From Bologna---(grazie, Marco!) the first press release from the conference states that the panel of 47 international experts agreed on the diagnostic protocol of doppler US and TCD, the protocol originally developed by Dr. Zamboni, to diagnose CCSVI. This is a very important step, so that this protocol can be taught and disseminated worldwide.
Press Release
ISNVD Annual Meeting
International Society for Neurovascular Disease,
at present highly committed to the study of CCSVI
Bologna, March 14-15, 2011
Report on the CONSENSUS CONFERENCE of March 13, 2011
90% OF THE ULTRASONOGRAPHY METHOD SUGGESTED BY PROF PAOLO ZAMBONI FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF CCSVI WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
A DOCUMENT SPECIFYING THE MOST IMPORTANT RESEARCH REFERENCE PARAMETERS WAS SIGNED BY THE MOST AUTHORATATIVE INTERNATIONAL FACULTY AND WILL BE APPLIED WORLD-WIDE.
A SERIES OF IMPROVEMENTS WERE ADDED TO INCREASE THE REPRODUCIBILITY AND THE DISSEMINATION OF THE METHOD.
As a prelude to the ISNVD (International Society for Neurovascular Disease) Annual Meeting, a Consensus Conference was held in Bologna on Sunday March 13th to define the practical guidelines to the screening investigation of CCSVI.
The Consensus Conference focused on the method proposed by Prof Zamboni for the detection of Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) using Doppler. This diagnostic method was developed by Prof Paolo Zamboni and his Staff at the Center for Vascular Diseases of the Ferrara University.
The conference became necessary to standardize the investigation and reporting techniques all over the world. It will thus be possible to use common diagnostic criteria and standards in the scientific reports.
The Consensus Conference was attended by 40 experts from the International Society for Neurovascular Disease (ISNVD) and 7 representatives of the major national and international societies which are concerned with the diagnosis of the venous system by means of sonographic equipment.
The result was the unanimous approval of a document recognizing 90% of the method already proposed by the Ferrara and Bologna research teams.
Furthermore, a series of improvements were added to increase the reproducibility and the dissemination of the method.
Some parts of the method (the remaining 10%) are for the time being regarded as additional criteria requiring further investigation to obtain the necessary evidence.
The document signed in Bologna will be sent to the main journals in the following disciplines:
vascular diagnostics, radiology, neuroradiology, interventional radiology, vascular surgery, angiology, neurology, vascular diagnostics.
The medical community that participated in the conference was particularly satisfied with these results. This shared view will soon lead to new developments also at the level of the scientific publications which will be enriched by the experience gained in the numerous international centers which participated in the Consensus Conference.
The main societies that deal with the diagnostic investigation of the venous system and attended the Consensus Conference are: the European Venous Forum, the International Union of Phlebology, the International Union of Angiology, the American and Australasian College of Phlebology, the Italian Society of Vascular Pathology, and the Italian Society of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery.
Prof Zamboni’s co-chair was Prof Nicolaides who headed the vascular research team at St. Mary’s Hospital in London and had important roles as President of many vascular societies world-wide.
An important merit of Prof Nicolaides is that in 2000 he chaired the Consensus Conference which defined the way of investigating the venous system using ultrasonographic equipment.
Press Conference to discuss the results of the Meeting:
Tuesday, March 15 at 1:30 pm at CNR, Bologna (Meeting venue)
All press material is available on line on the following Website:
www.isnvdannualmeeting.org