Smart Medicine Podcast | Prof. Nico Van Den Berg — Computational MRI, AI, and the Future of Image-Guided Therapy

In this episode, I speak with Professor Nico Van Den Berg, Director of the Centre of Image Science at UMC Utrecht and Scientific Co-Lead of the IMAGINE Consortium—one of the leading voices at the intersection of MR physics, computational imaging, and AI-driven clinical translation.We explore how MRI is evolving from a hardware-driven modality into a computational and intelligent system, and what this means for the future of diagnostics and therapy.Key topics we discuss:• From MRI physics to computational imagingHow Nico’s journey shaped his vision for integrating physics, computation, and clinical workflows.• What “computational imaging” really means in MRIHow reconstruction, acquisition, and processing are being redefined—and where this creates real clinical impact.• MR-Linac: promise vs realityWhy it’s one of the most advanced technologies in radiation oncology—and why adoption still faces barriers.• AI and autonomous imagingWhat is realistic in the next 5–10 years, where AI is already delivering value today, and the risks of using AI without strong physics grounding.• Image-guided interventions & the IMAGINE ConsortiumThe infrastructure and computational challenges behind making advanced interventions scalable and clinically relevant.• RF engineering, safety, and translation to clinicWhy safety, implants, and system-level understanding remain critical as MRI moves deeper into therapy.• The future of MRIWill intelligence reshape hardware, pulse sequences, and workflows? What does this mean for adaptive radiotherapy?• Advice for the next generationWhat young physicists should focus on to stay relevant in an AI-driven era.This conversation highlights a central theme:AI alone is not enough—true progress in medical imaging requires deep integration of physics, computation, and clinical insight.#SmartMedicine #MedicalPhysics #MRI #AIinMedicine #ComputationalImaging #MRLinac #Radiology #RadiationOncology #ImageGuidedTherapy #DigitalHealth