Neurosciences

Magnetic Resonance and Neuroradiology

Alex Rovira Cañellas

Researchers
Juli Alonso Farré, Cristina Auger Acosta, Fco. Javier Aymerich Martínez, Mariano Cabezas Grebol, Deborah Pareto Onghena

Researchers in training
Raquel Mitjana Penella, Silvana Isabel Sarria Estrada, Sahyly Siurana Montilva

Nursing, technical and administrative staff
Manel Alberich Jordà, Juan Fco. Corral Gámez, Silvia Gelabert Udina, Elena Huerga Núñez, Ana Maria Nieto Montoya

SUMMARY

Projects carried out to study the diagnostic and prognostic value of magnetic resonance imaging in multiple sclerosis (MS) have shown that, in clinically isolated syndromes, non-enhancing black holes (neBH) are associated with a higher risk of conversion to clinically definite MS. However, the predictive value of the finding is lost when added to the dissemination in space criteria. Thus, the presence of neBHs does not seem to be useful as a potential alternative criterion for demonstrating DIT. Also a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)  study on relapsing-remitting MS patients supports the theory that preserved fMRI activity of the frontal lobe is associated with a better cognitive profile. It also indicates the feasibility of fMRI to monitor disease evolution.

From studies carried out on other neurologic diseases, we can highlight that in the absence of histological data, early recognition of the clinical symptoms and typical radiologic features of cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation is essential to enable timely establishment of proper treatment.

PUBLICATIONS

Total 33.
Impact Factor 113.55
Average I.F. 3.441

  • Rocca MA, Valsasina P, Hulst HE, Abdel-Aziz K, Enzinger C, Gallo A, Pareto D, Riccitelli G, Muhlert N, Ciccarelli O, Barkhof F, Fazekas F, Tedeschi G, Arévalo MJ, Filippi M; MAGNIMS fMRI Study Group. Functional correlates of cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis: A multicenter fMRI Study. Hum Brain Mapp. 2014;35(12):5799-5814. PMID: 25045065.
  • Guillen-Del Castillo A, Alonso J, Martínez-Valle F, Alonso-Vila S, Garrido-Castro AC, Vilardell-Tarrés M, Rovira Á, Ordi-Ros J. Increased myo-inositol in parietal white and gray matter as a biomarker of poor prognosis in neuropsychiatric lupus: a case report. Lupus. 2014; 23(10):1073-1078. PMID: 25118052.
  • Río J, Rovira A, Tintoré M, Sastre-Garriga J, Castilló J, Auger C, Nos C, Comabella M, Tur C, Vidal Á, Montalbán X. Evaluating the response to glatiramer acetate in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients. Mult Scler. 2014; 20(12):1602-1608. PMID: 24622350.
  • Mitjana R, Tintoré M, Rocca MA, Auger C, Barkhof F, Filippi M, Polman C, Fazekas F, Huerga E, Montalban X, Rovira A. Diagnostic value of brain chronic black holes on T1-weighted MR images in clinically isolated syndromes. Mult Scler. 2014; 20(11):1471-1477. PMID: 24576831.
  • Martucci M, Sarria S, Toledo M, Coscojuela P, Vert C, Siurana S, Auger C, Rovira A. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation: imaging findings and clinical outcome. Neuroradiology. 2014; 56(4):283-289. PMID: 24493378.

View all the publications

MAIN RESEARCH PROJECTS

  • Identificación de biomarcadores en la encefalopatía hepática episódica: hacia la individualización del tratamiento en pacientes con cirrosis hepatica Ref . PI10/01028. Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. January 2011 – Desember 2014. PI Victor Vargas Blasco. Collaborator J. Alonso
  • Aportaciones de la resonancia magnética de alto campo al estudio diagnóstico de pacientes con primeros brotes sugestivos de esclerosis múltiple (PI12/01313). Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. September 2012 – September 2015. PI: Mar Tintoré. Collaborators: A. Rovira, C. Auger, A. Sánchez-Montáñez, E. Huerga.
  • Esclerosis multiple: redefiniendo la historia natural (PI14/01439). Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. January 2015 – Desember 2017. PI Xavier Montalban. Collaborator A. Rovira, E. Huerga

View all the research projects