Research Unit

Advanced imaging technologies - Research unit

GROUP LEADER

Prof. PREDA Lorenzo

CURRICULUM VITAE GROUP LEADER

CV Prof. Preda Lorenzo

SPECIFIC ROLE

Coordination of the Unit's research activities.

GROUP MEMBERS
Bortolotto Chandra - Lung Tumors imaging, Valentini Adele, Alessandro D'onorio De Meo, Emilio Bassi, - Cardiovascular imaging, Francesca Rella - Vascular Imaging, Zacchino Michela - Multiple Myeloma Imaging, Gallotti Anna - Pancreatic imaging, Lucev Federica - Head and Neck imaging, Giuseppe Rodolico - Advanced Doppler imaging, Fiorina Ilaria - Contrast Media, Carone Luisa - Whole body imaging in genetic syndromes, Prevedoni Maria Sole, Francesco Ballati e Lungarotti Luca - Pediatric Imaging, Berton Francesca - Gynecological imaging, Giovanni Callea - Oncologic Imaging, Luigi Pietrobono - Emergency Imaging, Massimiliano Lava, Gian Marco Danesino - Muscle-skeletal imaging.

RESEARCH PROJECTS

The advanced imaging unit support all the other research teams by suppling the highest standard of imaging for a better characterization of rare and complex disease. Radiology is nowadays a source of biomarkers (Radiomics) and a tool to train artificial intelligence (AI) and feed neural networks in order to build predictive tools. Radiomics is the extraction of information from medical images using advanced statistical and mathematical analysis. Artificial intelligence in radiology is a technology that allows for ongoing improvements to diagnosis and patient care by supporting the radiologist.
Both research fields help other unit in refining research results and obtain better and stronger statistical evidence. Collaborations are ongoing, and not limited to, lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, multiple myeloma, magnetic resonance whole body oncologic screening in patients with genetic syndromes, and advanced Doppler imaging.
5 BEST PAPERS
- Messana G., Bortolotto C., Thulasi Seetha S., Marrocco A., Pairazzi C., Sanvito F., Brero F., Robustelli Test A., Cabini R.F., Lascialfari A., Zacà D., Stella G.M., Agustoni F., Saddi J., Filippi A.R., Preda L. Non-invasive PD-L1 stratification in non-small cell lung cancer using dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. European Journal of Radiology, 2025;
- Marchetti F., Izzi N., Donatelli A., Valentini A., Muzic S.I., Dore R., Di Sabatino A., Perrone T., Falaschi F., Sabatini U., Ballesio A., Meloni F., Lettieri S., Mojoli F., Perlini S., Novati S., Pagani E., Klersy C., Bruno R., Preda L. Mid-term follow-up chest CT findings in recovered COVID-19 patients with residual symptoms. British Journal of Radiology, 2023;
- Cabini R.F., Brero F., Lancia A., Stelitano C., Oneta O., Ballante E., Puppo E., Mariani M., Alì E., Bartolomeo V., Montesano M., Merizzoli E., Aluia D., Agustoni F., Stella G.M., Sun R., Bianchini L., Deutsch E., Figini S., Bortolotto C., Preda L., Lascialfari A., Filippi A.R. Preliminary report on harmonization of features extraction process using the ComBat tool in the multi-center "Blue Sky Radiomics" study on stage III unresectable NSCLC. Insights Imaging, 2022;
- Vancheri S.G., Savietto G., Ballati F., Maggi A., Canino C., Bortolotto C., Valentini A., Dore R., Stella G.M., Corsico A.G., Iotti G.A., Mojoli F., Perlini S., Bruno R., Preda L. Radiographic findings in 240 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia: time-dependence after the onset of symptoms. European Radiology, 2020;
- Colombo D., Turco A., Lomi S., Valentini A., Bassi E., Scelsi L., Greco A., Schirinzi S., Zacchino M., Acquaro M., Oliveri F., Preda L., Ghio S. Role of cardiac magnetic resonance in the differential diagnosis between arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy with left ventricular involvement and previous infectious myocarditis. International Journal of Cardiology, 2023.
AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY
- Diagnostic MR, CT, XR and US equipment as well as angiographic suites
- Lung MR Work in Progress Advanced Sequences
RUNNING FUNDS
- MR Lung: “Magnetic Resonance as a specific tool to dissect microenvironment in proliferative lung disease” - Project funded as part of the current research of the Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo with 50.000€.
- PEOPLHE: “Model for Optimized Implementation of Early Lung Cancer Detection: Prospective Evaluation Of Preventive Lung HEalth” (PEOPLHE)” “Modello per un’implementazione ottimizzata della detezione del tumore polmonare in fase precoce: valutazione prospettica della prevenzione della salute del polmone” - Project funded as part of the finalized research of the Ministry of Health 2019 with €500,000 for three centers (Pavia, Parma and Catania).
- RADIOPAH “Radiomic Analysis for DIagnosis Of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergilllosis in Hematologic patients” – Project funded as part of the current research of the Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo with 60.000€.
- MICRORAD “Beyond the cell: unveiling the tumor microenvironment and extracellular matrix through the synergy between Micro-CT and radiomic analysis - Project funded as part of the current research of the Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo with 60.000€.
- TRACE4AFEM “Trace4AFEM - The RAdiologist Cognitive Eye for Adaptive Federated Ensemble Models” - Collaboration with DeepTrace on the project “Future Artificial Intelligence Research - FAIR”, Spoke 4, PE0000013, CUP D53C22002380006, financed by the European Union -NextGenerationEU / PNRR. Project funded for 18.000€ for the San Matteo Unit.
- COPAILOT “COllaborative Platform of Artificial Intelligence Learning from Omics Technologies” - Financed by FESR LOMBARDIA 2021-2027 – BANDO COLLABORA & INNOVA. Project funded for 388.000€ for the San Matteo Unit.
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIC COLLABORATIONS

ICAM: International Center for Advanced Computing in Medicine (ICAM) in collaboration with Università della Svizzera italiana (USI).

INNOVA: Italian network of excellence for advanced diagnosis (INNOVA) -Work-Package 2 (WP2: Advanced imaging generation), PNRR funded project. Principal Investigator Prof. Lorenzo Preda.