Applied Imaging Science Laboratory (AISL)
Frank J. Rybicki, MD, PhD -Director
Dimitris Mitsouras, PhD -Director, MR Physics and Engineering
Michael L. Steigner, MD -Staff Scientist
Hale Ersoy, MD -Staff Scientist
Amanda G. Whitmore, BA -Research Assistant II
Shadpour Demehri, MD -Resident in Diagnostic Radiology
Orla Buckley, MD -Fellow in Diagnostic Radiology
About The Applied Imaging Science Lab
Our mission is to develop and test the next generation of Magnetic Resonance and Computed Tomography methods that will lead to better and earlier diagnoses with a focus on Cardiovascular Imaging applications.
Our mission is based on imaging technologies, for example Dynamic Volume CT using 320 detector-rows and 3 Tesla MR systems. We develop novel pre-clinical imaging technologies, and evaluate those technologies in the clinical arena.
Example Research Interests
1. Optimization and Applications in Wide-Area Detector CT
Using single heart beat cardiac CT to simulate coronary blood flow and compute endothelial shear stress (ESS).
 | 320 detector-row CT has enabled single heart beat coronary imaging so that the entire coronary contrast opacification can be evaluated at a single time point. The full 3D course of the arteries in turn allows us to simulate the blood flowing through it by using computational fluid flow simulations, and subsequently compute the endothelial shear stress (ESS). Atherosclerotic lesions are intimately related to ESS, the frictional force that acts on the endothelial cells as a result of the blood flow. |
2. Vascular imaging using ultra-high resolution three-dimensional MRI of the vasculature.
Our approach, termed “inner-volume reduced field-of-view non-selectively refocused 3D fast spin-echo” is based on surpassing a main limitation of MR imaging systems by enabling them to concentrate imaging time on only the vasculature being assessed, rather than sharing imaging time with other tissues that are not of interest.
 | Inner-volume 3D MRI enables an MR system to “zoom in” to the vessel of interest. The improved spatial resolution in clinical patients gives new opportunities to examine physiologic states such as outward remodeling or measurements of neo-intimal thickness and hypertrophy of the media. We have focused our research efforts in patients with peripheral vein bypass grafts. |
3. Clinical applications
We have an ongoing interest in the following:
• Image post-processing in cardiovascular imaging
• Optimizing the radiation dose for patients who require
• CT as part of their clinical evaluation.
• Computed tomography for pulmonary embolism
Training
Providing research opportunities for enthusiastic trainees is a trademark of the AISL. Many radiology and cardiology residents and fellows who have come to the lab have gone on to productive academic careers. We are interested in teaching sound methods basic science and clinical research.
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