Profile photo Birgitta Velthuis

Birgitta Velthuis

Full Professor

Strategic program(s):

Biography

Prof. dr. Birgitta Velthuis (1964) completed her medical and radiology training in Utrecht, the Netherlands. She obtained her PhD degree: “CT angiography in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage” in 1998 in Utrecht. Since 1999 she works as a radiologist in the University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU) and is specialized in cardiovascular and neurovascular non-invasive CT and MRI imaging. She is Professor in Radiology of the Heart-Brain axis at the University of Utrecht, and serves on the board of the Netherlands Vascular Forum (NVF) and the cluster Cardiovascular Risk Management (CVRM). Her work is divided between patient care, teaching and research. 
Her neurovascular research concentrates on CT and MRI imaging in patients with ischemic stroke, subarachnoid haemorrhage and intracranial aneurysms. Her cardiovascular research focuses on imaging of atherosclerosis, hereditary and acquired cardiomyopathies, heart failure, gender and sports cardiology. Artificial intelligence and high field strength MRI have also become important parts of her research work
The heart-brain axis work focuses on imaging cardioembolic sources of acute ischemic stroke and imaging atherosclerosis with assessment of plaque composition and inflammation at different locations in the body.

Research groups

Cardiovascular imaging and image guided treatment

Research aim

By developing and implementing advanced imaging and AI, we aim to enhance individualized detection, prediction, and minimally invasive treatment of cardiovascular disease.This optimizes patient selection, treatment guidance, and clinical outcomes.

Go to group

Neurovascular imaging and image guided treatment

Research aim

By developing and implementing advanced imaging and AI, we aim to enhance individualized detection, prediction, and minimally invasive treatment of neurovascular disease.This optimizes patient selection, treatment guidance, and clinical outcomes.

Go to group

Recent publications

A novel deep-learning approach for coronary artery calcium scoring in contrast-enhanced spectral coronary CT angiography E. Encinas Vargas, L.R. Koetzier, P.M. Tetteroo, E. Langzam, M.J.W. Greuter, B.K. Velthuis, N.R. van der Werf, D. Suchá
European Journal of Radiology, 2026, vol. 194
Feasibility and safety of single-pulse ablation in 20 patients with atrial fibrillation Peter Loh, Marijn H.A. Groen, Karim Taha, Birgitta K. Velthuis, Herma H. Fidder, A. Vink, Fred H.M. Wittkampf, Pieter A.F.M. Doevendans, René van Es
Heart Rhythm, 2025, vol. 22, p.e866-e874
Imaging of metabolic dysfunction in genetic cardiomyopathies Giulia De Zan, Marco Guglielmo, Maarten J Cramer, Marjolein Hol, Pim van der Harst, Birgitta Velthuis, Jeanine J Prompers, Anneline S J M Te Riele
The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging, 2025, vol. 41, p.1881-1894
Extreme phenotypes of the female athlete's heart Juliette C. Van Hattum, Maarten A. Van Diepen, Sjoerd M. Verwijs, S. Matthijs Boekholdt, Adrienne Van Randen, Maarten Groenink, R. Nils Planken, Maarten H. Moen, Joëlle J.N. Daems, Niek H.J. Prakken, Danny A.J.P. Van De Sande, Birgitta K. Velthuis, Suzanna De Vries, Ronald J. Walhout, Yigal M. Pinto, Arthur A.M. Wilde, Harald T. Jørstad
European Heart Journal Cardiovascular Imaging, 2025, vol. 26, p.1199-1207
Prevalence and severity of coronary artery disease in asymptomatic military air crew in the Netherlands Erik Frijters, Hendrik Nathoe, Remco Grobben, Lysette Broekhuizen, Rienk Rienks, Birgitta Velthuis
BMJ Open, 2025, vol. 15
Evaluation of techniques for automated classification and artery quantification of the circle of Willis on TOF-MRA images Iris N. Vos, Ynte M. Ruigrok, Edwin Bennink, Mireille R.E. Velthuis, Barbara Paic, Maud E.H. Ophelders, Myrthe A.D. Buser, Bas H.M. van der Velden, Geng Chen, Matthieu Coupet, Félix Dumais, Adrian Galdran, Zhang Junyi, Wei Liu, Ting Ma, Madhu S. Nair, Mathieu Naudin, Preena K.P., Keerthi A.S. Pillai, Pengcheng Shi, Thierry Urruty, Dai Yakang, Kaiyuan Yang, Fabio Musio, Bjoern H. Menze, Birgitta K. Velthuis, Hugo J. Kuijf
Medical Image Analysis, 2025, vol. 105

External positions

board member - advisory role as a cardiovascular radologist - Netherlands Vascular Forum (NVF)

radiologist - advisory role, research and regular presentor - Philips Healthcare