About Esther

Esther Bron is Assistant Professor at the Biomedical Imaging Group Rotterdam (BIGR, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands) and PI of the research line ‘Neuroimage analysis and Machine learning’.

Currently, she is mainly working on disease progression modeling of neurodegenerative diseases. This work led to development of the Discriminative Event-Based Model (DEBM). Esther collaborates with the Progression Of Neurodegenerative Disease (POND) group at University College London, with whom she is organizing the TADPOLE challenge which evaluates which data, processing pipelines, and predictive models provide the best estimates of future AD progression. In 2018, she won the Young eScientist Award which led to a collaboration with the Netherlands eScience Center on the TADPOLE-SHARE project.

In addition, Esther is coordinating the BIGR infrastructure for neuroimage analysis in multi-center studies, especially the image storage and analysis platform for the multi-center Heart-Brain Connection study. She led the pilot analysis for this study that demonstated the functionality of the infrastructure and the possibility of coupling and analyzing multi-center imaging and non-imaging data.

Esther obtained her PhD degree on March 9 2016 with her thesis entitled Advanced MRI Analysis for Computer-Aided Diagnosis of Dementia. In her PhD research under supervision of Prof. W.J. Niessen, dr. S. Klein and dr. M. Smits, Esther developed and improved multiple methods for computer-aided diagnosis of dementia. As part of this, she organized the CADDementia challenge which compared image-based diagnosis algorithms. In the CADDementia workshop at the MICCAI 2014 conference, she presented the results of this challenge. With this project, Esther was nominated for the Dutch Data Prize 2014 and won a Best Scientific Paper Presentation Award at the European Congress of Radiology in 2015.

Contact Esther

Email e.bron@erasmusmc.nl Phone +31 10 7044883
LinkedIn LinkedIn ErasmusMC Biomedical Imaging Group Rotterdam Google Scholar Google Scholar ResearchGate ResearchGate
Erasmus MC - University Medical Center Rotterdam

Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine
Office Na2502
P.O. Box 2040
3000 CA Rotterdam, NL

Awards

  • Winner Alzheimer prediction challenge (1st prize Ventricle prediction, 3rd prize Diagnosis) – TADPOLE
  • Young eScientist Award 2018 – eScience Center
  • Best Scientific Paper Presentation Award 2015 "Computer Applications" – European Congress of Radiology

Publications

Journal Papers

Conference Papers

Conference Proceedings

Conference Abstracts

  • E.E. Bron, V. Venkatraghavan, J. Linders, W.J. Niessen, and S. Klein, Deep versus Conventional Machine Learning for MRI-based diagnosis and prediction of Alzheimer’s disease, Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC), 2020
  • V. Venkatraghavan, J.L. Panman, E.L. van der Ende, R.M.E. Steketee, L.C. Jiskoot, J.M. Poos, E.G.P. Dopper, L.H.H. Meeter, L. Donker Kaat, S.A.R.B. Rombouts, M.W. Vernooij, A.J.A. Kievit, E. Premi, M. Cosseddu, E. Bonomi, J. Olives, J.D. Rohrer, R. Sanchez-Valle, B. Borroni, E.E. Bron, J.C. van Swieten, J.M. Papma, S. Klein, and GENFI consortium investigators, Modelling the cascade of biomarker changes in progranulin related frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC), 2020
  • A.E. Leeuwis, R.P. Amier, N. Marcks, R. Nijveldt, A.M. Hooghiemstra, H.P. Brunner-La Rocca, A. de Roos, J.H.J.M. de Bresser, E.E. Bron, W.J. Niessen, M. Buijs, F. Barkhof, A.C. van Rossum, Heart-Brain Connection consortium, W.M. van der Flier, Gray matter atrophy but not vascular brain injury is related to cognitive impairment in patients with heart failure, Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC), 2020
  • R.V. Marinescu, N.P. Oxtoby, A.L. Young, E.E. Bron, A.W. Toga, M.W. Weiner, F. Barkhof, N.C. Fox, P. Golland, S. Klein, and D.C. Alexander, Predicting Alzheimer's disease progression: Results from the TADPOLE Challenge, Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) [oral presentation], 2020
  • R. Pascuzzo, V. Venkatraghavan, M. Moscatelli, M. Grisoli, E.E. Bron, S. Klein, J. Blevins, G. Castelli, L.B. Schonberger, P. Gambetti, B.S. Appleby, A. Bizzi, Modelling the temporal cascade of abnormalities in diffusion magnetic resonance imaging in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM), 2020
  • A. Leeuwis, A.M. Hooghiemstra, E.E. Bron, S. Kuipers, E.A. Oudeman, T. Kalay, H.P. Brunner-La Rocca, L.J. Kappelle, R. van Oostenbrugge, J. Greving, W.J. Niessen, M.A. van Buchem, M.J.P. van Osch, A. van Rossum, N. Prins, G.J. Biessels, F. Barkhof, W.M. van der Flier , Cerebral blood flow and cognitive functioning in the heart-brain axis, European Society of Cardiology, 2019
  • A. Leeuwis, A.M. Hooghiemstra, E.E. Bron, S. Kuipers, E.A. Oudeman, T. Kalay, H.P. Brunner-La Rocca, L.J. Kappelle, R. van Oostenbrugge, J. Greving, W.J. Niessen, M.A. van Buchem, M.J.P. van Osch, A. van Rossum, N. Prins, G.J. Biessels, F. Barkhof, W.M. van der Flier , COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING IN PATIENTS WITH DISORDERS ALONG THE HEART-BRAIN AXIS: THE ROLE OF CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW, Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC), 2019
  • W. Vlastra, A.G.T. Bronzwaer, A. Versteeg, E.E. Bron, W.J. Niessen, H.J.M.M. Mutsaerts, B.J.P. van der Ster, C.B.L.M. Majoie, G.J. Biessels, A.J. Nederveen, M.J.A.P. Daemen, J. Baan, J.J. Piek, J.J. van Lieshout, R. Delewi , Cardiac output and cerebral blood flow improvement in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation, Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT), 2019
  • I. Dekker, M.M. Schoonheim, V. Venkatraghavan, A.J.C. Eijlers, I. Brouwer, E.E. Bron, S. Klein, M.P. Wattjes, A.M. Wink, J.J.G. Geurts, B.M.J. Uitdehaag, N.P. Oxtoby, D.C. Alexander, H. Vrenken, J. Killestein, F. Barkhof, V. Wottschel., Structural, functional and cognitive changes in MS: the order of events., European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), 2019
  • T. Theodoridis, M. Starmans, S. Klein, E.E. Bron, Radiomics features for use in dementia diagnosis, 36th Annual Scientific Meeting of the ESMRMB, 2019
  • J. Linders, V. Venkatraghavan, W.J. Niessen, E.E. Bron, Deep Learning for classification of Alzheimer’s Disease: Is MRI pre-processing required?, 36th Annual Scientific Meeting of the ESMRMB ( "Certificate of Merit" poster award), 2019
  • L.C.P. Banning, I.H.G.B. Ramakers, S. Köhler, E.E. Bron, F.R.J. Verhey, P.P. de Deyn, J. Claassen, G.J. Biessels, H.A.M. Middelkoop, A. van der Lugt, W.M. van der Flier, P.J. Nederkoorn, P. Aalten, The association between neuropsychiatric symptoms and biomarkers across the Alzheimer’s disease spectrum, Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC), 2019
  • E.A. Oudeman, J.P. Greving, R.M. Van den Berg-Vos, G.J. Biessels, E.E. Bron, R. van Oostenbrugge, J. de Bresser, L.J. Kappelle., HBC Consortium, Non-focal transient neurological attacks are associated with cerebral small vessel dissease , European Stroke Organisation Conference, 2019
  • E.A. Oudeman, E.E. Bron, H.C. Achterberg, R.M. van der Berg-Vos, J.P. Greving, G.J. Biessels, C.J.M. Klijn, W.J. Niessen, L.J. Kappelle, Cerebral perfusion and the occurrence of nonfocal transient neurological attacks, Health-RI conference, 2019
  • H.C. Achterberg, M. Koek, A. Versteeg, T. Phil, T. Kroes, E.E. Bron, W.J. Niessen, FASTR workflow engine for reproducible and managed large-scale processing, Health-RI conference, 2019
  • L.S. Ham, V. Venkatraghavan, A.M. Wink, W.M. van der Flier, R.M.E. Steketee, M. Smits, W.J. Niessen, S. Klein, and E.E. Bron, Transfer learning improves event-based modeling in small and heterogeneous datasets, 7th Dutch Bio-Medical Engineering Conference, 2019
  • B. Li, M. de Groot, M.W. Vernooij, M.A. Ikram, W.J. Niessen, and E.E. Bron, White Matter Tract Segmentation: Method development, application and assessment of generalizability, EuSoMII Annual Meeting ‘Advances in Medical Imaging with Informatics and Artificial Intelligence’, 2018
  • H.C. Achterberg, E.E. Bron, M. Koek, A. Versteeg, T. Phil, S. Klein, A. van der Lugt, W. Niessen, Quantitative imaging biomarker platform for multi-center studies: the Heart-Brain Connection use case, Europe Biobank Week, 2018
  • H.C. Achterberg, E.E. Bron, A. Versteeg, M. Koek, S. Klein and W.J. Niessen, Infrastructure for multi-center imaging studies: the Heart-Brain Connection, Health-RI conference, 2017
  • J. Manniën, E.E. Bron, I. Ramakers, P. Aalten, W.M. van der Flier, J.M. Papma, S. Klein, A. Versteeg, A. Flikkenschild and A. van der Lugt, The development of FAIR imaging data within the Parelsnoer Institute for studying early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, Health-RI conference, 2017
  • J. Manniën, E.E. Bron, I. Ramakers, P. Aalten, W.M. van der Flier, J.M. Papma, S. Klein, A. Versteeg, A. Flikkenschild and A. van der Lugt, The development of FAIR imaging data within the Parelsnoer Institute for studying early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, Global Biobank Week, 2017
  • I.E. de Groot, L.C. Jiskoot, J.M. Papma, A. van der Lugt, E.E. Bron, E. van den Berg, J.C. van Swieten, Differences in Gray Matter Volume Associated with Family History of Dementia in Alzheimer’s Disease and Frontotemporal Dementia, Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC), 2017
  • J. Smit, V. Venkatraghavan, E.E. Bron, S. Klein and W.J. Niessen, A comparison of classification models for computer-aided Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, ICT.OPEN, 2017
  • V. Venkatraghavan, E.E. Bron, W.J. Niessen and S. Klein, A discriminative event based model for disease progression modeling, 6th Dutch Bio-Medical Engineering Conference, 2017
  • J. Verschueren, D.E. Meuffels, E.E. Bron, S. Klein, J. Verhaar, S.M.A. Bierma-Zeinstra, P. A. Wielopolski, M. Reijman and E. Oei, Challenges of Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging after High Tibial Osteotomy: A Human Cadaver Study to Assess the Feasibility of T2-Mapping near Titanium, International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, 2017
  • E.E. Bron, A.L. Young, N.P. Oxtoby, M. Smits, J.C. van Swieten, A.M. Wink, W.M. van der Flier, F. Barkhof, X. Golay, W.J. Niessen, S. Klein and D.C. Alexander, Cross-Sectional Modeling of Regional Perfusion and Gray Matter Volume in Alzheimer's Disease, Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC), 2016
  • S. Eijgenraam, J. Verschueren, E.E. Bron, M. Reijman, S. Klein, P. A. Wielopolski, J. Hernandez Tamames and E.H.G. Oei, Cartilage T2 relaxation times: reproducibility in a multicenter trial, 9th International Workshop on Osteoarthritis Imaging, 2016
  • R.A. van der Heijden, D.H.J. Poot, M. Ekinci, E.E. Bron, J. van Tiel, S. Klein, P.L.J van Veldhoven, G.P. Krestin, J. Verhaar, S.M.A. Bierma-Zeinstra, M. van Middelkoop and E.H.G. Oei, Multiparametric quantitative MRI of cartilage composition and bone blood perfusion applied in a case-control study of patellofemoral pain, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 2016
  • A. Schrantee, E.E. Bron, H. Mutsaerts, S. Klein, W.J. Niessen, S.A.R.B. Rombouts and L. Reneman, Assessing the effects of methylphenidate on human brain development using pharmacological magnetic resonance imaging: a randomized controlled trial, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 2016
  • J Verschueren, J. van Tiel, E.E. Bron, S. Klein, J. Verhaar, S.M.A. Bierma-Zeinstra, G. P. Krestin, P. A. Wielopolski, M. Reijman and E. Oei, Influence of the delayed gadolinium enhanced MRI of cartilage protocol on T2 relaxation times of knee cartilage in healthy volunteers and osteoarthritis patients, Osteoarthritis research society international: World congress on osteoarthritis, 2016
  • A. Schrantee, H Mutsaerts, G.H. Tamminga, C. Bouziane, M. Bottelier, E.E. Bron, S.A.R.B. Rombouts and L. Reneman, The effects of methylphenidate on striatal dopamine system are dependent on age: an ASL-based phMRI study, 28th Annual Meeting of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP), 2015
  • D. Volders, E.E. Bron, J.M. Papma, R.M.E Steketee, R. Meijboom, J.C. van Swieten, A. van der Lugt and M. Smits, Reduced insular perfusion in frontotemporal dementia, 38th Annual Meeting of the European Society of Neuroradiology, 2015
  • J Verschueren, D.E. Meuffels, E.E. Bron, S. Klein, G. Kleinrensink, J. Verhaar, S.M.A. Bierma-Zeinstra, G. P. Krestin, P. A. Wielopolski, M. Reijman and E. Oei, Challenges for implementation of T2-mapping in a large clinical trial of high tibial osteotomy: A human cadaver study to assess the feasibility of T2-mapping MRI near metal, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) workshop ‘Imaging Based Measures of Osteoarthritis’, 2015
  • J Verschueren, P Bostamzad, E.E. Bron, S. Klein, J. Verhaar, S.M.A. Bierma-Zeinstra, G. P. Krestin, P. A. Wielopolski, M. Reijman and E. Oei, Influence of exercise and waiting time required for dGEMRIC on T2 relaxation times of knee cartilage at 3T, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) workshop ‘Imaging Based Measures of Osteoarthritis’, 2015
  • R.A. van der Heijden, P Vissers, E.E. Bron, P.L.J van Veldhoven, S. Klein, J. Verhaar, G. P. Krestin, S.M.A. Bierma-Zeinstra, M. van Middelkoop and E. Oei, Multiparametric quantitative MRI shows no difference in cartilage composition between patients with patellofemoral pain and healthy control subjects, 101th Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, 2015
  • R. Meijboom, R.M.E Steketee, M. de Groot, E.E. Bron, F.J. de Jong, A. van der Lugt, J.C. van Swieten and M. Smits, Regional coherence between white and grey matter abnormalities in early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), 32nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the ESMRMB, 2015
  • E.E. Bron, M. Smits, J.M. Papma, R.M.E Steketee, R. Meijboom, M. de Groot, J.C. van Swieten, W.J. Niesse and S. Klein, Perfusion and diffusion tensor MRI improve computer-aided differentiation between Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia, 32nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the ESMRMB, 2015
  • J Verschueren, D.E. Meuffels, E.E. Bron, S. Klein, G. Kleinrensink, J. Verhaar, S.M.A. Bierma-Zeinstra, G. P. Krestin, P. A. Wielopolski, M. Reijman and E. Oei, Titanium fixation devices do not influence T2 relaxation times of knee articular cartilage after high tibial osteotomy: a human cadaver study., 101th Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, 2015
  • R.A. van der Heijden, P Vissers, P.L.J van Veldhoven, E.E. Bron, S. Klein, J. Verhaar, G. P. Krestin, E. Oei and S.M.A. Bierma-Zeinstra, T1rho and T2 mapping MRI show no difference in cartilage composition between patients with patellofemoral pain and healthy control subjects, Sports Medicine Congress, 2015
  • E.E. Bron, M. Smits, F. Barkhof, A.J. Bastos-Leite, J.C. van Swieten, W.J. Niesse and S. Klein, Large-scale objective comparison of 29 novel algorithms for computer-aided diagnosis of dementia based on structural MRI, European Congress of Radiology, 2015
  • J Verschueren, J. van Tiel, M. Reijman, E.E. Bron, S. Klein, J. Verhaar, S.M.A. Bierma-Zeinstra, G. P. Krestin, G. Kotek and E. Oei, T2 relaxation times of knee articular cartilage in osteoarthritis patients are not influenced by gadolinium contrast agent, 100th Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, 2014
  • J. van Tiel, G. Kotek, M. Reijman, P.K. Bos, E.E. Bron, S. Klein, J. Verhaar, G. P. Krestin, H. Weinans and E. Oei, Delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage (dGEMRIC) is superior to T1rho-mapping in measuring cartilage sulphated glycosaminoglycan content: preliminary results of an in-vivo validation study using an ex-vivo reference standard., International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 2014
  • J. van Tiel, G. Kotek, M. Reijman, P.K. Bos, E.E. Bron, S. Klein, J. Verhaar, G. P. Krestin, H. Weinans and E. Oei, Delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage (dGEMRIC) is superior to T1rho-mapping in measuring cartilage sulphated glycosaminoglycan content: preliminary results of an in-vivo validation study, Osteoarthritis research society international: World congress on osteroarthritis, 2014
  • R.A. van der Heijden, D.H.J. Poot, E.E. Bron, S. Klein, J. Verhaar, S.M.A. Bierma-Zeinstra, M. van Middelkoop, G. Kotek and E. Oei, Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI in patellofemoral pain syndrome: perfusion quantification of patellofemoral joint tissues, European Congress of Radiology, 2014
  • R.M.E Steketee, H Mutsaerts, E.E. Bron, C.B.L.M. Majoie, A. Nederveen and M. Smits, Intra- and intervendor reproducibility of cerebral blood flow (CBF) changes in the primary motor cortex during finger tapping as assessed in the VESPA (Vendor-Specific features of ASL-mri) study, European Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and Biology, 2013
  • E.E. Bron, R.M.E Steketee, G. Houston, R.A. Oliver, J.C. van Swieten, A. Hammers, W.J. Niessen, S. Klein, The added value of arterial spin labeling for classification of early-stage presenile dementia, Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Annual Meeting, 2013
  • J. van Tiel, E.E. Bron, P.K. Bos, S. Klein, M. Reijman, J. Verhaar, G. P. Krestin, H. Weinans, G. Kotek and E. Oei, Correlation between quantitative delayed contrast-enhancement in meniscus and cartilage in knee osteoarthritis, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 2013
  • E.E. Bron, R.M.E Steketee, G. Houston, J.C. van Swieten, A. Hammers, W.J. Niessen, S. Klein, Region-Wise Classification of Early-Stage Presenile Dementia Based on Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL), ISMRM Scientific Workshop on Perfusion MRI: Standardization, Beyond CBF & Everyday Clinical Applications, 2012
  • J. van Tiel, E.E. Bron, P.K. Bos, S. Klein, M. Reijman, J. Verhaar, G. P. Krestin, H. Weinans, G. Kotek and E. Oei, Reproducibility of 3D delayed gadolinium enhanced MRI of cartilage (DGEMRIC) of the knee at 3.0 Tesla in patients with early-stage osteoarthritis., Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 2012
  • J. van Tiel, E.E. Bron, P.K. Bos, M. Reijman, S. Klein, J. Verhaar, G. P. Krestin, H. Weinans, G. Kotek and E. Oei, Reproducibility of 3D Delayed Gadolinium Enhanced MRI of Cartilage of the Knee at 3.0 Tesla in Patients with Early-Stage Osteoarthritis, Radiological Society of North America, 98th Annual Meeting, 2012
  • H. Smit, J. van Tiel, E.E. Bron, D.H.J. Poot, G. Houston, W.J. Niessen, H. Weinans, G. P. Krestin, S. Klein, G. Kotek, Knee cartilage T1 mapping with High Resolution Multi Slice Inversion Recovery: feasibility, reproducibility and accuracy, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 2012
  • H. Smit, E.E. Bron, G. Kotek, D.H.J. Poot, S. Klein, Image Registration improves the Accuracy of T1 mapping in the Cartilage of the Human Knee, Radiological Society of North America, 97th Annual Meeting, 2011

MSc Theses

  • E.E. Bron, Optimization of registration in assessment of human knee cartilage T1 mapping with dGEMRIC, 2011
  • E.E. Bron, Postprocessing of T1 relaxation time mapping with DESPOT1-HiFi at 3T MRI in Multiple Sclerosis, 2010