Bruno Alfano
e-mail: bruno.alfano AT ibb.cnr.it
website: www.unina.it
affiliation: CNR - Istituto di neuroscienze
research area(s): Neuroscience
Course:
Neurosciences
University/Istitution: Università di Napoli Federico II
University/Istitution: Università di Napoli Federico II
October 1975 Degree in Physics cum laude
June 1976 Postgraduate degree in Radiation Protection and Radiotracer Techniques
1976 - 2008 Lecturer (on radiobiology, radiotracer theory, informatics, bio-imaging) at Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Specialization Schools of University Federico II - Napoli
1977 - 1989 Professor of Electronics in secondary higher school
1980 - 1989 Consultant of many research projects of National Cancer Institute of Napoli, National Council of Research and Health Ministry
1989 - 1998 Researcher of National Council of Research (CNR) - Nuclear Medicine Centre - Napoli
1998 - 2001 Senior Researcher of CNR - Nuclear Medicine Centre - Napoli
1999 - 2002 Director of Nuclear Medicine Centre of CNR
2000 - 2004 Coordinator of the EC project "Enhancement of Clinical Value of Functional Imaging through Automated Removal of Partial Volume Effect" (PVEOut), V Framework Programme, QoL 9.4.
Dec. 2001 ->Research Director of CNR - Biostructure and Bioimaging Institute
July 2008 ->Director of Biostructure and Bioimaging Institute of National Council of Research
June 1976 Postgraduate degree in Radiation Protection and Radiotracer Techniques
1976 - 2008 Lecturer (on radiobiology, radiotracer theory, informatics, bio-imaging) at Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Specialization Schools of University Federico II - Napoli
1977 - 1989 Professor of Electronics in secondary higher school
1980 - 1989 Consultant of many research projects of National Cancer Institute of Napoli, National Council of Research and Health Ministry
1989 - 1998 Researcher of National Council of Research (CNR) - Nuclear Medicine Centre - Napoli
1998 - 2001 Senior Researcher of CNR - Nuclear Medicine Centre - Napoli
1999 - 2002 Director of Nuclear Medicine Centre of CNR
2000 - 2004 Coordinator of the EC project "Enhancement of Clinical Value of Functional Imaging through Automated Removal of Partial Volume Effect" (PVEOut), V Framework Programme, QoL 9.4.
Dec. 2001 ->Research Director of CNR - Biostructure and Bioimaging Institute
July 2008 ->Director of Biostructure and Bioimaging Institute of National Council of Research
In 1975, during his thesis job: "Design and construction of a system for automatic recognition of speech", he built an electronic ear connected to a computer DEC PDP/15 and developed a software program which correctly classified more than 95% of Italian vowels after few auto-learning loops.
Between 1977 and 1979 his field of interest concerned Health Physics in Radiotherapy.
Since 1980 his fields of interest has concerned Nuclear Medicine (NM).
Since 1985 his fields of interest has concerned also Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
Between 1983 and 1985 Bruno Alfano developed a novel noninvasive method measuring Blood Brain Barrier permeability with PET and 68Ga-EDTA. The method was applied to brain tumors and to multiple sclerosis. It was presented the first time in 1985 (B. Alfano et al. Blood Brain Barrier Evaluation with PET and Ga-68 EDTA. "Hearth and Brain Imaging meeting" Capri) and published in 1987.
In the same period he developed original methods for quantifying Nuclear Medicine information. These methods were applied in Nuclear Cardiology, liver Scintigraphy, and scanner characterization.
Between 1989 and 1991 he collaborated to a project funded by INFN (Italian Institute of Nuclear Physics) for developing new high-resolution detectors for digital Radiography.
In 1991 Bruno Alfano developed the technique named "Quantitative Magnetic Color Imaging" (QMCI). This technique allows the display, in a single color image, of the whole Spin-echo information used in Magnetic Resonance diagnostic and normally divided in more "weighted" images. The method was patented by C.N.R. in Italy in 1991 and in U.S., Germany and Netherlands in 1996.
Since 1994 he has developed and improved original software for automatic segmentation of brain tissues. The method allows in vivo measure of volumes and relaxation rates of brain tissues. It has been applied in normal ageing, Alzheimer disease, psychiatric studies and Multiple Sclerosis.
In 1998 he proposed an original idea for simultaneous display of multimodality images.
Between September 2000 and June 2004 he has led the CE Project: "Enhancement of Clinical Value of Functional Imaging through Automated Removal of Partial Volume Effect (PVEOut)". During this project he proposed a new method for voxel-based partial volume effect correction. The principal delivery of the project was a software suite, comprising the new method, used by the scientific community, cited more than 100 times in the scientific literature and today downloaded more than 6 times/month.
Today the principal research interests are in the fields of the high resolution segmentation and of the integration of diagnostic and clinical information for characterization of diseases and their therapies.
Between 1977 and 1979 his field of interest concerned Health Physics in Radiotherapy.
Since 1980 his fields of interest has concerned Nuclear Medicine (NM).
Since 1985 his fields of interest has concerned also Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
Between 1983 and 1985 Bruno Alfano developed a novel noninvasive method measuring Blood Brain Barrier permeability with PET and 68Ga-EDTA. The method was applied to brain tumors and to multiple sclerosis. It was presented the first time in 1985 (B. Alfano et al. Blood Brain Barrier Evaluation with PET and Ga-68 EDTA. "Hearth and Brain Imaging meeting" Capri) and published in 1987.
In the same period he developed original methods for quantifying Nuclear Medicine information. These methods were applied in Nuclear Cardiology, liver Scintigraphy, and scanner characterization.
Between 1989 and 1991 he collaborated to a project funded by INFN (Italian Institute of Nuclear Physics) for developing new high-resolution detectors for digital Radiography.
In 1991 Bruno Alfano developed the technique named "Quantitative Magnetic Color Imaging" (QMCI). This technique allows the display, in a single color image, of the whole Spin-echo information used in Magnetic Resonance diagnostic and normally divided in more "weighted" images. The method was patented by C.N.R. in Italy in 1991 and in U.S., Germany and Netherlands in 1996.
Since 1994 he has developed and improved original software for automatic segmentation of brain tissues. The method allows in vivo measure of volumes and relaxation rates of brain tissues. It has been applied in normal ageing, Alzheimer disease, psychiatric studies and Multiple Sclerosis.
In 1998 he proposed an original idea for simultaneous display of multimodality images.
Between September 2000 and June 2004 he has led the CE Project: "Enhancement of Clinical Value of Functional Imaging through Automated Removal of Partial Volume Effect (PVEOut)". During this project he proposed a new method for voxel-based partial volume effect correction. The principal delivery of the project was a software suite, comprising the new method, used by the scientific community, cited more than 100 times in the scientific literature and today downloaded more than 6 times/month.
Today the principal research interests are in the fields of the high resolution segmentation and of the integration of diagnostic and clinical information for characterization of diseases and their therapies.
Alfano B, Comerci M, Larobina M, Prinster A, Hornak JP, Selvan SE, Amato U, Quarantelli M, Tedeschi G, Brunetti A, Salvatore M. An MRI digital brain phantom for validation of segmentation methods. Med Image Anal. 2011 15(3): 329–339.
Prinster A, Quarantelli M, Lanzillo R, Orefice G, Vacca G, Carotenuto B, Alfano B, Brunetti A, Morra VB, Salvatore M. A voxel-based morphometry study of disease severity correlates in relapsing-- remitting multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler. 2010 Jan;16(1):45-54.
Prinster A, Quarantelli M, Orefice G, Lanzillo R, Brunetti A, Mollica C, Salvatore E, Morra VB, Coppola G, Vacca G, Alfano B, Salvatore M. Grey matter loss in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: A voxel-based morphometry study. Neuroimage. 2006 Feb 1;29(3):859-67.
G. Tedeschi, L. Lavorgna, P. Russo, A. Prinster, D. Dinacci, G. Savettieri, A. Quattrone, P. Livrea, C. Messina, A. Reggio, V.Bresciamorra, G. Orefice, M. Paciello, A. Brunetti, G. Coniglio, S. Bonavita, A. Di Costanzo, A. Bellacosa, P. Valentino, M. Quarantelli, F. Patti, G. Salemi, E. Cammarata, I.L. Simone, M. Salvatore, V. Bonavita, and B. Alfano. Brain atrophy and lesion load in a large population of patients with multiple sclerosis. Neurology 2005 65 (2): 280-285.
Quarantelli, M; Berkouk, K; Prinster, A; Landeau, B; Svarer, C; Balkay, L; Alfano, B; Brunetti, A; Baron, JC; Salvatore, M. Integrated software for the analysis of brain PET/SPECT studies with partial-volume-effect correction. J Nucl Med. 2004 Feb;45(2):192-201.
Prinster A, Quarantelli M, Lanzillo R, Orefice G, Vacca G, Carotenuto B, Alfano B, Brunetti A, Morra VB, Salvatore M. A voxel-based morphometry study of disease severity correlates in relapsing-- remitting multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler. 2010 Jan;16(1):45-54.
Prinster A, Quarantelli M, Orefice G, Lanzillo R, Brunetti A, Mollica C, Salvatore E, Morra VB, Coppola G, Vacca G, Alfano B, Salvatore M. Grey matter loss in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: A voxel-based morphometry study. Neuroimage. 2006 Feb 1;29(3):859-67.
G. Tedeschi, L. Lavorgna, P. Russo, A. Prinster, D. Dinacci, G. Savettieri, A. Quattrone, P. Livrea, C. Messina, A. Reggio, V.Bresciamorra, G. Orefice, M. Paciello, A. Brunetti, G. Coniglio, S. Bonavita, A. Di Costanzo, A. Bellacosa, P. Valentino, M. Quarantelli, F. Patti, G. Salemi, E. Cammarata, I.L. Simone, M. Salvatore, V. Bonavita, and B. Alfano. Brain atrophy and lesion load in a large population of patients with multiple sclerosis. Neurology 2005 65 (2): 280-285.
Quarantelli, M; Berkouk, K; Prinster, A; Landeau, B; Svarer, C; Balkay, L; Alfano, B; Brunetti, A; Baron, JC; Salvatore, M. Integrated software for the analysis of brain PET/SPECT studies with partial-volume-effect correction. J Nucl Med. 2004 Feb;45(2):192-201.
Project Title:
Project Title:
Study of the relationship between the alterations of structural connectivity, functional connectivity and brain tissue volumes in Multiple Sclerosis
Project Title:
Relationship between functional connectivity and glucose metabolism in Alzheimer’s disease