Diagnostic and Interventional Musculoskeletal Radiology
Director: Dr. Luca Sconfienza
OVERVIEW
Our research program is aimed at increasing the scientific knowledge on musculoskeletal (MSK) diseases by using a wide range of imaging techniques such as Ultrasound, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Computed Tomography, plain radiographs, dual energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA), and image guided interventional MSK procedures. We are also focused on understanding and apply novel medical imaging protocols and techniques.
Specific aims are:
- Osteoarthritis imaging, with the application of newer quantitative MRI techniques to detect early cartilage damage
- Imaging of sport injuries of bone, muscle, tendons and ligaments
- Imaging of bone and soft tissue tumors
- Peri-prosthetic imaging in the assessment of normal findings and complications, as well as the evaluation of periprosthetic bone with specific techniques such as DXA
- MR Arthrography in the evaluation of intra-articular pathologies
- Ultrasound-guided interventional procedures around joints and tendons
- Imaging of Osteoporosis and bone metabolism, including bone densitometry with DXA
- Skeletal muscle analysis using DXA and MRI aimed at different diseases such as sarcopenia and its implications with aging, muscular dystrophies, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), congenital myopathies
- Forensic imaging with the use of radiographs and CT (post mortem body evaluation, identification and age determination)
- Analysis of texture parameters from CT, MRI and other imaging techniques aimed at increasing the information obtainable from medical images
- Integration of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques such as deep learning and neural network imaging analysis aimed at disease detection and characterization, image enhancement and generation