The Sound of Innovation in Crete
Participants Speak Out on the EuSoMII/Bracco AI Contest 2025
A new chapter of innovation unfolded on October 9, 2025, in Heraklion, Crete, during the Annual Meeting of the European Society of Medical Imaging Informatics (EuSoMII). In this context, the third edition of the EuSoMII/Bracco AI Contest took place—a unique, hands-on challenge designed to engage new generations of professionals in applying AI to real-world diagnostic problems.
Under the supervision of the EuSoMII Presidency and Educational Committee, participants worked in multidisciplinary teams, combining the expertise of radiology residents, young radiologists, radiographers, physicists, data scientists, and computer scientists, all under the age of 40. The contest's growing appeal attracted participants from different countries, including Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Belgium, Algeria, Spain, and Australia.
The Clinical Challenge:
Integrating AI and Contrast Media
The technical challenge, powered by United Imaging Intelligence, focused on a critical clinical topic: Pulmonary Embolism (PE). The contest centered on the integration of advanced contrast media techniques and AI-driven imaging analysis to improve the early and accurate diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism (PE), a time-sensitive condition in which image quality, contrast timing, and interpretation accuracy are crucial. Participants were invited to develop AI tools capable of detecting pulmonary emboli on CTPA exams and classifying emboli as acute or chronic.
The Voice of the Participants:
Survey Highlights
After several hours of concentrated teamwork, participants provided valuable feedback and shared their key takeaways through a post-event survey, confirming the contest's impact.
Collaboration and Experience: An Overwhelming Success
The overall experience was rated positively, with 92% of respondents giving a score of 8 or higher on a 10-point scale. The ultimate validation of the event's format was 100% satisfaction with logistics and organization. The element of greatest success was the multidisciplinary team collaboration, which was found to be effective and engaging by 100% of respondents.
A Strong Commitment to Future Involvement
The participants' positive experience translated into a clear desire for future involvement:
- 91% of respondents would consider participating in a future edition of the AI Contest.
- 100% of respondents would recommend their colleagues to participate.
The Winning Teams
After several hours of work, each team presented its project in a 2-minute pitch.
The jury evaluated technical performance, collaboration and presentation skills.
The first-place team was recognized for best balancing innovation, precision, and clarity. The team members were:
- Francesco Rizzetto, Radiologist (ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda)
- Alessia Lindemann, Data Scientist (PhD student in Data Science in Medicine)
- Luigi Vincenzo Pastore, Young Radiologist (Clinical Research Physician, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer)
- Saman Fouladi, Data scientist (PhD student at the University of Milan - Centro Diagnostico Italiano)
The second-place team also stood out for the quality and depth of their approach. The team members were:
- Despina Staraki, Biomedical Engineer (Student Researcher, School of Medicine, University of Crete)
- Maria Mavroforou, Biomedical Engineer (Student Researcher, School of Medicine, University of Crete)
- Konstantina Giouroukou, Biomedical Engineer (PhD candidate, School of Medicine, University of Crete)
In their words, these were the key factors of success:
- collaboration that works — distributing tasks fairly within the multidisciplinary team and supporting one another throughout the challenge
- motivation under pressure — exploiting the desire to do well and win to turn tight deadlines into a positive driving force
- scientific clarity — presenting results in a precise, structured and incisive way.
The EuSoMII/Bracco AI Contest once again proved that the future of radiology lies in education, innovation, and teamwork—values that Bracco has always championed as part of its mission to advance diagnostic imaging and improve people’s lives.