Our Experts
Abass Alavi, M.D.
Abass Alavi, M.D. is one of the most respected experts in neuroimaging in the United States, particularly in the applications of PET imaging. He is Chief of the Division of Nuclear Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Radiology and Medical Director of the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Center at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Alavi has lectured at more than 300 international events. He has authored more than 600 articles published in peer-reviewed journals world-wide, 900 abstracts presented at international conferences, 150 book chapters, editorials and reviews, and 12 books on Nuclear Medicine. Dr. Alavi’s research interests focus on the clinical applications of PET imaging for the detection of cancer and other serious disorders including dementia, seizures, cardiovascular disease, and infection. He is Board Certified in Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, and Internal Medicine.
Though full recognition of PET’s value as a molecular imaging technique came in the 1990s, Dr. Alavi has been painstakingly researching PET imaging and its applications since the 1970s. His ground-breaking research and service has changed the face of nuclear medicine worldwide. Dr. Alavi was the recipient of the 2004 Georg Charles de Hevesy Nuclear Medicine Pioneer Award from the Society of Nuclear Medicine. In 2001, Dr. Alavi was honored with the Recognition Award for Substantial Contribution to the Education and Research Foundation of the Society of Nuclear Medicine.
In addition to his success in neuroradiology, Dr. Alavi is also the Associate Director for the Center for the Study of Aging at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.