Michela Cossandi

Dr. Michela Cossandi

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

21Years (2006-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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9 November 2006 in Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain
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Journal Article
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BBBarbara Borroni
Barbara Borroni
RRRenata Rao
Renata Rao
PLPaolo Liberini
Paolo Liberini
EVElisabetta Venturelli
Elisabetta Venturelli
MCMichela Cossandi
Michela Cossandi
APAlessandro Padovani
Alessandro Padovani

7 June 2025 in Biomedicines
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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PBPietro Bellini
Pietro Bellini
FDFrancesco Dondi
Francesco Dondi
CCCarlo Cappelli
Carlo Cappelli
EGElisa Gatta
Elisa Gatta
DLDavide Lombardi
Davide Lombardi
FBFrancesco Bertagna
Francesco Bertagna
Radioactive iodine therapy has been a well-established treatment for various thyroid conditions since the 1940s, targeting both benign diseases and malignancies. Treatment for benign conditions typically involves low doses of 131I, often requiring no more than two treatments, with the dose either fixed or personalized based on thyroid tissue mass and iodine uptake. In contrast, differentiated thyroid cancer treatment often requires higher doses and multiple administrations, especially for metastatic cases. Recent guidelines and studies have proposed more conservative management strategies, including careful follow-up, due to concerns over the high risk–benefit ratio in selected cases with a low risk of disease recrudescence. Despite its possible efficacy, radioiodine therapy is associated with dose-dependent side effects, the most common of which is salivary gland dysfunction or inflammation, affecting approximately 30% of adult patients. These effects pose significant challenges in nuclear medicine practice. This review aims to summarize the latest evidence on the incidence, impact on quality of life, prevention strategies and the role of these side effects in the decision-making process regarding RAI therapy.

31 May 2025 in Diagnostics
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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FDFrancesco Dondi
Francesco Dondi
NLNicola LATRONICO
Nicola LATRONICO
PBPietro Bellini
Pietro Bellini
SLSilvia Lucchini
Silvia Lucchini
LCLuca Camoni
Luca Camoni
FBFrancesco Bertagna
Francesco Bertagna
Background: Different evidence on the ability of [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to assess patients in the vegetative state (VS) or unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) has been reported. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to synthesize the existing literature on this topic. Methods: A wide literature search of the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Embase databases was conducted to find relevant published articles investigating the role of [18F]FDG PET imaging in the assessment of VS/UWS. Results: Thirty-seven studies were included in the review, and the main fields of application of this imaging modality in these patients were the evaluation of hypometabolic patterns, differentiation of disorders of consciousness (DOC), prognostic value, and ability to assess the response to particular stimuli. Conclusions: The possible role of [18F]FDG PET imaging in the assessment of VS/UWS has emerged, in particular in the differential diagnosis of other DOC or prognosis. Some insights into its value in stimulation response and therapy evaluation have also been proposed. Standardization of protocols and larger prospective studies are needed to strengthen these clinical recommendations.

26 June 2025 in Diagnostics
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
FDFrancesco Dondi
Francesco Dondi
PBPietro Bellini
Pietro Bellini
MCMichela Cossandi
Michela Cossandi
LCLuca Camoni
Luca Camoni
RRRoberto Rinaldi
Roberto Rinaldi
FBFrancesco Bertagna
Francesco Bertagna
Background/Objectives: Pulmonary lymphangitic carcinomatosis (PLC) is a rare, aggressive manifestation of metastatic cancer characterized by lymphatic infiltration of the lungs, typically indicating advanced disease and poor prognosis. Methods: This comprehensive narrative review evaluates the role of [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in assessing PLC. Results: Current evidence demonstrates that [18F]FDG PET/CT achieves high diagnostic accuracy, with sensitivity and specificity ranging from 86 to 97% and 84 to 100%, respectively, particularly when employing semiquantitative metrics such as peritumoral standardized uptake value (SUVmax) thresholds (e.g., ≥2.1). PET/CT surpasses high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in distinguishing PLC from mimics like pulmonary sarcoidosis by identifying distinct metabolic patterns: bronchovascular hypermetabolism in PLC versus subpleural nodular uptake in sarcoidosis. Prognostically, metabolic tumor burden (e.g., SUVmax × involved lobes) and novel cPLC classifications (localized to the ipsilateral or contralateral lung) independently predict progression-free survival. However, challenges persist, including non-specific tracer uptake in inflammatory conditions and variability in SUV measurements due to technical factors. Emerging digital PET/CT systems, with enhanced spatial resolution, may improve the detection of focal PLC and reduce false negatives. While [18F]FDG PET/CT is invaluable for whole-body staging, therapeutic monitoring and biopsy guidance, the standardization of protocols and multicenter validation of prognostic models are critical for clinical integration. Future research should explore novel tracers (e.g., PSMA for prostate cancer-related PLC) and machine learning approaches to refine diagnostic and prognostic accuracy. Conclusions: This review underscores the role and the transformative potential of [18F]FDG PET/CT in PLC management while advocating for rigorous standardization to maximize its clinical utility.

25 August 2025 in Medicina
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
FDFrancesco Dondi
Francesco Dondi
PBPietro Bellini
Pietro Bellini
RGRoberto Gatta
Roberto Gatta
LCLuca Camoni
Luca Camoni
RRRoberto Rinaldi
Roberto Rinaldi
FBFrancesco Bertagna
Francesco Bertagna
Background/Objectives: Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is an inflammatory cardiomyopathy with a strong clinical impact on patients affected by the disease and a challenging diagnosis. Methods: This comprehensive narrative review evaluates the role of [18F]fluorodesoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)-based radiomics and machine learning (ML) analyses in the assessment of CS. Results: The value of [18F]FDG PET-based radiomics and ML has been investigated for the clinical settings of diagnosis and prognosis of patients affected by CS. Even though different radiomics features and ML models have proved their clinical role in these settings in different cohorts, the clear superiority and added value of one of them across different studies has not been demonstrated. In particular, textural analysis and ML showed high diagnostic value for the diagnosis of CS in some papers, but had controversial results in other works, and may potentially provide prognostic information and predict adverse clinical events. When comparing these analyses with the classic semiquantitative evaluation, a conclusion about which method best suits the final objective cannot be drawn with the available references. Different methodological issues are present when comparing different papers, such as image segmentation and feature extraction differences that are more evident. Furthermore, the intrinsic limitations of radiomics analysis and ML need to be overcome with future research developed in multicentric settings with protocol harmonization. Conclusions: [18F]FDG PET-based radiomics and ML show preliminary promising results for CS evaluation, but remain investigational tools since the current evidence is insufficient for clinical adoption due to methodological heterogeneity, small sample sizes, and lack of standardization.

24 April 2026 in Diagnostics
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
FDFrancesco Dondi
Francesco Dondi
PBPietro Bellini
Pietro Bellini
AMAlberto Miceli
Alberto Miceli
SLSilvia Lucchini
Silvia Lucchini
GVGian Luca Viganò
Gian Luca Viganò
FBFrancesco Bertagna
Francesco Bertagna
[18F]fluoromisonidazole ([18F]FMISO) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has been explored for its potential use as an added modality for the assessment of gliomas. The aim of this review was to synthesize the existing literature investigating this topic. A comprehensive search of the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Embase databases was performed to identify eligible original research investigating the role of [18F]FMISO PET imaging for the evaluation of gliomas. Thirty-tree studies were included in the present review. Overall, the findings reported suggest that [18F]FMISO PET may have relevant clinical implications in glioma assessment and management, including improved tumor characterization, differential diagnosis between different grades and other neoplasms, prognostic stratification, and potential guidance for personalized therapeutic strategies. The available evidence supports the idea that [18F]FMISO PET can act as a robust and biologically meaningful imaging modality in gliomas. Its strengths lie in tumor grading, prognostication, and treatment monitoring, particularly in glioblastoma. Future research should focus on standardized imaging protocols, integration with molecular classification frameworks, and validation of hypoxia-guided therapeutic strategies.