Imaging of Arteriosclerosis

Research Focus

“Imaging of Arteriosclerosis” is focused on the elucidation of the etiology and pathophysiology of arteriosclerosis, and the clarification of the contribution of arteriosclerosis to clinical neurovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, with a strong emphasis on the use of state-of-the-art medical imaging. Within this unique research-field on the interface of arteriosclerosis, neurovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases, the research group specifically aims at obtaining relevant imaging-based biomarkers for improved understanding of arteriosclerosis and improved prediction of abovementioned diseases, and at identifying potential targets for intervention strategies.

The research is currently focused on the following three research lines:

• Intracranial Arteriosclerosis

  This line of research is specifically focused on the causes and consequences of intracranial arteriosclerosis. This work has had considerable global impact and has also led to an extension of the research horizon towards clinical studies on the influence of intracranial arteriosclerosis in stroke patients.
  
  

• Advanced Atherosclerotic Plaque Imaging

  This line of research is targeted at the optimal identification and evaluation of atherosclerosis in the carotid artery bifurcation.
  
  

• Optimization of Cardiovascular Imaging Techniques and Analysis

  This research line revolves around the early detection of vascular disease, by maximally leveraging existing medical imaging examinations. By using novel methods for image-analysis (e.g. machine-learning algorithms), we aim to obtain more sensitive and more accurate imaging markers of vascular disease.

Key publications on Intracranial Arteriosclerosis:

Intracranial carotid artery atherosclerosis: prevalence and risk factors in the general population.
D Bos, M van der Rijk … M Ikram, M Vernooij.
Stroke 2012, 43 (7), 1878-188.

Intracranial carotid artery atherosclerosis and the risk of stroke in whites: the Rotterdam study.
D Bos, M Portegies … M Vernooij, M Ikram.
JAMA neurology 2014 71 (4), 405-411.

Intracranial Carotid Artery Calcification From Infancy to Old Age.
R Kockelkoren … D Bos.
Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2018 72 (5), 582-584.

Vertebrobasilar artery calcification: Prevalence and risk factors in the general population.
J van der Toorn, S Engelkes ... M Kavousi, D Bos.
Atherosclerosis 2019 286, 49-52.

Key publications on Carotid Atherosclerosis:

Antithrombotic treatment is associated with intraplaque haemorrhage in the atherosclerotic carotid artery: a cross-sectional analysis of The Rotterdam Study.
B Mujaj, D Bos … B Stricker, O Franco.
European heart journal 2018 39 (36), 3369-337.

Comparison of CT and CMR for detection and quantification of carotid artery calcification: the Rotterdam Study.
B Mujaj, A Lorza, ... D Bos.
Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance 2017.

Key publications on Optimization of cardiovascular imaging techniques and analysis:

Leveraging the coronary calcium scan beyond the coronary calcium score.
D Bos, MJG Leening.
European radiology 2017 28 (7), 3082-3087.

Intracranial arterial wall imaging: Techniques, clinical applicability, and future perspectives.
J Arenillas, N Dieleman, D Bos.
International Journal of Stroke 2019 174749301984094.

Full list of articles, click here

Collaboration inside the Erasmus MC

The multidisciplinary aspect of our research allowed us to establish many  fruitful collaborations within Erasmus MC.
Closest collaborations are with:

• the department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine
• the department of Neurology
• the department of Cardiology – Biomedical Engineering.
  

Collaboration outside the Erasmus MC

Also outside of Erasmus MC, we have estabilished many collaborations, of which the most prominent are with:

• the University of Utrecht (Prof. de Jong)
• the University of Valladolid (Prof. J.F. Arenillas)
• the Federal University of Minas Gerais (Prof. S. Barreto, Prof. A. Ribeiro)
• Columbia University New York (Dr. J. Gutierrez)
• Harvard School of Public Health (Prof. A. Hofman)

We are grateful to have received funding support from the following sponsors:

• Alzheimer Nederland  (www.alzheimer-nederland.nl)
• BrightFocus Foundation (www.brightfocus.org)
• Hersenstichting (www.hersenstichting.nl)
• Erasmus MC MRACE (www.erasmusmc.nl)
• Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) (www.nwo.nl)
• European Commission Horizon 2020 (ec.europa.eu)

Principal Investigator:

Daniel Bos, MD, PhD -

d.bos@erasmusmc.nl

Team:

PhD students:
Janine van der Toorn, MSc. 
Cevdet Acarsoy, MSc.
Dianne van Dam -  Nolen, MD.
Sven Luijten, MD.
Robin Camarasa, MSc.
Brian Berghout, MD.
Taihra Zadi, MD.
Akaterina Tziotziou, MSc.
Yannick Kaiser, MD.
Tim van den Beukel, MD.

Master Students:
Ching Khan
Gijs van Rooijen

Other personnel:
Joel de Groen