Bayer-Sponsored Educational Sessions at Imaging in Japan 2026

We are pleased to announce two special industry-supported educational sessions sponsored by our Gold Sponsor Bayer during Imaging in Japan 2026, hosted at the beautiful Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo. These sessions will provide valuable opportunities for learning, discussion, and professional engagement with leaders in radiology.

Bayer Lunch & Learn

Integrating Next Generation Contrast Agents into Clinical Practice

Date & Time: Monday, June 1, 2026 · 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Location: ZUIKO Room, Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo

Moderator: Neil Rofsky

This Bayer-sponsored Lunch & Learn session is open to all registered conference attendees and will feature a premier educational session focused on Ambelvist (gadoquatrane). Ambelvist is a next-generation, low-dose, macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) developed by Bayer for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.  

This session is particularly timely given recent regulatory milestones. In March 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare granted the first global regulatory approval for Ambelvist, establishing Japan as the pioneer market for this high-relaxivity agent, which is designed to reduce gadolinium dose requirements while maintaining diagnostic efficacy. With marketing authorizations currently under active review by the U.S. FDA, European EMA, and other international authorities, this session offers an early look at its real-world clinical implementation.

Our scientific program provides a direct bridge between global pharmaceutical innovation and frontline radiology practice by connecting Bayer's global R&D leadership with prominent clinical investigators in Japan. The session features two concise perspectives on this new agent:

• Clinical Practice & Workflows: Prof. Rintaro Ito, an expert in advanced clinical MRI contrast kinetics from Nagoya University, will discuss gadoquatrane within the context of Japan’s high-scan-density clinical environment. He will outline the clinical value of a "lower dose without diagnostic compromise," focusing on its relevance to longitudinal neuroradiology cohorts (such as MS and brain tumor surveillance) and pediatric imaging, while briefly exploring how AI may interact with low-dose contrast workflows.

• Product Fundamentals & Trial Evidence: Dr. Petra Palkowitsch, Head of Global Clinical Development for Ambelvist at Bayer AG, will review the core chemical properties and clinical evidence supporting this tetrameric macrocyclic agent. Supported by Dr. Hironori Taniguchi, a specialist in contrast media medical affairs at Bayer Japan, she will provide an overview of the global Phase 1–3 clinical program—including the pivotal QUANTI trials—highlighting key efficacy and safety outcomes that support its global regulatory submissions.

The presentation will be followed by an interactive audience discussion mediated by Dr. Neil Rofsky, a leading authority in body MRI contrast techniques and the conference's Scientific Program Director. Attendees will have the opportunity to evaluate these latest developments in contrast media and engage in a peer-to-peer dialogue regarding their clinical implications.

BAYER AG

Bayer Focus Group Discussion The Decision Process for Adopting MR Contrast Agents: Global Perspectives

Date & Time: Wednesday, June 3, 2026 · 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Location: TSUZUMI Room, Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo Moderator: Neil Rofsky

In addition to the Lunch & Learn, Bayer will host a focus group discussion bringing together approximately 12 invited radiologists for a moderated roundtable conversation. This small-group format is designed to encourage open dialogue and exchange of professional insights among key clinicians.

These sponsored sessions reflect the important collaboration between industry innovators and the global radiology community, helping advance education, dialogue, and innovation in medical imaging. We thank Bayer for its support of Imaging in Japan 2026 and look forward to welcoming participants to these engaging events in Tokyo.

About the Featured Experts

Dr. Neil Rofsky

Dr. Neil M. Rofsky, MD, MHA, FSABI, FISMRM, FACR, serves as the Scientific Program Director for Imaging in Japan 2026. He is the Dr. Charles M. and Marilyn Newman Professor and System Chair of the Department of Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology at the Mount Sinai Health System and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. A globally recognized luminary in contrast-enhanced MRI, Dr. Rofsky co-pioneered the VIBE sequence (volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination), a breakthrough 3D T1-weighted technique fundamental to evaluating contrast kinetics in modern body MRI. Throughout his distinguished career, he has been a leading investigator in the clinical translation, efficacy, and safety profiling of MRI contrast media.

Dr. Rintaro Ito

Prof. Rintaro Ito, MD, PhD, is a Designated Lecturer in the Department of Innovative Biomedical Visualization (iBMV) at the Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan. He is a board-certified diagnostic radiologist and nuclear medicine specialist whose advanced clinical research spans MRI analysis—specifically glymphatic system imaging and brain macrostructure—and the clinical integration of medical artificial intelligence. Prof. Ito's work focuses on optimization methodologies, evaluating contrast kinetics alongside innovative diagnostic workflows, vision-language modeling, and advanced imaging modalities to streamline clinical practice.

Dr. Petra Palkowitsch

Dr. Petra Palkowitsch is the Global Clinical Lead for gadoquatrane at Bayer AG in Berlin, Germany. With over 25 years of extensive cross-functional leadership in radiology at Bayer, she has held senior-level positions spanning both Medical Affairs and Clinical Development. Dr. Palkowitsch has focused extensively on contrast media and diagnostic imaging research, driving the global clinical strategy, trial designs, and safety profiling for a wide range of contrast agents and medical devices, with an emphasis on next-generation macrocyclic innovations. Her profound contributions to next-generation macrocyclic contrast agent innovation earned her the prestigious RSNA Kuo York Chynn Neuroradiology Research Award.

Dr. Hironori Taniguchi

Dr. Hironori Taniguchi is an expert in Medical Affairs and clinical data evaluation based at Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd. (Bayer Japan). Specializing in the evidence-generation and post-development phase of MRI contrast media, he focuses on real-world safety surveillance, clinical efficacy data, and patient outcomes. Dr. Taniguchi plays a vital role in translating global contrast-agent R&D innovations into local medical practice, ensuring next-generation imaging agents successfully advance patient-centric, contrast-enhanced radiology across Japan.