Quantitative Image Analysis & Artificial Intelligence

An important scientific emphasis of the Department of Radiology is the development, validation and clinical application of quantitative imaging measurements. In vivo imaging measurements can be used to interrogate tissue status at different levels of analysis. These measurements have broad utility for investigating pathological processes, for diagnostics, for clinical monitoring and for evaluating interventions. Our work in AI extends from advances in automated image analysis and accelerated processing pipelines to refinements in clinical classification algorithms and risk prediction.

Daniel Kim, PhD

Knight Family Professor of Cardiac Imaging

Professor of Radiology (Basic and Translational Radiology Research) and McCormick School of Engineering

Bio

I am the Director of CV Imaging at the Center for Translational Imaging. My research focuses on development of rapid MRI acquisition and reconstruction methods to address unmet needs in cardiovascular medicine. Our lab focuses on breaking new grounds in cardiovascular MRI by developing innovative pulse sequences and reconstruction methods to address unmet clinical needs in cardiovascular medicine. Building upon active collaboration with radiology and cardiology colleagues, our research activities span from imaging technology development to clinical translation in cardiovascular medicine.

Currently, ongoing projects include:

Role of diffuse LV fibrosis in patients with atrial fibrillation
Real-time CMR for diagnosing CAD
Rapid pediatric CMR without requiring contrast agent or anesthesia
Advanced CMR assessment of left atrial hemodynamic disorders in atrial fibrillation
Wideband CMR for predicting pre-implant right heart failure in LVAD candidates
Wideband CMR for imaging patients with ICDs

For details and images, visit the Northwestern CVMRI Group page.

For more information on my research, please view my Feinberg School of Medicine faculty profile.

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Ulas Bagci, PhD

Associate Professor of Radiology (Basic and Translational Radiology Research)

Bio

Dr. Ulas Bagci is an Associate Professor (with tenure) at Northwestern University's Radiology and Biomedical Engineering Department at Chicago, and courtesy professor at ECE, Northwestern University, Evanston. Dr Bagci is the director of the Machine & Hybrid Intelligence Lab. His research interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and their applications in biomedical and clinical imaging. Dr. Ulas Bagci has more than 280 peer-reviewed articles on these topics. He is a member of Lurie Cancer Center, and principal investigator for multiple NIH grants.

For further details on Machine and Hybrid Intelligence Lab, visit www.bagcilab.com

For more information on my research, please view my Feinberg School of Medicine faculty profile.

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Michael Markl, PhD

Vice Chair for Research, Department of Radiology

Lester B. and Frances T. Knight Professor of Cardiac Imaging

Professor of Radiology (Basic and Translational Radiology Research)/McCormick School of Engineering

Bio

I am currently the Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Radiology. I have established a strong interdisciplinary research consortium. My research has had a major impact on the diagnosis and management of heart disease and stroke including 1) development of novel imaging techniques for the assessment of cardiac structure, function and hemodynamics, and 2) discovery of mechanisms underlying cardiovascular diseases development and cryptogenic stroke (aortic hemodynamics as a mechanism in the development of BAV aortopathy; retrograde embolization from aortic plaques and left atrial flow dynamics in atrial fibrillation as risk factors for stroke). I am internationally recognized as the pioneer of 4D flow MRI and work in this area has advanced the understanding of cardiovascular disease processes as well as enhanced patient care. I have created a highly successful and inseminating training environment in MRI technique development and translational imaging research. For details and images, visit the Northwestern CVMRI Group page.

For more information on my research, please view my Feinberg School of Medicine faculty profile.

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Amber Leaver, PhD

Research Associate Professor of Radiology (Basic and Translational Radiology Research)

Bio

The INMRI research group founded by Dr. Leaver at Northwestern conducts precision neuroimaging research to understand and improve electrical neuromodulation therapies. Our studies encompass several topics spanning mental health and depression, chronic idiopathic tinnitus, noninvasive electrical neuromodulation technologies, and best practices in applied connectomics. Details about my projects can be found on the Leaver Lab website.

For more information on my research, please view my Feinberg School of Medicine faculty profile.

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Kai Lin, MD, MS

Research Associate Professor of Radiology (Basic and Translational Radiology Research)

Bio

I have a broad background in quantitative cardiovascular imaging, with specific training and expertise in coronary artery MRI. My research is focusing of identify subclinical coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients suffering type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In addition, I am also interested in evaluating regional myocardial changes in patients with various clinical or subclinical cardiovascular diseases. Recently, I am developing research projects for evaluating cardiovascular responses in treating cancers, immunological and neurodegenerative disorders, such as breast cancer, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). For details and images, visit the Northwestern CVMRI Group page.

For more information on my research, please view my Feinberg School of Medicine faculty profile.

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Todd Parrish, PhD

Professor of Radiology (Basic and Translational Radiology Research), McCormick School of Engineering and Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences

Bio

I have a strong expertise in image processing and neuroimaging with a special emphasis on MR based methods. My group and I have been successful in using advanced neuroimaging methods to demonstrate changes in BOLD, diffusion, perfusion, magnetization transfer and structural measures associated with function, memory and learning in the brain as well as movement, sensory, and pain in the spinal cord. I have a long history of methods development and application of neuroimaging methods to pathologic and clinical conditions. My current interests are developing novel methodologies to explore brain physiology to generate new imaging techniques to study the brain. These areas include neurovascular physiology, perfusion/permeability in tissue, multimodal imaging and image analysis, mechanisms of spinal cord structure and function, the use of infrared thermometry for intraoperative functional mapping in awake surgery, and application of machine learning to medical images. I have extensive experience conducting multi-center neuroimaging studies and understand the issues well. For details and images, visit the Parrish Neuroimaging Laboratory.

For more information on my research, please view my Feinberg School of Medicine faculty profile.

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Ann Ragin, PhD

Research Professor of Radiology (Basic and Translational Radiology Research)

Bio

My research projects include Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging strategies for in vivo measurement of the brain to investigate effects of aging and of viruses, particularly HIV infection. Brain network analysis to investigate effects of aging and for early detection of neural injury. Collaborative projects involve applications of 4D flow imaging to investigate alterations in cerebral blood flow and relation to brain status. For details and images, visit the Northwestern CVMRI Group page.

For more information on my research, please view my Feinberg School of Medicine faculty profile.

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Lirong Yan, PhD

Associate Professor of Radiology (Basic and Translational Radiology Research)

Bio

Dr. Yan is a tenured Associate Professor of Radiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Before she joined Northwestern University in 2022, she was a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the University of Southern California. Dr. Yan directs the Laboratory for Neurovascular Imaging Technology and Translation (NITT) at Department of Radiology. The research of her group focuses on developing novel MRI techniques for cerebral vascular and perfusion imaging (e.g., arterial spin labeling). Her research expertise includes MRI pulse sequence development, fast image acquisition and reconstruction, image processing, etc. Over the last decade, Dr. Yan and her team have developed several cutting-edged MRI techniques, including non-contrast enhanced time-resolved rapid 4-dimensional MR angiography, cerebrovascular territory mapping, cerebral arterial compliance and pulsatility, concurrent BOLD/ASL, etc.

Dr. Yan is also interested in translating novel MRI technology into a variety of clinical applications, such as cerebrovascular disease (stroke, intracranial atherosclerosis, arteriovenous malformation, moyamoya disease) and neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, aging). The mission of Dr. Yan’s research program is to develop non-invasive diagnostic MR imaging tools for cerebrovascular diseases and new imaging biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases.

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