Research Interests
Our research focuses on developing new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques,
especially techniques that acquire the image data very rapidly. This work involves
MRI physics, signal processing, and image reconstruction techniques. Rapid MRI
acquisition is particularly important for cardiac studies, because of cardiac
and respiratory motion. One technique we are studying is real-time interactive
imaging, which allows images of the beating heart to be acquired, displayed
and controlled in real-time. This technique allows rapid evaluation of cardiac
function and rapid scout scans of the coronary arteries. We are currently working
to enhance the image frame rate and resolution using new image reconstruction
methods implemented on dedicated high-performance Linux clusters. In addition
to real-time imaging, we use our techniques to generate high-resolution images
of the coronary arteries within a breath-hold. We apply our high-resolution
images to noninvasive coronary angiography and coronary vessel wall imaging.
Current Projects:
- Improving the speed and spatial resolution of spiral k-space scanning in
MRI through improved image reconstruction techniques.
- Increasing the frame rate of real-time MRI through the use of multiple receiver
scanners and parallel processing on dedicated high-performance Linux clusters.
- Improving the efficiency and reliability of high-resolution MR coronary
angiography by improving image contrast and signal.
Back to the Faculty Page >> |
