Next time in Australia!

Abstract

The Symposium Neuroradiologicum, whose first ever meeting in 1939 established neuroradiology as one of the neurosciences, was held in France for the second time under the presidency of Luc Picard. Among the many activities to make this August week in Paris a memorable one was the significant contribution made by interventional neuroradiology, with numerous abstracts, courses and posters, alongside other branches like functional MR, neuro-paediatrics, the spine, etc. Interventional neuroradiologists raised a number of wide-ranging debates like, for example, the social and psychological consequences of the chance discovery of non-ruptured aneurysms, stroke management within the first three hours, randomised trials comparing embolisation with surgical treatment of aneurysms, and the question of the vasculo- and angiogenesis and their clinical significance. Equally thought provoking were the questions addressed by paediatric neuroradiology in debates on the genetics of epilepsy and the ethical issues raised by ante-natal diagnosis of cerebral lesions. It is issues like these that have placed interventional neuroradiology and other sectors of neuroradiology at the forefront of the discipline, pushing back the horizons of knowledge and pointing the way to the future by asking questions and tentatively proffering some answers. Aristotle said that “if you want to find out the true worth of a man, give him a little power”. Interventional Neuroradiologists havemeasured up well to this challenge. One third of the members of the International Advisory Board were endovascular or spinal cord interventional neuroradiologists or both. Neuroradiologists from all corners of the world gave a resounding vote of confidence eight years ago to Luc Picard, appointing him to organise the Paris Sympsium and to succeed to Michael Huckmann and to Anton Valavanis to head the WFNRS, and to Marco Leonardi to organise the next Symposium in eight years' time. Indeed interventional neuroradiologists of the WFITN led by Karel ter Brugge can be proud of their contribution to the Symposium and the universal relevance of their debate issues. As a result, Interventional Neuroradiology has been further consolidated as one of the neurosciences. Today more than ever it is rightfully numbered alongside other branches of our discipline and less often dismissed as a minor or sectorial sub-specialisation. For almost seven years now, the Journal of Interventional Neuroradiology has worked to make the voice of interventional neuroradiology heard in the neuroscience arena. We have succeeded in reconciling differences and similarities. The continuity of the journal is without doubt due to the generosity and tireless work of the authors who send in their articles and the editorial staff. The impact factor achieved of 0.585 without indexation testifies to their great efficiency. For the future, it will be essential to maintain the balance between the specifics of interventional neuroradiology and its role within the neurosciences if our scientific research is to bring about true medical advances.