Radiology > Clinical Sections > Neuroradiology > Research

Research

3D IMAGING AND PROCESSING LAB
Director: Dr. William Dillon, M.D.
Professor and Chief of Neuroradiology
Excecutive-Vice Chair, Department of Radiology

The UCSF 3D Imaging and Processing Lab is dedicated to delivering clinically relevant and advanced visualization of medical CT and MR images in order to aid in the diagnosis and pre-surgical planning of patients.

Some of the post processing offered by the UCSF 3D Imaging Lab include:

1)      CT Perfusion:
Brain
  • Evaluation of brain hemodynamics in acute stroke patients
  • Evaluation of vasospasm in subarachnoid hemorrhage patients
2)      CT Angiography: 
  • Curved reformats and measurements of stenosis according to the NASCET criteria
  • Characterization of atherosclerotic plaque, aneurysm morphology
3)     Cardiac CT:
  • CT angiography of the coronary arteries: 
  • Curved reformats and measurements of stenosis
  • Characterization of atherosclerotic plaque
  • Cardiac calcium scoring
  • Evaluation of left atrial volume and pulmonary veins in atrial fibrillation patients
  • Assessment of left ventricular function
  • Assessment of right ventricular function in congenital heart diseases
4)      MRI Perfusion, 3D Volumetry:
  • Perfusion MRI in brain tumors and stroke
  • 3D volume-rendering images of the intracranial vasculature
  • 3D MR spectroscopy
5)      Body CT and MRI:
  • 3D evaluation of the airways
  • CT angiography of the thoracic and abdominal aorta
  • Measurement of liver volume and evaluation of arterial, venous and biliary tract anatomy in potential liver donors and chronic liver disease
  • Assessment of vascular anatomy in potential renal donors
  • Measurement of liver and spleen volumes in patients with Gaucher’s Disease
  • CT colonography
6)       Musculoskeletal applications:
  • 3D evaluation of craniosynostosis
  • 3D evaluation of ribs, spine, and extremities
  • Curved reformation for scoliosis

For further information regarding the 3D Imaging Lab and the services offered, please contact:
Tel: (415) 353-2708
Fax: (415) 353-8593
Email: 3Dlab@radiology.ucsf.edu

BRAIN TUMOR IMAGING AND SPECTROSCOPY
Director: Soonmee Cha, M.D.

Currently, the imaging characterization of GBM is provided primarily by contrast-enhanced MRI, which is a sensitive means of delineating anatomic and structural features of brain tumors. This technology, however, has not been used to detect subtle tumor infiltration beyond the contrast-enhancing margin of the tumor or to differentiate active tumor from therapy-related brain injury. The use of physiologic and metabolic MRI techniques - such as diffusion-weighted imaging and perfusion MRI, which are not based primarily on anatomic signals but rather on distinct physiologic or metabolic properties - permits the study of tumor biology such as cellularity and angiogensis, both quantitatively and noninvasively. The laboratory of Soonmee Cha, MD, studies these sequences extensively to validate their relationship with pathology and attempt to determine what they can tell us about GBM biology. By approaching this research in a multidisciplinary fashion, Cha and her colleagues hope to explore the potential of anatomic and physiologic MRI as useful tools for a variety of clinical applications, including GBM classification, therapy monitoring, and surgery planning.


Dr. Cha has focused on the importance of validating the usefulness of MRI as a tool for brain tumor therapy monitoring and identifying therapy endpoints. She has been involved in multiple clinical trials, primarily exploring the importance of three physiologic MRI sequences within the GBM population: dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) perfusion MRI, dynamic susceptibility-weighted contrast-enhanced perfusion MR imaging (DSC pMRI), and diffusion MRI. DSC pMRI is a noninvasive tool used to estimate and quantify the cerebral hemodynamic characteristics of brain tumors. DCE pMRI is as noninvasive tool used to estimate the degree of alteration in vascular permeability, which is represented by the endothelial permeability surface area product, ktrans. Endothelial permeability of vessels in brain tumors provides valuable information about blood-brain barrier integrity, vascular morphology, and response to anti-angiogenic therapy. Meanwhile, changes in cellularity quantitatively estimated by apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) derived from with diffusion-weighted imaging are useful in assessing for potential biological change in tumors in response to therapy. DCE, DSC MRI and ADC are then related to clinical outcomes to establish correlations between imaging and clinical endpoints. The goal of this research is to validate both anatomic and physiologic MRI as important tools for monitoring brain-tumor therapy.

It is critical, however, to validate physiologic MRI by establishing direct correlations between quantitative variables and histopathology. For this reason, Dr. Cha's current imaging research has taken an emphasis on validating physiologic MRI variables by directly correlating them with histopathologic findings of the tumor specimen obtained through image-guided stereotactic biopsy (IGSB). Cha is currently working to analyze histopathologic features of IGSB specimens from patients with GBM and to correlate the histological findings with the anatomic and perfusion MRI characteristics of the site where the biopsy was taken.

Dr. Cha has also begun to explore the potential for combining imaging with genetic analysis of GBM. It has been suggested that neural stem cells with astrocyte-like characteristics existing in the subventricular zone of the human brain are the cellular origin of GBM. To explore this hypothesis, the MRI features of GBMs in specific relation to the SVZ have been analyzed, and this research will be continued with the analysis of genetic markers, such as methylation and mRNA.

For further information about this project, please contact Dr. Soonmee Cha at (415) 353-9301 or soonmee.cha@radiology.ucsf.edu

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PEDIATRIC NEURORADIOLOGY RESEARCH PROGRAM
Director: A. James Barkovich, M.D.

Normal brain development: Research is being conducted to study the process of myelination and its evaluation using MR. By analyzing the components of myelination assessed by MR parameters such as magnetization transfer, diffusion, and T1 and T2 relaxation times, a better understanding can be had of the abnormalities seen on MR studies of patients with suspected abnormalities of myelination.

Abnormal brain development: High resolution MRI and diffusion tensor MR imaging (DTI) are used to investigate the anatomy of brain anomalies. Malformations currently being studied include anomalies of the corpus callosum, malformations of cortical development, and malformations of the midbrain and hindbrain. Knowledge of anatomy combined with concepts of embryology and modern neurogenetics are used to study and classify these disorders.

Neonatal brain injury: There is a poor correlation between clinical findings in moderate neonatal encephalopathy and neurodevelopmental outcome. Standard MR imaging (MRI), MR spectroscopy (MRS), and diffusion tensor MR imaging (DTI) are utilized in the assessement of encephalopathic neonates to find neonatal brain injury; imaging findings are correlated with outcome.

Prematurely born neonates: Many prematurely born neonates ultimately have neurodevelopmental disabilities. We are using state of the art MRI, MRS, and DTI are used to assess the brains of prematurely born neonates in order to detect subtle abnormalities that can impact on development.

For further information, please feel free to call Dr. A. James Barkovich at (415) 353-1668 / 1537 or e-mail jim.barkovich@radiology.ucsf.edu.

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IMAGING OF EPILEPSY AND TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Updating Soon

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BIOMAGNETIC IMAGING LABORATORY
Laboratory Director: Srikantan S. Nagarajan, PhD

The UCSF Biomagnetic Imaging Lab which is located in the Medical Sciences building on the Parnassus campus, is equipped with a twin 37-channel biomagnetometer (Magnes II, Biomagnetic Technologies Inc., San Diego). This device affords a novel technology: magnetoencephalography (MEG) in which tiny magnetic fields generated by neuronal activity in the brain are detected, non-invasively, using SQUID-based detectors, housed in a purpose-built magnetically-shielded room (MSR). From these signals, computational modeling allows a spatiotemporal view of the time-course and spatial patterns of neuronal activity. Additional resources in the laboratory include digital 64- channel EEG and 3D computing facilities. The department of Radiology is planning to upgrade the MEG facilities to a state-of-the-art system within the next year. Dr. Nagarajan assumed directorship of this facility in August 2002. Prior to this, he was a faculty member in the Department of Bioengineering and the director of the Functional Brain Imaging Laboratory at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. Dr. Nagarajan's research interests are multimodal and multiscale imaging of dynamic brain function, spanning basic research to clinical applications. His current grants are to develop novel algorithms for multimodal brain imaging and to study cortical spatiotemporal plasticity in humans. The laboratory is fortunate to have the following collaborators who are frequent visiting scientists: Drs. Kensuke Sekihara, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Technology and Oleg Portniaguine, University of Utah. Collaborations are also active with the departments of Neurological Surgery, Neurology and Otolaryngology as well as with several groups in the Keck Center for Integrative Neuroscience and the Neuroscience faculty at UC Berkeley, UC Davis and UC Irvine. The laboratory is currently receiving research funding from the Cure Autism Now (CAN) Foundation, Deafness Research Foundation, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Whitaker Foundation. Clinical activities of the laboratory are pre-operative mapping of brain functional organization and localization of the source of epileptogenic activity. In particular, this highly sensitive device is used for mapping of sensorimotor and language areas prior to neurosurgical procedures.
More from the Biomagnetic Imaging Laboratory site.

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FETAL NEUROIMAGING PROGRAM
Director: Orit Glenn, M.D.

The Fetal Neuroimaging Program involves the development and application of advanced imaging techniques to study normal and abnormal fetal brain development. The overall goals of the project are (1) to develop advanced imaging techniques that can be applied to the fetal brain, (2) to apply advanced imaging techniques to better understand disorders of brain development (including specific fetal brain disorders such as isolated mild ventriculomegaly), (3) to study the diagnostic accuracy of fetal MRI, (4) to study the prognostic value of fetal MRI for specific brain disorders, and (5) to translate these research efforts into routine clinical practice with the goal of improving prenatal diagnosis and counseling.

The Fetal MR Neuroimaging Program involves collaboration with obstetricians, perinatologists, child neurologists, geneticists, pediatric neurosurgeons, fetal treatment surgeons, and neonatologists. The program also involves strong collaborative efforts with MR scientists to develop improved fetal MR techniques, such as generating 3D high resolution images, fetal diffusion weighted imaging, and fetal diffusion tensor imaging. These techniques will allow us to study changes in brain morphometry as well as changes in the microstructure of white matter, and should contribute to our understanding of the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders.

For more information, please eamil Orit Glenn, M.D. at orit.glenn@radiology.ucsf.edu

Spine Research and Treatment Program
Director: Cynthia Chin, M.D.

Dr. Cynthia Chin conducts research involving the spine and peripheral nerves. She is currently developing magnetic resonance neurography (MRN) as a useful clinical tool in the evaluation of patients with peripheral nerve disorders. This is important as available electrodiagnostic studies cannot be reliably performed in patients for several weeks after the onset of the injury and clinical examination may be equivocal.

Anticipated direction for this technique would be evaluation of prognostic features ; basic science laboratory animal model correlation; evaluation in a high field strength 3-Tesla magnet now available at UCSF Moffitt.; and diffusion imaging of peripheral nerves, not previously performed clinically.

She is also developing functional imaging of the spine for correlation with pain and myelopathy. Patients with evidence of spinal cord dysfunction, myelopathy, can be evaluated with diffusion imaging and imaging evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid flow for early detection of cord abnormality. This will be corroborated with the patients’ outcome with short and long term follow-up. The evaluation of potential clinical prognostic information with these modalities may have significant impact on clinical decision-making in the care of patients with evidence of spinal cord dysfunction.

For more information, please email Dr. Cynthia Chin at cynthia.chin@radiology.ucsf.edu. or Dr. William Dillon at bill.dillon@radiology.ucsf.edu

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UCSF Neuroradiologic Analytic and Research Services
Director: Dr. William Dillon, M.D.
Professor and Chief of Neuroradiology
Excecutive-Vice Chair, Department of Radiology

The Section of Neuroradiology at UCSF oversees analytic and research services for clinical trials assessing new therapies for diseases of the brain and spinal cord. These services include:

  • Consultation on clinical trial design and implementation
  • Quality assurance and centralized readings of MR and CT scans for multi institutional trials of new therapies designed to treat cerebral infarction (stoke), vasospasm, aneurysms, neoplasms of the brain, and demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

Services include expert readings by senior neuroradiologists, qualitative and quantitative assessment of lesion volume and response over time, capabilities for high resolution film digitizing, volumetric analysis as well as magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy using state of the art, high resolution MR scanners at 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla.

Our Lab has served the core lab for the Abbott Inc Prourokinase trial (1 and 2), Actelion trials on vasospas, Coaxia, Inc, trial for neuroflo Cathter system.

Contact Information:

For further information regarding neuroradiology research and analytic services, please contact Dr. William Dillon, Chief of Neuroradiology at UCSF, at (415) 353-1668 or e-mail bill.dillon@radiology.ucsf.edu.

Senior Research Assistant
Songling Liu, M.D.
Songling.Liu@radiology.ucsf.edu
415-353-8876

UCSF, Department of Radiology
505 Parnassus Ave., Box 0628
San Francisco, CA 94143


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