Neurosurgical Neurovascular Research Group

Group Leader

Dan Laukka, MD, PhD

Consultant Neurosurgeon, Turku University Hospital

djalau@utu.fi

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Aims

Turku Neurosurgical Neurovascular Research Group is focusing on all aspects of subarachnoid hemorrhage and intracranial aneurysms. Our group is a multimodal network of experts from different fields of medicine. Our collaboration is both nationwide and international.

  • Epidemiology and risk factors for intracranial aneurysms
  • Common traits between cardiovascular diseases and cerebrovascular diseases by using translational registries
  • PET-imaging to evaluate unruptured intracranial aneurysm inflammation
  • Children’s dental health and risk factors for intracranial aneurysms
  • Cardiovascular diseases and normal pressure hydrocephalus
  • Brain arteriovenous malformation: risk factors, epidemiology and outcomes

 

Location

Turku University Hospital, Neurocenter, Turku PET Center.

 

Group Members

Senior Researchers:

  • Jaakko Rinne, prof.
  • Melissa Rahi, Adj. Prof.
  • Antti Saraste, Prof.
  • Riitta Parkkola, Prof.
  • Jussi Hirvonen, Prof.
  • Maria Gardberg, Adj. Prof.
  • Jarmo Gunn, Prof.
  • Harri Hakovirta, Prof.
  • Tuomas Kiviniemi, Adj. Prof
  • Ville Vuorinen, Adj. Prof.
  • Juri Kivelev, Adj. Prof
  • Johanna Kuhmonen, PhD
  • Mika Gissler, Prof.
  • Hanna Thoren, Prof.
  • Satu Lahti, Prof.

Doctoral Students:

  • Ville Rantasalo, MD
  • Essi Kangas, MD
  • Jooa Paturi, MD
  • Sampsa Tiainen, MD

 

Collaborators & Partners

  • Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare (THL), Finland
  • Turku Pet Center, Finland

 

Main Funding

  • Government Research Funding (VTR)
  • Private non-profit foundations and funds

 

Selected Publications

  1. Laukka, D., Kivelev, J., Rahi, M., Vahlberg, T., Paturi, J., Rinne, J., & Hirvonen, J. (2024). Detection Rates and Trends of Asymptomatic Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms From 2005 to 2019. Neurosurgery, 94(2), 297–306. https://doi.org/10.1227/neu.0000000000002664
  2. Laukka, D., Kangas, E., Kuusela, A., Hirvonen, J., Rissanen, T., Rahi, M., Kivelev, J., Rantasalo, V., Venermo, M., Rinne, J., & Hakovirta, H. (2024). Low and Borderline Ankle-Brachial Index Is Associated With Intracranial Aneurysms: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Neurosurgery, 10.1227/neu.0000000000002837. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1227/neu.0000000000002837
  3. Rantasalo, V., Gunn, J., Kiviniemi, T., Hirvonen, J., Saarenpää, I., Kivelev, J., Rahi, M., Lassila, E., Rinne, J., & Laukka, D. (2021). Intracranial aneurysm is predicted by abdominal aortic calcification index: A retrospective case-control study. Atherosclerosis, 334, 30–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.08.027
  4. Laukka, D., Pan, E., Fordell, T., Alpay, K., Rahi, M., Hirvonen, J., Rinne, J., & Gunn, J. (2019). Prevalence of thoracic aortic aneurysms and dilatations in patients with intracranial aneurysms. Journal of vascular surgery, 70(6), 1801–1808. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvs.2019.01.066
  5. Rantasalo, V., Gunn, J., Pan, E., Kiviniemi, T., Hirvonen, J., Rahi, M., Fordell, T., Rinne, J. K., & Laukka, D. (2024). Positive correlation between thoracic aortic diameter and intracranial aneurysm size – An observational cohort study. World neurosurgery, S1878-8750(24)00204-3. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2024.02.007
  6. Laukka, D., Rahi, M., Parkkola, R., Vahlberg, T., Rintala, A., Salo, E., & Rinne, J. (2019). Unlikely association between Kawasaki disease and intracranial aneurysms: a prospective cohort study. Journal of neurosurgery. Pediatrics, 1–4. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.3171/2018.11.PEDS18575