Best diagnosticians in Italy: TOP 11 doctors

He graduated in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Padua, where, in 1996, he obtained the specialization in Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolic Diseases. In 1994 he specialized in Metabolic Diseases from the San Bortolo University Hospital in Vicenza. Engaged in research activities in the areas of use of engineered tissues and growth factors for tissue regeneration, new technologies in the field of conservative surgical treatment, and extreme percutaneous revascularization protocols. He has been chairman of several international courses on Diabetic Foot and Charcot Foot and he is a member of the Editorial Board of the journal "Diabetic Foot and Ankle", and of the European Diabetic Foot Study Group (DFSG).

Author of over 100 scientific publications and about 300 speeches at international congresses, including several editions of the National Congress of the Diabetes Doctors Association or the Italian Journal of Diabetology.

Awarded with "Ilizarov Award of Excellence" at the International External Fixation Symposium, 2018; -“Paul Brand Memorial Lecture” Award in 2016.

Dr. Marco Grimaldi is the Diagnostic Neuroradiology Unit Director in Humanitas Research Hospital.

Medical areas of interest:

• magnetic resonance
• computed tomography
• angiography of the central nervous system, brain and spine
• study of the brachial plexus
• functional neuroradiology, in particular, study of cerebral perfusion for perfusion CT related to problems in an emergency regime
• spine dimorphism, in particular of the paediatric age and in rare diseases

He has developed full diagnostic, organizational and managerial autonomy of any problem in outpatient, hospital and emergency neuroradiology.

Research areas of interest:

• Functional imaging studies on coma
• Diagnosis and development of prognostic algorithms
• Research and development, even experimental, of new applications related to technological developments (research on new protocols for the use of the Multidetector Computed Tomography (MDCT), for the use of perfusion CT in vascular and emergency environments finally, study of the trachea in patients at risk of anesthesiology).

Previous experience:

1990 – 2012 Neuroradiologist at Hospital of San Gerardo in Monza, Italy

He was the Director on highly specialised activities related to functional neuroradiology. 

He worked in diagnostic autonomy, organization and management of any problem within neuroradiological outpatient, inpatient and emergency context. 

He is particularly interested in the field of functional neuroradiology, in research and experimental development of new applications also tied to technological developments and creation of new protocols for use of MDCT (use of CT perfusion imaging in the field of vascular and urgency. He was involved in the study of the trachea in patients at high anaesthetic risk), in paediatric radiology with particular reference to diagnosis and clinical management of rare diseases (consultant in the Outpatient Unit for metabolic diseases and in the Outpatient Unit for rare and genetic diseases at the Hospital). He is also interested in the study of problems related to the craniocervical junction.

Teaching experience: 

From 2002 to 2012 he has been a professor at Milano-Bicocca University of Milan.

From 2002 to 2012 : Professor of the courses "Technique and diagnostics for images I", "Technique and diagnostics for images II" and "Semeiotics neuroradiological CT" for the degree in Medical Radiology for Images and Radiotherapy.
From 2003 to 2012: Professor of the course "Functional Brain Diagnostics" for the Degree in Physiotherapy. 
From 2003 to 2012: Professor for the Degree Course in Neurotherapy and psychomotricity of the developmental age.
From 2006 to 2009: Lecturer at the School of Specialization in Radiodiagnostics.

Prof.  Marco Francone is the Cardiovascular Imaging Unit Director in Humanitas Research Hospital.

Medical areas of interest:

Imaging in cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases

Previous experience:

- First level Medical Director at the Department of Radiological, Oncological and Anatomy-Pathological Sciences, at Policlinico Umberto I in Rome

- Past-President, Cardiology Section at the Italian Society of Medical Radiology (SIRM)

Research areas of interest: 

Inflammatory heart disease, cardiomyopathy, imaging of acute myocardial infarction, imaging in cardio-toxicity, imaging of post-COVID patients.

Prof.  Marco Francone is the author of more than 150 indexed scientific papers with an impact factor of more than 500 and has lectured around the world for fifteen years, from the United States to Asia, from Africa to Australia.

Teaching experience:

Full Professor of Radio diagnostics at Humanitas University

Publications:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=marco+francone&sort=pubdate&size=200&show_snippets=off

Prof. Luca Balzarini is the head of the Department of Diagnostic Imaging in Humanitas Research Hospital. He lectured at the post-graduation school in Radiology at the University of Milan and Pavia and he is member of the European Society of Radiology and of the Italian Society of Medical Radiology (SIRM).
He graduated cum laude in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Milan in 1982 and in 1986 he graduated cum laude at the post-graduation school of Radiology at the University of Milan.

His career started at Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori in Milano where he attended as a PHD student of the University of Milan.
After a long experience abroad, where he developed master expertise in Magnetic Resonance Imaging, he then became Assistant in the Department of Diagnostic radiology at Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori (IRCCS) in Milan where he has this role for 12 years now.

Since 1997 he has been working at Humanitas Research Hospital as head of Magnetic Resonance Section, and then head of Diagnostic Radiology Unit (2006). Nin 2012 he became head of Department of Diagnostic Imaging.

In his high technology Department there are 5 MRI machines (from 1 up to 3 T units), 4 CT scans, and an angiography suite, all radiological techniques are regulated by a system of dose control (Dose Watch).

His team, composed of 25 radiologists, has recognized expertise in several fields of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging and particularly dedicated in Oncological, Muscle-Skeletal, Neuro and Cardiac Imaging.

Prof. Giorgio Walter Canonica is the Head of Personalized Medicine Center: Asthma and Allergy in Humanitas Research Hospital.

Medical areas of interest:
Asthma and allergies 

Research areas of interest: 
T cells: study of different subgroups and their functional role in basic and clinical research (allergy, specific autoimmunity of organs, degenerative diseases of the CNS and cancer).

Molecular events and interactions between immunocompetent cells, inflammatory cells, epithelial cells in allergic inflammation and airway remodelling.

Biomarkers that define the therapeutic response in asthma.

New antiallergenic drugs and new strategies in the treatment of allergic disease.

Clinical and immune-pharmacological activities of modifiers of biological responses such as cytokines, monoclonal antibodies, specific immunotherapy for allergens, etc.

Results of reported patients and assessment of quality of life in patients with respiratory and allergic diseases.

Prof. Canonica coordinated and conducted more than 50 tests (phase II-IV) according to current GCP rules (certification number 2426574, 29/06/2017).

He has also served as an arbitrator for most of the most important international journals - Editor-in-Chief of "Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical Immunology" – Associated Editor "Annals of Allergy & Clinical Immunology".

Previous experience:
Director of the Degree programme of Lung Diseases at the University of Genoa (1998 - Today) President of the Clinic for Diseases of Allergies and Respiratory - Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa - IRCCS AOU San Martino IST

(1997) Director of the Specialized School of Allergy and Clinical Immunology DIMI, University of Genoa

• (1998-present) Full professor of allergies and respiratory diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa
   
• (1995-1998) Full professor of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa
   
• (1982) Associate Professor Allergy and Clinical Immunology-Dept. of Internal Medicine
  (1977) Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine - University of Genoa
• (1973) Assistant at the Clinic of Pulmonary Diseases - University of Genoa

Publications:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=giorgio+walter+canonica

Prof. Renato Maria Bragato is the Autonomous Echocardiography Unit Director in Humanitas Research Hospital.

His main medical specialties are 2D, 3D transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiographies.

He executes echo transthoracic and transoesophageal intra-operative monitoring in heart surgery, vascular surgery and hemodynamics (intra-operative diagnostics, cardiac function monitoring, mini-access treatment and surgery using the Heartport technique, monitoring implantation of vascular and valvular percutaneous endoprostheses, monitoring PFO closure, monitoring LAA Occluder and Mitral clip positioning), intraoperative evaluation and follow-up of application and correct functioning of “Ventricular Advanced Device” (VAD, NOVACOR, CIRCULATE),  resynchronisation and evaluation of bi-ventricular cardiac stimulation, vascular ultrasound (EchocolorDoppler of the supra-aortic trunks) and study of endothelial dysfunction (Shear test), evaluation of cardio-embolic risk using CEUS, transthoracic and transesophageal techniques.

Research areas of interest: His research activity is dedicated to Artificial Heart Device and Fusion Imaging.

Author and co-author of over 70 published papers on different national and international journals mainly from personal original research project

Member of Italian Society of Cardiovascular Echography (SIEC)

Publications: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=bragato+renato

Dr. Corrado Lodigiani has been assistant at the Thrombosis Centre of Humanitas research Hospital from 1998 to 2013 and he became Unit Director in 2013. 

Humanitas Thrombosis Center is a state-of-the-art service for the proper management of the diagnosis and therapy of venous thromboembolic pathology (deep and superficial venous thrombosis, pulmonary thromboembolism, visceral venous thrombosis) and arterial (myocardial infarction, cerebral stroke, peripheral arterial disease). 
Other also rare diseases treated are atypical thrombosis, such as the vascular circulation of the retina, the hearing system and the placental circulation during pregnancy. 

Dr. Lodigiani adopts the multidisciplinary approach and works in collaboration with all medical and surgical specialties. In particular, he carries out clinical and instrumental diagnostics (vascular ecocolordoppler) and research on the causes, diagnosis and therapy of thrombotic and bleeding disorders, congenital and acquired. His clinical activity also involves the diagnosis and management of patients suffering from bleeding diseases, such as haemophilia, von Willebrand’s disease and platelet diseases.

Medical areas of interest:  

In recent years, he has devoted himself with particular interest to the testing, in the role of Principal Investigator in International Clinical Studies, of new antithrombotic drugs and, above all, anticoagulants, which are about to be marketed and will constitute a valid and safe alternative to traditional oral anticoagulant therapy (DOACs). He is also working, with great interest, on researching the causes of idiopathic infertility and the usefulness and effectiveness of some therapeutic strategies, such as the use of anticoagulant drugs, improving the results of artificial insemination procedures. He is the author of numerous articles in international scientific journals and speaker at numerous national and international conferences.

Prof. Antonio Costanzo is the Dermatology Unit Director in Humanitas Research Hospital. He graduated with his MD degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Rome, La Sapienza in 1994. He then went on to complete post-graduate study and received a speciality degree in Internal Medicine in 1999 and a Dermatology speciality degree in 2006.

Medical areas of interest:

• Inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases (Psoriasis, Atopic Dermatitis, Alopecia Areata, Chronic Urticaria, Suppurative Hydroadenitis, Scleroderma, Lupus)
• Personalized Medicine, Biological Psoriasis Therapy
• Dermatological Oncology (Melanoma, Actinic Keratosis, Basocellular and Spinocellular Epitheliomas).
• Prevention of skin neoplasms (dermatoscopy, computer mapping of moles).
• Dermatological surgery

Previous experience:

• Director of Dermatology Unit at Sant’Andrea Hospital in Vercelli
• University Researcher/Hospital Assistant at Tor Vergata Hospital 

Research areas of interest: 

• Psoriasis pathogenesis of other inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases
• Pathogenesis of skin neoplasms
• Genetic disorders of the skin

His clinical research is focused on the characterization of the activity of biologics in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. This research is strictly linked to basic research activity on the pathogenesis of psoriasis and on the use of pharmacogenetic approach to predict the efficacy and safety of biologics in psoriasis.

In the past, Professor Costanzo has collaborated to the characterization of basic mechanisms of TNF inflammatory signalling in epithelial cells and NFkappaB regulation by different stimuli. More recently his research group has collaborated to the discovery of IL-21 as critical mediator of keratinocyte proliferation in psoriasis. Professor Costanzo has authored or co-authored more than 120 publications in internationally peer-reviewed journals.

Teaching experience: Full Professor of Dermatology at Humanitas University

Publications: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Costanzo+A 

Prof. Romano Lutman is the Head Oncological and interventional radiology Unit.

Medical areas of interest: 
diagnostic and interventional oncology, in particular linked to percutaneous imaging-guided procedures.
He has performed over 3000 CT guided lung biopsies and numerous international trials on anticancer drugs.

Research areas of interest: 
advanced oncological diagnostics. Percutaneous minimally invasive imaging-guided diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in oncology.

Previous experience:  
- 1991-1996 Orthopaedic Institute of Gaetano Pini, Italy
Assistant Physiatrist
- 1991-1991 Hospital of the Piemonte region , Italy
Specialist doctor in sports medicine

Publications: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=lutman r

Dr. X is the Director of the Radiation Oncology Unit with a degree in Medicine and Surgery from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy and a Certificate of Specialist in Radiology. He has a special interest in Oncological Imaging and interventional techniques with a focus on the Breast Area. He has been a teacher of the Course “Radiology professional training” since 2005 and has authored over 100 Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles, Articles and Books Chapters on Radiology and Breast Radiology. He is a member of SIRM and ESR and a Co-Editor of an international journal.