Chairman’s Message 2008

Dear Friends and Colleagues,
　　Time flies and it is my pleasure to give you the newest information associated with Neurosonology and our research group. First of all we want to let you know that the planning of our next congress in 2009 is progressing very well.

　　Disya Ratanakorn did her best to make it possible that our Group will be represented with several contributions in the main program of the World Congress of Neurology (WCN) 2009 in Bangkok. Moreover Disya has arranged a full day teaching course immediately before the congress, on 25th October 2009.The constitution of the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) determines that the Research Groups are obliged to have a general meeting in the same year as the WCN, however the trustees did not allow us to have this meeting in Bangkok.

　　I am therefore very glad that it could be managed to find an outstanding meeting place in the Asia Pacific Region. Because of our tradition that main meetings with general assembly move from continent to continent. We had our last assembly in Europe (Budapest). Craig Anderson,who will organize the 6th APCAS Conference in
Cairns/Queensland (Australia) confirmed that our group is invited to set up a 2 ½ day joint meeting from 4th to 6th September 2009 for scientific presentations, posters teaching courses and our biannual general meeting. So,September and October will be a busy time for Neurosonologists. Thank you very much for the uncomplicated acceptance, Craig!

　　In May 2007 our treasurer was nominated a Professor in Maastricht. The Department of Clinical Neurophysiology of the University Hospital of Maastricht. The Netherlands, celebrated its 50th Anniversary on 9th November 2007 with an international Symposium. The invited speakers talked about different aspects and different therapeutic applications of transcranial ultrasound techniques. At the end of the day,which was attended by over 120 people,Professor Mess gave his inaugural speech accepting his position as Professor of Neurophysiology at the Maastricht University.

　　In February I had the privilege to carry out an Ultrasound Teaching Course together with Dr.Forad in connection with the 9th Kairo International Neurology Conference.
With more than 50 enthusiastic participants the presentation was a great success. Dr. Forad is one of the pioneers of Neurosonology in Egypt and works for the Neurology Department of the Kairo-University. With four medical colleagues he sees more than 800 neurovascular patients each year with distinct disease pattern and
problems. I had the opportunity to learn that strokes are a very severe problem in Egypt, with more than 36,000 new cases each year in Kairo alone.

　　The annual meeting of our Asian Chapter was attached to the 5th Asia Pacific Conference against Stroke (APCAS) in Manila, which was chaired by our executive member Jose Navarro.He took the opportunity to organize a half day teaching course at the beginning of APCAS,which was a very successful and attracted many
participants from Asia and the Philippines. Dr.Navarro has been elected as the new Chairman of the Asian Chapter as a successor of Disya Ratanakorn, Dr. Ramani will serve as the new Vice Chair.

　　In the near future we are looking forward to the ESNCH congress in Genoa, which is being organized by Massimo de Sette. For members from other continents Italy and Genoa will be an attractive location providing a top class program
www.neurosonology2008.it .

　　As always I take the opportunity to encourage　all readers to communicate news and happenings　in order to make them available for　everyone in our group.

　　This is especially valid for scientific projects for which you are looking for　cooperating partners.Looking forward to meeting you soon on one of our many future events.

Dr. Edson Bor-Seng-Hsu (Brazil) and Prof. M. Kaps at ESNCH 2006

Dear Colleagues,
I have to begin with the sad news that Dr. Merrill Spencer has passed away. For decades he promoted the development of neurosonology worldwide. As a physician and researcher, he supported, instructed and inspired generations of doctors and scientists. His expert knowledge, combined with warm personal qualities made him an effective advocate of our mission. Merrill maintained his youthful enthusiasm throughout his life, most recently in Duesseldorf at the ESNCH meeting, he followed the lectures and discussions with his usual intensity from the front row.We have lost a distinguished colleague and we are also deeply saddened by the loss of a good friend. At the same time, we are very grateful for his accomplishments, from which we all have benefited and will continue to benefit in the future.

Since the last newsletter, our members have been engaged in many activities around the world including meetings in Beijing, Asolo (Italy) and Duesseldorf (Germany, ESNCH meeting). Based on many conversations, I know that there is a great interest in visiting neurosonology meetings in distant continents. In order to keep our members up-to-date, I would like to encourage everybody to send announcements of upcoming events and conference reports, including information on regional events, to the editorial board for publication. Dr. Shan-Jin Ryu has invested a lot of energy in maintaining our website by adding current factual information. We are ready to expand this platform and would appreciate his contributions.

For the future health of NSRG, it will be essential for us to interest young scientists in our field. This is most easily accomplished with collaborative research projects, that have an international impact, and with educational programs. One exemplary project is the NAIS-study, the results of which will be published by The Lancet Neurology. New protocols for multicenter ultrasound studies are in preparation.

Donau-University in Austria is launching the first program in Europe,for a "Master in Stroke Medicine". Neurosonology is strongly represented in this educational program. I explicitly refer to this initiative in order to encourage all NSRG members to actively support implementation of ultrasound for making a diagnosis in local stroke programs. In order to promote education in Neurosonology, we are currently establishing a summer school. The steps we have taken so far to attract sponsors seem to have been successful. The prototype will be launched in Taiwan in 2007. Afterwards, training camps will be held once a year in different parts of the world, preferably in areas where our members face considerable difficulties to attending regular meetings.

More details on all our activities will be provided via email. It is therefore mandatory to receive your email address to help all registered members to stay current and informed about the latest facts and events.

I am looking forward to seeing you at one of the next meetings.
Uni.-Prof.Dr.med.M.Kaps

　

　　You will recognize that this chairman’s message starts a new era for NSRG. In accordance with the bylaws of the NSRG, G.-M. von Reutern has rotated out of the chairmanship during the 12th NSRG Meeting in Osaka. He has served the NSRG, at first as secretary, since 1993 as treasurer and since 1997 as President. He steered the society with energy, promoted research and was deeply involved in several NSRG meetings as organizer. In 2003 he produced a masterpiece, when he brought the Meeting in Bad Salzhausen/Germany within a few months. We all respect his diplomacy and understanding of the variety of the neurosonology community. He is a pioneer in neurosonology and has preserved his knowledge and enthusiasm over decades.

　　I also cordially thank Dr. S-J Ryu, who was the secretary of the society since 2001 He promoted our communication by working on the newsletter and the NSRG web site indefatigability. He spent a lot of time, ideas and energy to cover the daily business, including funds raising. We all remember the 8th NSRG meeting in Taipei which will be unforgettable for all those who where privileged enough to take part in this unique event.

　　K. Niederkorn took care of the finances since 2001 and like Sisyphus dealt with the duties of updating the membership list, reminding people for their membership fees and decipher vouchers. He was active in the NSRG since 1993 as secretary and gave invaluable inputs during all these years. In 1995 he organized the 6th NSRG Meeting in Salzburg.

　　The past officers have set standards which will be hard to duplicate by the successors. More over, for he first time, in our society there is no sequential rotation but all of us step into their new position simultaneously. Nevertheless and fortunately continuity is guaranteed, because G.-M. von Reutern will join the advisory board and S-J Ryu will continue to take care of our web site and the edition of the newsletter. K. Niederkorn is the new President of European Society of Neurosonology so that we can expect mutual understanding and close cooperation between the two societies in the future. As you may see on the attached list and in the photographs there was also considerable change in the executive committee. G.-M. von Reutern has honored the invaluable contribution of the out rotating members in Osaka and I am very grateful that J. Navarro (Philippine), D. Ratanakorn, L. Wong (China), M. Görtler (Germany), A. Hetzel (Germany), P. Traubner (Slovakia), N. Ramani (Singapore) and N. Bornstein (Israel) have accepted their election as new executive committee members. To guarantee and continue the further successful development of our group in the field of education, certification and research it is of most importance to receive ideas, inspirations and activities from all members.

　　The major objective of my work for the next four years will be to strengthen the excellent and confidential cooperation between neurosonologists in all different parts of the world and to integrate new members. There are still many empty spots on the neurosonology globe, namely in South America. Another cooperative NSRG trial is another issue which is very much part of the mission of the NSRG. The NAIS-study is a successful example which should stimulate all of us to set up new projects in this direction. As a first step, the Executive Committee has decided to offer an official certificate of the research group to support principal investigators to raise money for clinical cooperative studies. The procedure to apply for this document is described on a separate sheet accompanying this letter.

　　As you can see in the protocol of the membership assembly, we are launching a demanding project which aims to create an education program for an international certification in Neurosonology. The activity will be closely coordinated with societies who have already been active in this field (namely the European Society of Neurosonology and the American Society of Neuroimaging) under the leadership of G.-M von Reutern. More details are presented in this newsletter separately.

　　Last not least we have to update and complete the E-mail addresses of our members, because much future communication will be conducted electronically. Please send your E-mail addresses to W. Mess (WME@fknf.azm.nl) to ensure you receive all future NSRG news without delay. Those who were present at the Osaka Meeting are invited to mail the best of your photos to S-J Ryu (stroke@cgmh.org.tw). He will put a nice selection on our web site, so that all friends can share and reminiscence the good time had by all. It was truly a wonderful meeting.

　　On behalf of Dr. Shiogai and Dr. Mess, I want to thank all of you again for the confidence you put in us. We also wish to especially thank all past officers and executive members for their invaluable work and look forward to their future support and input.

　　I am looking forward to seeing you on occasion of one of the next meetings, and to hearing for you at any time with suggestions, questions and comments.
Yours

M. Kaps

Past Chairman's Message

Dear colleagues,
　　It is a good practice for societies to change officers regularly. This gives the opportunity for younger members to be active and bring new ideas, new research and cooperation. In national societies a term lasts, in general, one or two years. Following the statutes of the WFN an office can be held for 2 terms of 4 years each, a long time. The reason for this may be that it is more difficult to promote international than national communication. Worldwide projects in general progress slowly. I experienced this as chairman of the NSRG task force on “brain death diagnosis”. Within this group we discovered very different concepts concerning the role of physicians in this situation and the discussion went on for years before resulting in a publication. On the other hand it is exactly this that makes it more interesting and more valuable to cooperate on a worldwide level. The NSRG was essential to bring together knowledge about the development and clinical application of Neurosonology from different areas of the world.

　　It was my great pleasure and honour to have served our group in several capacities. I am especially delighted with the knowledge that the society is now under the leadership of highly committed new officers with a solid scientific background. I wish them a most successful term. At the same time I have to thank all those for cooperating all these years as officers. Namely, Dr. Ryu as a most efficient, always patient and helpful secretary and excellent organizer of meetings, as well as Dr. Niederkorn for taking care of our finances but also providing most friendly and useful advice based on his international experience.

　　I will always remember the cooperative atmosphere within our executive committee. I have to thank especially those stepping down from responsibilities together with me and not taking another office. Dr. de Bray from France represented his country on all international NSRG meetings and co-organized the official NSRG meeting in Paris as well as two international consensus conferences under the auspices of the NSRG. Dr Giobbe organized the link between our group and the most active field in Italy, represented by several local societies. Dr. Csiba from Hungary has been and will be an important link to the EFNS and a very enthusiastic promoter of Neurosonology in the Eastern-European countries. Dr. Lee from the Philippines was active in teaching paediatric Neurosonology in South East Asia. Dr. Newell contributed as a Neurosurgeon and researcher in the field of intracerebral hemodynamics. Without the active involvement of all members of the executive committee this society would not be what it is now, one of the largest and most active research groups of the WFN.

　　In Osaka I have been asked to chair a commission for standardization of neurovascular laboratories and creation of an international certification in Neurosonology. I am aware that this is an ambitious project with inherent problems and some emotions. We are confronted with different concepts and types of organization in clinical Neurosonology. On the other side, many countries do not have an elaborated system of quality control and certification. An international certification under the auspices of the WFN will help to elevate the level of Neurosonology in general and to serve as guideline for local regulations. I thank in advance all members of this committee for their contribution and readiness for compromise. The proposal for simplified laboratory standards was accepted by the executive committee in Osaka and is published in this Newsletter. The proposal for certification of Neurosonologists will be published in the Newsletter before its final adoption in order to allow for a full discussion by all members.

There is much work ahead.
I look forward to meeting with you again in the near future.

G.-M. von Reutern

NSRG “Seal of Approval”

　　During our 12th NSRG Meeting in Osaka several members proposed the creation of a NSRG „Seal of Approval“ for neurosonology research. This certificate would help to raise funds for Neurosonology Trials.
The Executive Committee has decided therefore, to offer this certification to NSRG members under the following conditions:

1. The principal investigator who submits an application to the NSRG must be a member of the NSRG. He should attach a detailed research protocol to his request for the “Seal of Approval”.

2. Applicants can apply for NSRG membership at the same time as they submit their study if they are not already members.

3. The research protocol must be approved by the local Ethics Committee before it can be considered by the Executive Committee of the NSRG.

4. The application should clearly state if other members of NSRG can participate in the study, if they are willing and capable to adhere to the study protocol.

5. The President of the NSRG will appoint 2 members of the society with distinguished experience to review the proposal. They will make suggestions and comments for modification if necessary in writing and submit it to the Executive Committee.

6. If the criteria 1-5 are fulfilled and the Executive Committee of the NSRG approves the research protocol, the President of the NSRG will issue a letter of approval to the principal investigator.

7. Society does not assume any legal or financial liabilities.


　　All research proposals should be submitted to the President of the NSRG as an electronic file who will organize the reviews procedure and appoint a review board.

Manfred Kaps
(E-mail: Manfred.Kaps@neuro.med.uni-Giessen.de).