Quantitative Neuroimaging Laboratory, University of Siena
The Quantitative Neuroimaging Laboratory (QNL) of the University of Siena, founded and directed by Prof. De Stefano during the late 1990', conducts clinical research activity in the field of neurodegenerative pathologies, with specific research projects aimed at the development and application of new neuroimaging techniques.
Over the years, the Laboratory has leveraged on the collaboration of other centres that deal with new aspects of the biomedical research such as the Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain (FMRIB) of the Oxford University and the Brain Imaging Centre of the Montreal Neurological Institute – McGill University.
The research activity aims at improving the understanding of chronic neurological diseases trough an improved ability in important biomarkers quantification of global and focal brain damage. In particular, the laboratory activity has been focused on the development of new tools for the quantification of structural damage and the application of the more advanced techniques for the assessment of functional and metabolic damage.
Examples of the fruitful collaborations engaged by QNL with Oxford University is the creation and validation of SIENA (Structural Imaging Evaluation of Normalized Atrophy), a worldwide spread software for the quantification of percentage brain volume changes over time.
