Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), because of its biological safety in man, plus its superior anatomical display, has aready evolved to become one of the most important medical imaging method. Since the cost of MRI equipment has decreased substantially, there is an increasing number of hospitals using MRI.
The course aims at providing a common education to the increasing number of European radiologists and of the medical practitioners who will use MRI. It achieves this by the implementation of a course for radiologists or non-radiologists, who are interested in MRI and have basic MRI-knowledge. The position of MRI in the daily routine work in comparison to other modalities will be discussed.
An added benefit of the course is to foster understanding and respect among radiologists from the various European countries: teachers of different nationalities learn to work together in forming a new common European standard of knowledge and practice, while the students help in disseminating this standard. Although these courses are mainly professional, they also give ample opportunity to the attendees to get in touch with the different social, cultural and historical environments available in Europe.
The course comprises one week modules of 40 hours. Several courses have only 3 or 4 days and accordingly only 30 hours. The number of students allowed per module is restricted. Teaching includes formal lectures, reading sessions, seminars and self-teaching sessions. The students are evaluated at the end of each module. The University organising a module awards a certificate to the successful students. The Erasmus Course certificate is awarded to those having successfully completed the whole course, the Neuro-certificate is awarded to those having successful completed the Head & Neck, Central Nervous System I and II-modules.
The Erasmus course on Magnetic Resonance Imaging was founded in 1991, since then some 150 modules were organised and approximately 6000 radiologists participated in one or more modules.
We hope that the meeting of highly motivated students and teachers in a variety of European Universities will result in the creation of a high standard of MRI practice within Europe.
J.L. Bloem
EMRI President
