Hannu Aronen

Hannu Aronen is a Professor and Chair of Radiology at the University of Turku since April 2006, and Chief Radiologist at Turku University Hospital since January 2009. He holds degrees including an M.D. from the University of Helsinki (1983), M.Sc. (Eng) from Helsinki University of Technology (1988), and a Doctor of Medical Sciences (1990). He became a Docent in Radiology (1995) and Functional Medical Imaging (1998). His research focuses on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), particularly in neuroimaging and prostate cancer diagnostics. Notable contributions include advancements in perfusion/diffusion MRI for stroke and glioma characterization, and the development of MRI protocols for prostate cancer detection using machine learning. He has led the Functional Brain Imaging Unit (2002–2007) as part of the Helsinki Brain Research Centre, funded by the Academy of Finland.

Research Highlights: His work spans MRI methodological innovations, such as susceptibility contrast perfusion and fMRI analysis, and collaborations with institutions like Harvard Medical School and the Turku PET Centre. Over 800 prostate MRI scans have been analyzed in his projects, leading to 17 peer-reviewed articles on prostate cancer imaging accuracy. Current research emphasizes biparametric MRI protocols and AI-driven analysis for tumor detection.

Grants & Collaborations: His work has been supported by the Academy of Finland and industry partnerships. Key collaborations include projects with Prof. Leif Østergaard (Aarhus University) on perfusion MRI and Prof. Synnöve Carlson on brain network imaging. Recent studies involve the Turku PET Centre and multinational trials in prostate cancer diagnostics.