As a part of the Musculoskeletal and Quantitative Imaging Research Group (MQIR) at UCSF, the Krug Lab is focusing on MR based assessment of trabecular and cortical bone, bone marrow and muscle fat composition using novel MR chemical-shift based imaging techniques. Our research has a particular focus on orthopedic applications. In particular, we are interested in imaging and analyzing the trabecular and cortical bone structure, quantifying bone water content as well as measuring bone marrow and muscle fat composition using high (3 Tesla) and ultra-high (7 Tesla) magnetic field strengths. To this end, we develop new pulse sequence techniques and advanced digital image processing algorithms. Our clinical focus is to improve early detection and to monitor treatment of related diseases such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and bone and bone marrow tumors. Another current focus is the improvement of MR imaging in the presence of metal implants.
Our research effort is currently funded by NIH R01AR057336 (PI: R. Krug).

Other Research Projects (ISMRM Abstracts 2013):
- D. C. Karampinos, G. Melkus, R. Krug.Assessment of bone marrow fat fraction in the presence of trabecular bone: initial comparison of water-fat imaging with single-voxel MRS. 21th Annual Meeting of ISMRM 2013, Salt Lake City, USA.
- M. Han, P. E. Larson, and R. Krug. High Resolution 3D Ultrashort Echo Time Imaging of the Achilles Tendon at 7T. 21th Annual Meeting of ISMRM 2013, Salt Lake City, USA.
- J. Carballido-Gamio, D.C. Karampinos, A. Lai, S. Lee, R. Krug. Fat Fraction and Bone Mineral Density in the Proximal Femur: A Localized Assessment of their Relationship in Fragility Fractures. 21th Annual Meeting of ISMRM 2013, Salt Lake City, USA.
- H. Liebl, U. Heilmeier, S.Lee, L. Nado, M. Han,S. Banerjee, K. Koch, T. M. Link, R. Krug. Clinical Assessment of Knee MRI in the Presence of Metal Implants Comparing MAVRIC-SL and FSE sequences in at 1.5 and 3 Tesla Field Strength. 21th Annual Meeting of ISMRM 2013, Salt Lake City, USA.
- D. C. Karampinos, G. Melkus, R. Krug. Addressing overlapping water-fat peaks and water-fat chemical shift displacement effects in single voxel MRS of bone marrow. 21th Annual Meeting of ISMRM 2013, Salt Lake City, USA.
- X. Zhang, C. Wang, B. Wu, Y. Pang, R. Krug, P. Larson, T.M. Link, D.B. Vigneron. Microstrip resonators for human extremity imaging at 7T. 21th Annual Meeting of ISMRM 2013, Salt Lake City, USA.
- C. Wyatt, R. Krug, X Li, D.Kelley, T.M. Link, S. Majumdar. MAPSS-based T1rho and T2 imaging at 7 Tesla in Healthy Knee Volunteers and Comparison to 3 Tesla. 21th Annual Meeting of ISMRM 2013, Salt Lake City, USA.
Contact:
Roland Krug, Ph.D
Assistant Professor in Residence
Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, UCSF
Assistant Professor in Residence Department of Orthopedic Surgery, UCSF
University of California, San Francisco
China Basin Landing
185 Berry Street, Suite 350
Box 0946
San Francisco, CA 94107
phone (415) 353-4945
fax (415) 353-9423





