Research Abstract

Angiogenesis is a critical process for solid tumors to grow leading to the formation of a high density hyperpermeable network of microvessels with abnormal geometry. The chaotic proliferation of tumor vessels causes regional changes in blood volume and tissue perfusion that can be mapped with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and other techniques. My research for the past thirty years has focused on the development and application of physiological and functional nuclear magnetic resonance techniques, as well as new approaches to combine functional MRI data with information from other modalities such as positron emission tomography (PET), magnetoencephalography (MEG) and noninvasive optical imaging. In addition to developmental work to advance these techniques, my research addresses how functional imaging tools can be applied to address specific biological and clinical problems. Among several areas of interest currently under investigation, my group is conducting quantitative MRI studies of hemodynamic and angiogenic parameters in cerebral neoplasms, to test the relationship between these physiological parameters and treatment effects for these cancers. My experience in this area includes the original description of dynamic susceptibility contrast methods for assessment of hemodynamics as a means to quantify cerebral and tumor blood flow and volume and microvessel size distribution, development of methods to quantify the cerebral rate of oxygen consumption, EPI-based methods to map molecular self-diffusion of water, and measurement and mapping of underlying eloquent cortical function using fMRI.