(updated 15  June 2024)

Established:
25 May 1964

Mission
The Society is a non-profit association supporting the development of diagnostics, research, and education in Neuropathology on a national level.

Website
Website: www.oegnp.at

Leadership
Romana Höftberger, Vienna
Secretary: Serge Weis, Linz
Treasurer: Johannes Haybäck, Zams/Tirol

Members
27

Main focus of majority of the members
Neuropathology (full time), Neuropathology (part time), Pathology with some aspects of neuropathology, Neurology with some aspects of neuropathology, and other

Status of neuropathology
Neuropathology is in principle in a stable situation in Austria; we see, however, concentration of comprehensive high-end Neuropathology in Vienna and in Linz, not so much in other centers.

In Austria, Neuropathology has been recognized as independent clinical specialty since 1994.

The total number of board-certified neuropathologists is currently 21 (the Austrian population is 8 million inhabitants). Ten colleagues work full-time in Neuropathology at the Medical Universities of Vienna (5), Graz (2), and Innsbruck (1), and at the academic teaching hospital Wagner Jauregg in Linz (1). The other colleagues hold a second specialty degree, and work primarily in Neurology or  general Pathology. The current number of residents in Neuropathology is 3 (2 in Vienna, 1 in Linz). At the Medical Universities, Neuropathology is tightly interacting with the Clinical Neuroscience disciplines, and also with general Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

Austrian Neuropathologists are in charge of the following coordinating functions:

Austrian Reference Center for Human Prion Diseases (ÖRPE, coordinator: Gabor Kovacs)
Austrian Brain Tumour Registry (ABTR, coordinator: Johannes Hainfellner)
Interdisciplinary PhD program Clinical Neurosciences at the Medical University of Vienna (CLINS, coordinator: Johannes Hainfellner)

Neuropathology training
Since 2015, a modular system has been implemented. Trainees have to pass first a 9 months period in basic clinical training. Subsequently, they undergo for 36 months a basic specialist training, which includes also the whole field of general pathology. Afterwards, there is a 27 months period of focused specialist training, which may also include a PhD training module. Candidates have to pass a specialist exam, which includes the whole field of pathology and also of neuropathology. The specialist degree awarded to candidates allows to practice both in general pathology and also in neuropathology.

The following Institutes are recognized as Neuropathology training centers:

• the Institute of Neurology at the Medical University of Vienna
• the Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology at the Wagner-Jauregg academic teaching hospital in Linz

Efforts have been made to establish Neuropathology training at the Medical Universities of Graz and Innsbruck. We anticipate that Graz and Innnsbruck can meet the essential prerequisites for accreditation as training centers in the near future.

Meetings
Austrian Neuropathology Society meetings take place once per year. The sites of the meeting are rotating all over Austria, taking place at hospitals with Neuropathology service or interest in Neuropathology.

Topics: Neurooncology, Neuroinflammation, Neurodegeneration, Muscle and Nerve, etc.

An important item of each meeting is the discussion of interesting and challenging cases (“The interesting case – Clinic and Neuropathology”). Clinicians (neurologists, neurosurgeons, oncologists, pediatricians, etc.) actively participate in these scientific case presentations and discussions.

Interaction with other Societies and Organizations
There are close interactions with National Societies of neighbouring countries, in particular the Hungarian and German Societies.

Members of the Austrian Society are elected members of international bodies, such as the International Society of Neuropathology (ISN) and the European Confederation of Neuropathological Societies (Euro-CNS).

In addition, Austrian neuropathologists are involved in the activities of international organizations such as the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), the European Association of Neurooncology (EANO), BrainNet Europe, EU research programs, etc.

Developments
Due to the advances in molecular pathology, laboratory diagnostics in Neuropathology becomes increasingly complex, and also more costly. This leads to centralization of high-end diagnostics.