15 YEARS Bulgarian Society of Neurosonology and Cerebral Hemodynamics

The Bulgarian Society of Neurosonology and Cerebral Hemodynamics (BSNCH) was founded in 2005 as a nonprofit organization with headquarters in Sofia. It is modeled after the European Society of Neurosonology and Cerebral Hemodynamics on the initiative of Acad. Prof. Ekaterina Titianova, MD, PhD, DSc. 

An Executive Board in accordance with the Statute adopted by the General Assembly has been managing the Society. Its founders and members of the last Executive Boards (2015– 2020) are: Acad. Prof. Ekaterina Titianova – President, Acad. Prof. Emilia Christova – Vice- President, Corr. member Assoc. Prof. Irena Velcheva – Vice-President, Sonia Karakaneva, MD – Secretary, Prof. Silva Andonova – member, Assoc. Prof. Boyko Stamenov – member, Ivaylo Petrov, MD – member. Galina Mihaylova, Konstantin Titianov (2005–2010) and Sasho Kastrev, MD (2005–2015) are also founders and participants in the first Executive Board. Prof. Zlatka Stoyneva (President), Krasimir Kirilov, MD and Polina Paralcheva, MD are the members of the Supervisory Board. In 2010 a Subsidiary Board for associate members was founded. Its President since 2015 has been Corresponding member Prof. Daniela Lyubenova, and members: Assoc. Prof. Petya Mineva, Genovey Uzunov, MD and Vesselina Andonova, MD. 

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The Society has its own logo, a modernized website with the following address www. neurosonology-bg.com, its own page in Wikipedia and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/neurosonologybg/.

The main objectives of BSNCH are to promote high professional criteria and professional ethics in Neurosonology and Cerebral Hemodynamics by organizing, assisting and supporting the school education and research in this area and other related areas of medicine in accordance with European criteria and world processes of globalization. The long-term goal is to create and strengthen the Bulgarian School of Neurosonology by preserving, enriching and developing knowledge for the benefit of the Bulgarian nation’s health. 

For the past 15 years BSNCH has established itself as a respectable scientific organization in the field of Neurology and Neurosonology, introducing the European and world standards in ultrasound diagnostics of the nervous system and therapeutic ultrasound in Neurology. The society has grown in membership, expanded its scientific, educational and practical activity and imposed a policy of continuous post-graduate training and professional advancement of its members. 

 

Rewards and Honors Awarded by BSNCH 

For the past 15 years on a proposal of the Executive Board and the General Assembly the following honorary titles have been given: 

Honorary Chairman – the title was awarded in 2005 to Prof. Ivan Georgiev, MD, who died in 2016. 

 

Honorary Lecturer – Prof. Kurt Niederkorn (Austria), Prof. Gunther Klein (Austria), Prof. E. Bernd Ringelstein (Germany), Prof. Vida Demarin (Croatia), Prof. Eva Bartels (Germany), Prof. Ina Tarkka (Finland), Prof. Manfred Kaps (Germany), Prof. Rune Aaslid (Switzerland), Prof. Mario Siebler (Germany), Prof. Michael von Reutern (Germany), Prof. László Csiba, Prof. Natan Bornstein, Prof. Claudio Baracchini and Prof. Massimo Del Sette (Italy) are holders of this title.

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Honorary Plaque – awarded to the BSNCH founders, partner organizations (Bulgarian Medical Union, Military Medical Academy, Bulgarian Society of Neurology, Medical Faculty of Sofia University) and Mrs. Yordanka Fandakova – Mayor of Sofia Municipality and Patron of the World Forum on Neurosonology in 2013. 

Neurosonologist of the Year – the award was established in 2018 and is awarded annually. Winners of the first two awards are Acad. E. Titianova (2018) and S. Karakaneva, MD (2019).

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Scientific Forums of BSNCH and Training

For the period 2005–2020 the Society has organized 9 scientific meetings and 6 national congresses with international participation, over 40 scientific symposia, short-term courses and practical seminars on educational programs of medical universities, and highly specialized activities in Neurology. BSNCH was the organizer and host of the 16th World Meeting of the NSRG of the World Federation of Neurology (2013, Sofia), two regional training courses in Neurology of the European Academy of Neurology (2014 and 2017, Sofia) and one international seminar “Ultrasound Technologies – Challenges Before Young Doctors”, financed by the “Youth in Action” program of the European Commission “(Project No BG13/A3.1.2/ 225/R2 – 15–20 October 2013, Sofia).

With the assistance of the Society, a number of seminars have been organized in Sofia and the country on the training programs of the World Federation of Neurology, whose representative for Bulgaria is Acad. Ekaterina Titianova.

The programs of the forums include satellite symposia, together with partner organizations such as the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Bulgarian Endovascular Society, National Sports Academy and others.

These events, featuring a wide range of scientific topics and interdisciplinary national and international participations, are an indisputable success for the Bulgarian Neurology and Neurosonology. They are recognized and continue to be reflected in the official press and sites of various national, European and international scientific organizations.

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Workshop activity

It has been developed since 2010 under the leadership of Acad. Prof. E. Titianova along with the Medical Faculty of Sofia University and the National Sports Academy. The Society supports the participation of young neurologists, PhD students, students of medicine, medical rehabilitation and occupational therapy and students of kinesitherapy in training courses and scientific forums organized by BSNCH. The workshop forms interest in scientific activity through the preparation of presentations, scientific reviews and posters. More than 15 poster awards were received from students, PhD students and young scientists. 

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Scientific activity and awards

The Society annually supports the participation of students, postdoctoral fellows and young scientists in various national and international scientific forums. In 2019 it co-financed a research project won by the young scientist M. Dimcheva, MD.

Traditionally, scholarships of Bulgarian and foreign specialists are awarded for participation in the forums of BANMH.

Members of BSNCH have participated with over 50 scientific articles and over 80 scientific reports in various national and international scientific journals and forums.

Acad. Prof. Titianova has a significant contribution to the introduction of four- dimensional ultrasound in Neurology and to the establishment of the fields of neuro- ophthalmo-sonology and neuro-myosonology, for which in 2009 her team received the “Merrill Spencer” award at the 14th meeting of the European Society of Neurosonology and Cerebral Hemodynamics. She is a co-author of two international manuals on Neurosonology, published by Cambridge University Press (England) and Di Libros Editora LTDA (Brazil). In 2018 BSNCH was awarded the prize “NATIONAL MEDICAL AWARDS 2018” for contribution to medical education and the establishment of a Bulgarian school of Neurosonology; and Acad. Titianova was awarded the prize “Pythagoras” for overall contribution to science, awarded by the Ministry of Education and Science (MES).

By establishing a Balkan Section of Neurosonology, including neurologists from Serbia, Macedonia, Croatia, Georgia and others, BSNCH is becoming a leading partner in international projects in the field of Neurosonology. The activity of the Society is highly appreciated by the European Society of Neurosonology and Cerebral Hemodynamics, the World Group of Neurosonology at the World Federation of Neurology and the European Academy of Neurology. The Society has established itself as a partner of state institutions and similar nongovernmental organizations at home and abroad.

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Publishing activity

The Society publishes a specialized bilingual (English/Bulgarian) periodical scientific journal “Neurosonology and cerebral hemodynamics” with editor-in-chief Acad. Ekaterina Titianova and co-editors Acad. Emilia Hristova and Corresponding Member Assoc. Prof. Irena Velcheva. It is published with the kind assistance of KOTY Ltd; the graphic designer is Mrs. Elena Koleva, and the technical secretary – Dr. Radostina Dimova. An International Editorial Board contributes to the high quality of scientific publications and the selection of editorials. The Journal is distributed online and for free among the members of the Society, Bulgarian libraries and the international book exchange through the Central Medical Library. Since 2017 it is included in the Web of Science and Emerging Sources Citation Index, and since 2018 – is part of the Internet platform “Scholar One” – a system for international distribution, indexing and editing of articles. For its participation there BSNCH is supported by a project of the Scientific Research Fund of the Ministry of Education and Science.

The Journal is accredited by the Bulgarian Medical Union with 5 credit points, category “D”. It has its own website with open access www. neurosonology.net

Several textbooks on Neurosonology have been issued with the assistance of BSNCH:

– “Ultrasound diagnostics in Neurology” (by E. Titianova), Atlas of Neurosonology (edited by E. Titianova, K. Niederkorn and E. Hristova);

– “National Consensus on Ultrasound Diagnostics and Behavior in Extracranial Carotid Pathology” (edited by E. Titianova, P. Stamenova, K. Girov, I. Petrov, I. Velcheva);

– First National Directory “Who is who in Bulgarian Neurosonology” (edited by E. Titianova, E. Hristova and S. Andonova);

– In 2020, at the initiative of the Bulgarian Society of Neurosonology and Cerebral Hemodynamics, an “Updated National Interdisciplinary Consensus on Ultrasound Diagnosis and Behavior in Extracranial Carotid Pathology” was signed with the support of the Bulgarian Society of Neurology, Bulgarian Society of Endovascular Therapy, Bulgarian National Society of vascular and endovascular surgery and angiology, Bulgarian Society of Angiology, Bulgarian Society of Neurosurgery, Bulgarian Society of Interventional Cardiology, Bulgarian League of Hypertension, and Bulgarian Medical Union;

– The Society is co-organizer of the “National Consensus for Mechanical Thrombectomy in Acute Ischemic Stroke” at the initiative of the Bulgarian Society of Endovascular Therapy, chaired by Prof. Ivo Petrov (2016).

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Partnership

The Bulgarian Association of Neurosonology and Cerebral Hemodynamics partners with various Bulgarian institutions and non-governmental organizations: Medical Universities in Sofia, Pleven, Plovdiv and Varna, Military Medical Academy, Bulgarian Society of Neurology, Bulgarian Society of Endovascular Therapy, Bulgarian National Society of Endovascular Therapy and Angiology, Bulgarian Society of Angiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Public Academy of Science, Education and Culture, Bulgarian Diabetes Association, Bulgarian League of Hypertension, Association for the Development of Mountain Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria and others. It maintains contacts of mutual cooperation with the representative offices of many pharmaceutical companies in our country – Gedeon Richter, Wörwag Pharma, Actavis, Sanofi- Aventis, UCB, Pfizer, Neurocoronary Peripheral Devices Ltd., and others. Their advertising and sponsorship programs support the activities of the Society and the participation of specialists in its forums. Patron of the World Forum on Neurosonology in 2013 was the mayor of Sofia Municipality – Mrs. Yordanka Fandakova. Media partners are national terrestrial televisions, various daily newspapers and Internet sites.

The association is a partner of the European Society of Neurosonology and Cerebral Hemo- dynamics (ESNCH), Research Group of Neuro- sonology of the World Federation of Neurology (NSRG), Japanese Society of Neurosonology, Georgian Society of Neurosonology and Cerebral Hemodynamics (GSNCH), Medical University in Graz – Austria, Serbian National Association of Neuroangiology, Mexican Scientific Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Finland Academy, Serbian Royal Academy, and others. An expression of good cooperation is the participation of prominent foreign scientists in the sections of the Journal and in the annual international symposia organized by BSNCH.

High recognition for the Bulgarian Neuro- sonology is the election of Acad. Titianova as a member of the Executive Board of the Research Group of Neurosonology at the World Federation of Neurology. She is a lecturer in training courses in Neurosonology, organized by the ESNCH and the World Federation of Neurology. Acad. Titianova is a guest lecturer in Neurosonology at the invitation of the Georgian Society of Neurosonology and Cerebral Hemodynamics (2014), the European Academy of Neurology (2014), the Medical Faculty of the University of Belgrade (2015, 2017), the Croatian Society of Neurosonology (2018), the Hungarian Society in Neurosonology (2019), etc. 

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Art Therapy Initiative 

In 2019, BSNCH launched a new initiative, organizing an exhibition of works by patients with neurological diseases and elderly people entitled “Art Therapy” - a good example of uniting the efforts of professionals and disadvantaged people for their adequate socialization. The event received a wide public response.

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Cultural Exchange

The activity of BSNCH and its international participation, contributes to the popularization of Bulgarian history and culture, formed over millennia. The delegates of the forums have the opportunity to touch the local customs, traditions and delicious Bulgarian dishes, to visit various national and historical sites in the country and to retain an unforgettable memory of their stay in Bulgaria. Many of them come back again and again!

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Perspectives

Over the past 15 years, the Bulgarian Society of Neurosonology and Cerebral Hemodynamics has established a modern School of Neurosonology and affirmed traditions in building highly qualified and European certified specialists in the field of diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound in Neurology. The members of the Society, our Bulgarian and foreign partners and sponsors, and our numerous supporters contribute to this.

The Bulgarian Society of Neurosonology and Cerebral Hemodynamics enjoys national and international recognition and authority, which continues to give us satisfaction, fills us as before with new energy and optimism for the future in fulfilling the mission for which we are created.

From the Executive Board the of BSNCH