It is with great pleasure that I invite you to the 1st ISNVD Annual Meeting in Bologna, Italy. The meeting was designed to give strong support to the practical knowledge and diagnosis of chronic cerebral spinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) on one hand, and to provide a strong rationale demonstrating that many neurodegenerative diseases exhibit often neglected vascular mechanisms. Finally, data and guidelines will be presented for those wishing to address the experience of endovascular treatment of CCSVI in the safest way for the patient, contributing to the improvement of knowledge through outcome measures and design of observational and/or randomized studies. More specifically, Sunday, March 13, 2011 will be dedicated to Duplex in CCSVI. There will be a consensus meeting on Practical Guidelines for the investigation and screening of CCSVI.
This is an ISNVD initiative in cooperation with leading International Scientific Societies that deal with diagnostic tests on the venous system, such as the European Venous Forum, the International Union of Phlebology, the International Union of Angiology, the American College of Phlebolgy, and the Italian Society for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. This conference was necessary to try to standardize the methods of investigation and reporting of examinations. The conference will also allow access to the diagnostic criteria as well as on shared standards for scientific reports.
On the afternoon of March 14, 2011, in Bologna in the National Research Council (CNR), there will be a Workshop on ECD diagnosis of CCSVI with theoretical presentations and discussion of clinical cases and diagnostic pitfalls along with the experts. This workshop is of great educational value, and highlighted by the final forum of discussion with experts.
Monday, March 14, will be held in Bologna, Italy, in the beautiful conference room of the CNR, with the following topics: CCSVI imaging. This session will provide all the knowledge on ultrasound techniques, including conventional, unconventional, and invasive; on the value of CT and MRV, and the prospects of fusion technology of image. At the end the audience will have an idea on the current state of the art. The keynote lecture was given to a scientist of great experience and breadth of knowledge in vascular pathologies, Professor Berislav V. Zlokovic from Rochester (NY). His reading will demonstrate an understanding of vascular pathogenetic mechanisms, virtually present in the majority of neurodegenerative diseases. In the afternoon, we plan two other important plenary sessions, one devoted to the mechanisms of neurotoxicity of iron, and the second one dedicated to the issue of stroke and carotid disease. The evening program includes a social dinner at the “Cantina Bentivoglio”, an unforgettable experience in the historic center of Bologna. On the third day of the annual meeting, March 15, 2011, the first session is totally dedicated to better understanding the mechanisms by which CCSVI can contribute to the development of MS, with the participation of Bruce Trapp, Robert Zivadinov, Giulio Gabbiani and Clive Beggs. They are entrusted with the task of being critical integrating factors between basic science and clinical practice. The fifth plenary session is dedicated to vascular mechanisms active in numerous neurological diseases, and sometimes well known, as is underlined by Dr. Costantino Iadecola for AD, and sometimes not, especially if undetected or sometimes instead of venous origin as will be reported by Dr. Roberto De Simone, Fabrizio Salvi and Fabio Calbucci. The program continues with a discussion of potential links between CCSVI and cerebral hemodynamics with contributions from Dr. Clive Beggs and Dr. Simon J. Shepherd. Dr. E. Mark Haacke and I, in the same session, will argue instead on new and promising techniques for the measurement of cerebral venous outflow. The last sessions are devoted to aspects of diagnosis, phlebography and endovascular treatment of CCSVI, selecting for the occasion in plenary sessions, scientific contributions submitted with abstracts from all those in the world dealing with the subject. This will be preceded by the presentation of the BRA.VE DR.E.A.MS study design, an incoming RCT presented by Dr. Graziella Filippini.
Last but not least, I invite you to meet two of the most beautiful Medieval and Renaissance cities of Italy, Bologna and Ferrara, separated by a distance of only 30 minutes by car or train. The Bologna airport is connected to all European cities. Bologna and Ferrara, where CCSVI has been described for the first time, are also sites of two of the oldest Universities in the world, the University of Bologna founded in 1088 A.D. and the University of Ferrara founded in 1391 A.D. In Bologna, you can visit the two oldest Twin Towers of the world, the incredible journey under the arcades which takes visitors to the city for miles without ever needing an umbrella. In Ferrara, you will see the fortress of the Castle and the virtually intact city walls that surround the city, and where today you can go jogging and walking as in a park. Bologna and Ferrara are also known for excellent cuisine and you can try the Tortellini, Mortadella, Salama, and Pumpkin Cappellacci. I hope you come attracted by the excellent scientific program offered, as well as by the artistic beauty of these two fantastic Italian towns.
Sincerely,
Paolo Zamboni, MD President ISNVD
ISNVD Meeting invite from Dr. Zamboni:
http://tinyurl.com/4omf2pk
Registration:
http://www.isnvdannualmeeting.org/registration.html