Neuroradiology plays a strategic role for both clinical and surgical neurosciences, since it allows to investigate the brain, the spine and the spinal cord in-vivo.
The research activities of the Neuroradiology team of the Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland include both internally-developed projects and scientific collaborations with other departments of the NSI (such as the Neurology and Neurosurgery departments, and the Multiple Sclerosis Center), as well as with external Institutions.
There are currently ongoing and under development projects sponsored by the Neuroradiology department. These include projects in the field of MRI diagnostic accuracy improvement for the diagnosis of brain tumors and multiple sclerosis, high-resolution neuroimaging, and hyperacute stroke assessment by means of CT and perfusion-CT.
An ongoing study employing functional MRI to assess the neurofunctional correlates of patients with coronary disease is being conducted together with the Ospedale Regionale di Bellinzona e Valli Research Unit.
Interventional projects in the field of minimally invasive vertebral augmentation techniques, and evaluating the efficacy of different spine surgery intraoperative approaches, are under development and/or are currently being conducted in collaborations with the Neurosurgery department.
Finally, the Neuroradiology department is actively involved as a qualified co-investigator site in several multicentric clinical trials and cohort studies in the fields of Alzheimer's disease, brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, as well as vertebral disc herniation minimally-invasive treatment techniques.
Interventional research Group leader: Alessandro Cianfoni, MD PD
Diagnostic research Group leader: Emanuele Pravatà, MD
