Neuropathology and its application in MRI interpretation

Name: Neuropathology and its application in MRI interpretation
Start: 2025-06-23T00:00:00+02:00
End: 2025-06-27T23:59:59+02:00
Location: Bern, Switzerland

Registration open

Principal Course Master(s):

Prof. Dr. Anna Oevermann, Dipl. ECVP (CH)

Course Master(s):

Prof. Dr. Daniela Schweizer Dipl. ECVDI (CH)
Prof. Dr. Marc Vandevelde Dipl. ECVN (CH)

Course Overview

This interactive course welcomes veterinary neurologists, pathologists, diagnostic imagers and other MRI users as well as trainees in these disciplines.
In lectures and practicals, participants are trained to recognize neuroanatomical hallmarks and major lesion patterns of neurological diseases on gross and histological preparations. The application of neuropathological knowledge to MRI interpretation is trained in case studies by comparing neuropathology to corresponding MRI images.
The principal learning objective is to acquire a basic understanding of diagnostic neuropathology that participants can apply in their daily activities of clinical neurology and MR image interpretation.
For whom is this course of interest?
Clinical neurologists: The course meets the neuropathology requirements of the ECVN. Because of the rapidly increasing importance of MRI in neurology diagnostics, neurologists can greatly profit from this course.
Diagnostic imaging experts: A more profound understanding of neuropathology is undoubtedly an advantage for those who are regularly performing MRI studies of neurological patients and want to deepen their understanding of pattern recognition.
Pathologists: This course offers a comprehensive and effective introduction to diagnostic neuropathology for diagnostic pathologists and pathology residents. The link to diagnostic imaging offers insight into the needs of neurologists and diagnostic imagers to get adequate feedback from pathologists.

Topics

BASIC TOPICS
– Introduction into neuroanatomy including practical using brain sections
– Recognizing gross lesion patterns.
– Recognizing microscopic lesion patterns.
– Principles of classification and interpretation of brain and spinal cord lesions
– Principles of MRI reading
These topics prepare the participants for the subsequent lectures and practicals on the interpretation of different lesion types.

SPECIFIC LESIONS
– Malformations
– Inflammatory lesions
– Tumors of the nervous system
– Trauma of the brain and spinal cord
– Infarcts of brain and spinal cord
– Toxic-metabolic diseases.
– Degenerative diseases
For each topic, lectures introduce into typical gross and microscopic pathological findings and practicals train the diagnostic approach and interpretation of gross lesions, histological lesions (with the microscope) and corresponding MRI images. The findings are presented at daily plenary session at the end of the day and discussed.

Course Program (Subject to change)

Monday, 23 June 2025

07:45 – 08:15 Registration, welcome Oevermann
08:15 – 08:50 Macroscopic evaluation of the CNS Oevermann
08:50 – 09:50 Principles of MRI reading of the nervous system Schweizer
09:50 – 10:10 Coffee Break
10:10 – 12:00 Wet Lab: brain cutting / sampling Oevermann
12:00 – 13:30 Lunch Break
13:30 – 14:45 Basic reactions (histology) to CNS injury & principles of lesion classification /
pattern recognition Oevermann
14:45 – 15:45 Practical individual work I: assessment of gross / histo lesions & correlation with
MRI focus on pattern recognition Oevermann / Schweizer
15:45 – 16:00 Coffee Break
16:00 – 17:30 Presentation and discussion of gross lesions / MRI I Oevermann / Schweizer
17:30 Welcome party

Tuesday, 24 June 2025

08:15 – 09:00 Inflammatory lesions: interpretation of different patterns Vandevelde
09:00 – 10:15 Infectious diseases Vandevelde
10:15 – 10:30 Coffee Break
10:30 – 11:00 Deviation of normal anatomy (CNS malformations) Vandevelde
11:00 – 12:30 Malacia / hemorrhage (infarct, trauma, toxic-metabolic diseases) Oevermann
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 – 14:30 Non-infectious inflammatory diseases Oevermann
14:30 – 15:45 Practical individual work II: case interpretation, correlation of pathology (gross / histo)
and MRI Oevermann / Schweizer
15:45 – 16:00 Coffee Break
16:00 – open Presentation and discussion of cases II Oevermann / Schweizer

Wednesday, 25 June 2025

08:15 – 09:45 Nervous system tumors Oevermann
09:45 – 10:00 Coffee Break
10:00 – 11:00 Histo-lab I: Inflammation Oevermann
11:00 – 12:00 Presentation and discussion of histo cases: Inflammation Oevermann
12:00 – 13:30 Lunch Break
13:30 – 14:30 Histo-lab II: Tumors Oevermann
14:30 – 15:30 Presentation and discussion of histo cases: Tumors Oevermann
15:30 – 15:45 Coffee Break
15:45 – 16:45 Practical individual work III: case interpretation, correlation of pathology (gross / histo)
and MRI Oevermann / Schweizer
16:45 – 17:45 Presentation and discussion of cases III Oevermann / Schweizer
19:00 Social Dinner (Venue will be communicated)

Thursday, 26 June 2025

08:30 – 09:00 Degenerative diseases I: recognition of patterns, selective neuronal changes,
storage diseases Vandevelde
09:00 – 09:30 Degenerative diseases II: axonal and myelin changes Vandevelde
09:30 – 10:00 Degenerative diseases III: spongy and spongiform degenerations, spongy state Vandevelde
10:00 – 10:15 Coffee Break
10:15 – 11:15 Histo-lab III: malacia / hemorrhage (metabolic-toxic diseases, infarct, trauma) Oevermann
11:15 – 12:15 Presentation and discussion of histo cases: malacia / hemorrhage Oevermann
12:15 – 13:45 Lunch Break
13:45 – 15:15 Practical Individual Work IV: Case Interpretation, Correlation of Pathology (gross / histo)
and MRI Oevermann / Schweizer
15:15 – 15:30 Coffee Break
15:30 – open Presentation and discussion of cases IV Oevermann / Schweizer

Friday, 37 June 2025

08:30 – 09:15 Question round/catch-up discussion of macro slides and histo Oevermann
09.15– 10:15 Histo-lab IV: selective neuronal / axonal / myelin changes, spongy state Vandevelde
10:15 – 10:30 Coffee Break
10:30 – 12:00 Presentation and discussion of histo cases: selective neuronal / axonal / myelin
changes, spongy state Vandevelde
12:00 – 13:30 Lunch Break
13:30 – 14:30 Practical individual work V: case interpretation, correlation of pathology (gross / histo)
and MRI Oevermann / Schweizer
14:30 – 15:00 Presentation and discussion of cases V part I Oevermann / Schweizer 15:00 – 15:15 Coffee Break
15:15 – 16:30 Presentation and discussion of cases V part II Oevermann / Schweizer
16:30 – 16:45 Course evaluation; concluding remarks Oevermann