EuSoMII and Bracco together for the 2nd AI Contest

One year is gone and we are back in Pisa, the amazing town in Tuscany that sits along the Arno’s River. It’s the 10^th (and 11^th) of October 2024, and the European Society of Medical Imaging Informatics (EuSoMII), is hosting its annual meeting that brings together people with different backgrounds and expertise from the world of radiology.

In this context, 

took place the second edition of the 

EuSoMII / Bracco AI Contest 

Where a group of young scientists met with the aim of exploring the challenging and boundless possibilities of Artificial Intelligence that can broaden new horizons in the world of imaging. All this, under the careful supervision of the Presidency and the Educational Committee of EuSoMII and the enthusiastic coordination of the EuSoMII Young Club.

The Competition

It has been a day filled with enthusiasm, commitment, and also fun: the participants highlighted the importance of having fun while working together to come up with the best solutions to improve patients’ lives.

The challenge was very clear and demanding: the young professionals had to train a deep learning model on how to detect brain hemorrhages but also on how to distinguish between the different brain hemorrhages. A very challenging task that underlined the importance of working hand-in-hand with Artificial Intelligence to help the world of radiology be more efficient. As some of the participants said:

AI is not a goal; it is a method

and they all agreed with this idea.

After hours of intensive collaboration at their workstations, the competition culminated in a 2-minute pitch where each team presented their projects and the technical aspects behind them. They also underscored the importance of their team's unique blend of expertise from different disciplines. 

The participation was large and varied, both in terms of gender and geographical origin. This event saw representatives from various corners of Europe and the world. 

And the feedback that has been collected, both in person, during the event, and through a survey created specifically, is very positive. The comments are enthusiastic, both regarding the location and the dynamics of the contest. Appreciation has been expressed regarding the possibility of making interdisciplinary knowledge work together, thanks to scientists from different fields. The training moments preceding the contest, the pitch, and the support of the organizers have also been welcomed positively and 100% of the interviewees would recommend their colleagues to participate in the third edition of the event!

The Winners

In choosing the winners, the jury had to assess not only the performance of the AI models they created, but also the soft skills: the commitment of the teams, of course, but also their ability to collaborate, to work on many aspects different from one’s area of expertise, and their skill in presenting their work, answering questions, and engaging with the jury. Of course, for the jury choosing the winning team was no easy task: In the end, it was Carlo Vitale, a radiographer, and Mustafa Ahmed Mahmutoglu, a physician, who stood tall as the winners. 

The success has been huge, and this is the sign that partnerships like this are pivotal to shape the future of radiology, all under the fundamental role played by education, a pillar that Bracco embraces since the very beginning and that is the road that leads to innovation. 

In the end, the main take-home message is that the radiology scenario never stops evolving and Artificial Intelligence is one of the many tools that can help professionals improve their daily work. AI is an ally, and only by working together with a multidisciplinary approach, radiology can benefit AI support.