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Palais des congrès de Montréal « 201 Viger Avenue West « Montréal, Québec, Canada |
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“To study
the phenomena of disease without books is to sail an uncharted sea,
while to study books without patients is not to go to sea at all.” William Osler (1849-1919) I would like to propose a modification to this quote by William Osler, one of the most revered physicians of his time worldwide: “To study the phenomena of disease without spins is to sail an unchartered sea, while to study spins without patients is not to go to sea at all.” Osler, a Canadian by birth, spent more than 10 years at McGill University in Montreal as a medical educator. With his strong personality, principled morals and persistence, he inspired physicians worldwide to adopt a more humanistic approach to medicine “focused on patients,” rather than personal profit. “Focusing on the patient” brings deeper meaning to the groundwork laid down by members of our Society over the years, and therefore it is fitting that the ISMRM 19th Annual Meeting will be held in Montreal, May 7-13, 2011. Montreal was the home to several world renowned physicians including William Osler and Wilder Penfield, to name a few. Penfield (1891-1976) was a pioneer in cortical mapping of the brain and in the surgical treatment of epilepsy. Many of the cortical maps he generated are currently in use, unaltered. Penfield, who dedicated his life to unraveling the mysteries of the brain, would have marveled at the seemingly endless possibilities available today, for the noninvasive imaging of the brain and its function. Has it changed the world? Stay tuned for our eponymous lectures. Incorporated into the logo for our 2011 Montreal Meeting is the theme: “Clinical Needs and Research Promises: Bridging the Gap.” Bringing novel applications from the bench to the bedside is one of the basic tenets of our society. Having a forum for dialogue between the basic scientists who are at the forefront of technology development, and the physicians who care for patients, is what draws us together in large numbers at the ISMRM Annual Meeting – “one community for clinicians and scientists.” Our Montreal Meeting theme is woven into the fabric of each plenary with a presentation of a clinical need, followed by potential solutions. These state-of-the art plenary lectures will cover a wide range of topics that are sure to captivate clinicians and basic scientists alike. Topics to be covered include Functional Brain Networks at Rest: Mechanism, Methods & Clinical Utilization, Diagnosis and Triage of Acute Coronary Syndromes in the ER, Reducing Radiation: MRI & CT in the Era of Radiation Dose Concern and MRI in the Compromised Pregnancy. In addition, the Wednesday plenary session will be a panel discussion of leading MR experts entitled: “Clinical Needs & Research Promises: In Practice.” This interactive discussion will focus on current and relevant clinical problems and their technological solutions. We are honoured to have two extraordinary speakers for our Mansfield and Lauterbur lectures this year, whose career paths have intertwined to exemplify our meeting theme. Dr. Seiji Ogawa, a visionary researcher, renowned for his pioneer work in f-MRI, will be delivering the Mansfield lecture with the title “Challenges of f-MRI. The Lauterbur lecture entitled “fMRI at 20 – has it changed the world?” will be delivered by Dr. Bruce Rosen, a leading researcher and clinician, who has spent the last 30 years focusing on the development and application of fMRI techniques. The 2011 Montreal meeting promises a very rich and varied educational program under the expert guidance of Jim Pipe Ph.D., Vice-Chair of the AMPC, and his team of dedicated volunteers. The attendees can select from a wide range of offerings that will satisfy the needs of physicians, clinical and basic scientists, engineers, MR technologists and other providers. Sixteen parallel weekend courses and over fifty weekday courses cover a broad range of topics including: Clinical MR protocols, neuro, body, MSK, and CV imaging, cancer diagnosis, hardware engineering, MR physics and preclinical methods. Educational courses target a range of expertise, from the beginner to the expert. The very enjoyable game-show format of “What Went Wrong?” will be given in two parts this year, one for image artifacts and one for MR safety. Whether you attend just for the education or would like to brush up on selected topics while you attend the scientific sessions, education has something for you. In addition, you can learn at your own pace by browsing the Educational e-Exhibits offered for the first time at the Montreal Annual Meeting. The Clinical Intensive Course for Clinicians will be held once again due to popular demand. These interactive courses are designed for clinicians interested in learning best clinical practices from world leaders in areas of neurological imaging, musculoskeletal and body imaging. Additional meeting innovations for 2011 include educational exhibits, case/artifact of the day, educational introductions in scientific oral session and a plenary film panel. Also please join us Thursday evening for our surprise Montreal-based entertainment at the closing ceremony. Please feel free to visit http://www.ismrm.org/11 to follow the evolution of the various initiatives planned for the meeting. Montreal is a beautiful city combining the romantic aspects of European charm and the modernity of a North American metropolis (http://www.montrealkiosk.com/montreal-tourism.php). Montreal is known for its superb cuisine, vibrant nightlife, festivals, cultural diversity and that special “joie de vivre.” Be sure to set aside some time to enjoy the many tourist attractions Montreal has to offer. Take a stroll down the cobble-stoned streets of Montreal’s Old Port (Vieux Port de Montreal) and stop in at the Bonsecours Market, one of Canada’s finest heritage buildings. Bring your runners for an early morning jog on Mount Royal and enjoy a breathtaking view of the city. Stop in at one of the many sidewalk cafés for a delicious cup of morning coffee. The convention center (Palais des Congrès) is located in the heart of downtown Montreal, where the city’s main attractions converge. Fine dining, the shopping and entertainment districts, Chinatown and Old Montreal are all walking distance from the convention center. On behalf of the program committee, I warmly invite you to join us at the ISMRM’s 19th Annual Meeting in Montreal, May 2011. Combine work with play; discuss optimization of your MR imaging protocols over a fine dining experience with a colleague, and share your latest technical inspirations while climbing the 283 steps to St. Joseph’s Oratory! À Bientôt! Caroline Reinhold, M.D., M.Sc. Chair, Annual Meeting, Program Committee |
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