Prof. Mikael Boesen MD, PhD

Prof. Mikael Boesen is Professor of Diagnostic Radiology with a focus on musculoskeletal diseases and AI at Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, where he also serves as Senior Consultant in Radiology and Head of Musculoskeletal Research. He holds a concurrent Professorship at Copenhagen University, complementing his clinical role with supervisory and research responsibilities. His day-to-day work spans diagnostic reporting, quantitative MRI and DCE-MRI development, advanced CT, ultrasound, and protocol design for national and international multi-center clinical trials. He is also Professor, CSO, and co-founder of the Radiological Artificial Intelligence Test Center (RAIT.dk), a virtual collaboration across four hospital radiology departments in the Capital Region of Denmark, with a mission to develop the infrastructure and governance for validating current and future imaging AI solutions including large language models. At IAG, Image Analysis Group, he serves as Member of the Scientific Advisory Board and Senior MSK and Immunology Lead.

Prof. Boesen’s research focuses on quantification of soft tissue and bone inflammation in joints and muscles using ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, with particular depth in dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI). His work spans osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, generalized pain syndromes, degenerative and inflammatory diseases of the spine including axial spondylosis and spondylitis, tendon diseases, sports-related injuries, and traumatology. His group serves as a European reference center for studies using the tilting open dedicated MRI unit (G-scan) in Denmark, examining mechanical changes in the spine, knee, and foot joints across weight-bearing positions. More recently, his methodological scope has expanded to include advanced CT, spectral photon-counting CT, and the integration of artificial intelligence into radiological image analysis.

A defining characteristic of his work is the translation of academic methodology into operational clinical trial infrastructure. He has over 20 years of experience in imaging protocol design, imaging study setup, scoring, and reporting across multiple therapeutic areas. His contributions include co-development of computer-assisted DCE-MRI quantification methods for assessing synovial inflammation validated against synovial and blood biomarkers, as well as multifaceted imaging strategies for clinical trials in knee osteoarthritis. This combination of methodological depth and operational experience is directly relevant to sponsors designing quantitative imaging endpoints across MSK and immunology indications.

Prof. Boesen has served as a global principal investigator and expert reader on numerous multi-center clinical trials across rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis, spondylarthritis, and related indications. Named trials confirmed from supplied publication sources include: the MOSAIC study (Phase 4, multicenter, single-arm, open-label study of apremilast on hand and whole-body MRI in psoriatic arthritis; The Lancet Rheumatology 2024, with Mease PJ and Østergaard M); the LOSEIT trial (randomized placebo-controlled trial of liraglutide after diet-induced weight loss for pain and weight control in knee OA, imaging sub-study; Gudbergsen H et al.); the IMAGINE-RA trial (MRI treat-to-target strategy versus conventional treat-to-target in RA patients in clinical remission, 5-year follow-up; RMD Open 2024); the DREAM trial (randomized controlled trial of early surgery versus exercise and education in young patients with meniscal tears, MRI sub-study; JOSPT 2025); the INKA trial (INtensive diet versus Knee Arthroplasty in obese patients with severe knee OA, NCT05172843; KSSTA 2025); the METRO trial (multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of metformin for hand OA; BMJ Open 2025, Madsen KS, Henriksen M, Bliddal H); and two longitudinal studies of TNF-alpha inhibitor initiation and dose reduction in axial spondyloarthritis (MANGO cohort; RMD Open 2024). He has also contributed imaging analysis to the CutDM trial (DIXON MRI body composition sub-study)

His operational role in trials encompasses imaging protocol design, imaging study setup, scoring, and reporting — the full imaging stack from protocol selection through to reader oversight. His position at IAG as Senior MSK and Immunology Lead formalizes this function, guiding drug development companies in selecting optimal imaging strategies and ensuring precision in evaluating novel treatments.

Prof. Boesen defended his PhD thesis in June 2008, entitled “Magnetic resonance imaging of joints following intraarticular treatment in arthritis,” from the Parker Institute and Aalborg University. His early clinical formation included research fellowships in cardiac MRI at Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, and the Danish Research Center for Magnetic Resonance (DRCMR) at Hvidovre Hospital from 2001 to 2003, followed by an Introduction Fellowship in Radiology at Rigshospitalet from 2003 to 2004. He conducted his PhD research at the Parker Institute from 2004 to 2007, and completed his specialist degree in radiology during a fellowship at Rigshospitalet from 2009 to 2013. He was appointed Associate Professor at the University of Copenhagen from 2014 to 2017, before being appointed to his current full Professorship at Copenhagen University and Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital in June 2017.