and Prognosis | 16:00 – 16:45 |
Carmen Tur, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, ES – Understanding and Predicting Progression in MS Loredana Storelli, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, IT – Patient Trajectories and Prognosis in Neuroimmunological Disorders: A Technical Perspective on MRI-Based Modeling | |
Session 4: MRI in Clinical and Research Settings | 16:45 – 17:30 |
Pablo Naval Baudín, Bellvitge University Hospital, ES – MRI Acquisition in MS: the Clinical Perspective José P. Marques, Radboud University, NL – Quantitative MR in MS: the Proven and the New Kids on the Block – a Means to Study Lesions and Normal-Appearing Tissue | |
Round table discussion and WG Meeting | 17:30 – 18:00 |
The Glioma MRI community invites you to join the GliMR 2026 Pre-Day Meeting to discuss the current state and future directions of brain tumor MRI. The meeting will span clinical practice to translational neuro-oncology imaging, with a strong emphasis on trainees and early-career researchers. It will also actively engage industry partners and patient representatives, ensuring that all key stakeholders in brain tumour imaging are represented.
The event is tailored for trainees, early- and senior-career researchers, radiographers, and clinicians with a primary interest in brain tumour imaging, encompassing diverse backgrounds such as neuroimaging and data science, neuroradiology, neurosurgery, and preclinical/basic research in glioma models. The programme is structured into five sessions designed to promote knowledge exchange, highlight recent scientific and technological advances, and critically assess current challenges while identifying future directions in glioma MRI, in collaboration with industry and patient representatives.
To participate, please register for the Pre-Day Meeting: REGISTRATION
Important announcements:
Time | Sessions | Moderators / Speakers |
08:50-09:00 | Welcome | Esther Warnert, Rui Simoes |
09:00-10:30 | S1. Improve patient outcomes with brain tumor imaging | Vera Keil, Thomas Booth |
09:00-09:20 | Treatment planning and monitoring: seeing more, seeing better | Cristina Ramos, Porto PT |
09:20-09:40 | Improving neurosurgery with imaging and music | Andreu Gabarros, Barcelona ES |
09:40-10:00 | Non-invasive imaging and patient quality of life | The Brain Tumor Charity, Fleet UK |
10:00-10:30 | Round Table Discussion | All Session Speakers |
10:30-11:00 | COFFEE BREAK |
|
11:00-12:30 | S2. Translational frontiers for brain tumor imaging | Ana P Candiota, Harish Poptani |
11:00-11:30 | Imaging brain tumor microstructural remodeling | Marco Palombo, Cardiff UK |
11:30-12:00 | AI-enhanced glioma MRI in neuroscience and neuroradiology | Esin Ozturk, Istanbul TR |
12:00-12:30 | Linking brain tumor imaging and histology | Peter LaViolette, Milwaukee WI USA |
12:30-13:30 | LUNCH | |
12:30-13:30 | Ana Matoso, Rui Simoes | |
13:45-17:45 | S4 GliMR: where we stand and new challenges | Yaara Erez, Jan Petr |
13:45-14:00 | Present and future of GliMR | Esther Warnert, Rotterdam NL |
14:00-14:20 | The Current Histomolecular Classification of Gliomas: WHO 2026 and Beyond | Cristina Carrato, Badalona ES |
14:20-14:40 | Cancer Imaging Europe (EUCAIM): Glioblastoma | Maria Beser Robles, Valencia ES |
14:40-15:10 | COFFEE BREAK | |
15:10-16:10 | Selected abstract presentations [LIST BELOW] | (ESMRMB abstracts submitted) |
16:10-17:10 | Selected project presentations | (GliMR networking initiatives submitted) |
17:10-17:50 | S5. Task Forces | (breakout session) |
17:50-18:00 | Adjourn | Esther Warnert, Rui Simoes |
Title | Presenter | Program Number |
A neural network approach for efficient magnetic resonance vascular fingerprinting using spin- and gradient-echo dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI | Karen van der Werff | P361 |
Taking a new angle to map microstructural collapse and occult pathology in brain tumors using orientation-dependent NODDI | Melanie Bauer | P234 |
Two immunometabolic worlds in high-grade gliomas: interaction between immune checkpoints and tumor metabolism. | Paula Carretero Navarro | P276 |
Automated classification of glioma treatment response: benchmarking via modality selection and coarse tumor detection | Ana Matoso | PG183 |
Feasibility of Tumor-Masked Structural Connectomics and Explainable Machine Learning for Assessing White Matter Disruption in Gliomas: A Pilot Study | Montalba Cristian | PG185 |
Automated enhancing tumour extraction via T1c image subtraction: A radiomic comparison against expert delineation in post-treatment Glioma | Akashleena Chatterjee | P399 |
Cross-modality radiomic biomarker consistency in glioma: Comparing LASSO-selected features from DCE-MRI pharmacokinetic maps and structural MRI | Akashleena Chatterjee | P398 |
A Continuous Learning Strategy for Automated Glioblastoma Segmentation: Knowledge Transfer between Pre-Operative and Post-Operative MRI Data | Catarina Passarinho | PG186 |
Perfusion-Discordant Hypoxia-BOLD Hotspots in the Non-Enhancing Glioblastoma Margin: Voxelwise DSC Regression and Biopsy Validation | Tristan Schmidlechner | P265 |
Can Uncertainty Quantification Improve Trust in AI-assisted Clinical Decision-making? A Case Study in MRI-based Glioma Subtyping | Gonzalo Esteban Mosquera Rojas | P403 |
Correlation of BBB-ASL Exchange Time with DCE-MRI Derived Permeability Parameters in Gliomas | Gülce Turhan | PG074 |
Harnessing 3 Tesla MRI for in vivo microstructural characterization of the glioblastoma microenvironment in patient-derived mouse models | Joao F Zamith | PG169 |
Comparison of T2 values estimated from Multi-TE M0 and Arterial Spin Labeling MRI | Ayse Irem Cetin | P334 |
Travel Stipends generously supported by The Brain Tumour Charity.
Article 1 – Purpose
The GliMR 2026 Pre-Day Meeting will award ten (10) Travel Stipends to support the participation of trainees attending the meeting in Girona, Spain, on 30 September 2026.
Article 2 – Value of the Stipend
Article 3 – Eligibility
Applicants must: (a) be students, doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers, residents, fellows, or other trainees; (b) have no more than eight (8) years of research or clinical experience following completion of their PhD degree (justified career breaks will be considered); and (c) submit a statement of no more than 100 words describing why they wish to attend the GliMR 2026 Pre-Day Meeting and what they expect to gain from participation. Priority will be given to first/presenting authors of submitted work (GliMR-selected ESMRMB abstracts and/or project call) to the GliMR pre-day meeting, which should be specified in the application.
Article 4 – Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be evaluated independently by the Jury according to: Relevance of the statement (0–5 points) and Expected impact of attendance on the applicant’s training and career development (0–5 points). Maximum score: 10 points.
Article 5 – Selection Procedure
Article 6 – Jury
The Jury shall consist of the Organizing Committee of the GliMR 2026 Pre-Day Meeting:
Rui Simões (Porto, Portugal)
Esther Warnert (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
Ana Paula Candiota (Barcelona, Spain)
Harish Poptani (Liverpool, United Kingdom)
Yaara Erez (Ramat Gan, Israel)
Ana Matoso (Lisbon, Portugal)
Albert Pons-Escoda (Barcelona, Spain)
The Jury’s decisions are final and not subject to appeal.
Article 7 – Final Provisions
As only 9 of the 10 available travel stipends were awarded, the funds from the unawarded stipend (€150) have been redistributed equally among the recipients, increasing each travel stipend to €166.
Half-day workshop
Chair: Lars E. Olsson (SE)
Committee: Marielle Philippens (NL), Marco Riboldi (DE), Joan Chick (UK)
Programme
13:30 – 14:00 Introduction and motivation – Why MRI in RT – Lars E. Olsson – Lund University, Lund SE
14:00 – 14:30 Differences between diagnostic MRI-physics and MRI-physics in RT-applications – Marco Riboldi, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich DE
14:30 – 15:00 MRI in RT – workflow, coils, protocols… – Joan Chick – ICR Royal Marden, London UK
15:00 – 15:30 MRI-only RT – Hubert Gabrys – University Hospital, Zurich CH
15:30 – 16:00 Break
16:00 – 16:30 Specific MRI QA in RT – Marielle Philippens – University Medical Center, Utrecht NL
16:30 – 17:00 Functional MRI and imaging biomarkers – Petra van Houdt -NKI, Amsterdam, NL
17:00 – 17:30 MR-guided RT, MR-linac – Bas Raaymakers – University Medical Center, Utrecht NL
17:30 – 18:00 Discussion: The Expanding Role of MRI in Radiotherapy – A Panel of Speakers
Large international conferences can be overwhelming for newcomers, particularly for those attending alone.
“Magnetic North: Your Guide to Navigating ESMRMB” is a full-day pre-congress event designed to support first-time and early-career attendees by providing a structured and low-pressure introduction to the ESMRMB Annual Meeting. The programme combines practical guidance on navigating the conference with interactive activities aimed at fostering early connections among participants. Sessions include a practical introduction to the structure of the ESMRMB meeting, senior researchers sharing personal conference experiences, guided networking activities, and a soft skill development workshop about pitching science.