The research in our lab focuses on the development of new MRI acquisition technologies that can dramatically improve the speed, sensitivity and specificity of brain imaging. Our research explores approaches in designing tailored data acquisition & reconstruction algorithms using signal processing/optimization/ML methods, to take advantage of the underlying MR Physics and emerging hardware.
The goal is to create new imaging strategies that can help address important clinical & neuroscientific questions. The technologies that we have developed have enabled highly detailed brain data at unprecedented temporal and spatial resolutions, that have helped extract a wealth of quantitative information about brain structure and physiology. Some of these technologies have now been successfully translated as FDA-approved product, that are now being used daily in the clinic on the Siemens, GE and Phillips MRI scanners worldwide.
- – SpringerLink
Evaluation of highly accelerated wave controlled aliasing in parallel imaging (Wave-CAIPI) susceptibility-weighted imaging in the non-sedated pediatric setting: a pilot study
Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) is highly sensitive for intracranial hemorrhagic and mineralized lesions but is associated with long scan times. Wave controlled aliasing in parallel imaging (Wave-CAIPI) enables greater acceleration factors and might facilitate broader application of SWI, especially in motion-prone populations.
- – 3D Echo Planar Time
3D Echo Planar Time-resolved Imaging (3D-EPTI) for ultrafast multi-parametric quantitative MRI
Multi-parametric quantitative MRI has shown great potential to improve the sensitivity and specificity of clinical diagnosis and to enhance our understanding of complex brain processes, but suffers from long scan time especially at high spatial resolution. To address this long-standing challenge, we introduce a novel approach, termed 3D Echo Planar Time-resolved Imaging (3D-EPTI), which significantly increases the acceleration capacity of MRI sampling, and provides high acquisition efficiency for multi-parametric MRI.
- – Nature
Comprehensive diffusion MRI dataset for in vivo human brain microstructure mapping using 300 mT/m gradients - Scientific Data
Strong gradient systems can improve the signal-to-noise ratio of diffusion MRI measurements and enable a wider range of acquisition parameters that are beneficial for microstructural imaging. We present a comprehensive diffusion MRI dataset of 26 healthy participants acquired on the MGH-USC 3 T Connectome scanner equipped with 300 mT/m maximum gradient strength and a custom-built 64-channel head coil.
- – PubMed
Optimization of magnetization transfer contrast for EPI FLAIR brain imaging
To evaluate the impact of magnetization transfer (MT) on brain tissue contrast in turbo-spin-echo (TSE) and EPI fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images, and to optimize an MT-prepared EPI FLAIR pulse sequence to match the tissue contrast of a clinical reference TSE FLAIR protocol.
- – Wiley Online Library
An artificial intelligence‐accelerated 2‐minute multi‐shot echo planar imaging protocol for comprehensive high‐quality clinical brain imaging
We introduce and validate an artificial intelligence (AI)-accelerated multi-shot echo-planar imaging (msEPI)-based method that provides T1w, T2w, T∗2 , T2-FLAIR, and DWI images with high SNR, high tissue contrast, low specific absorption rates (SAR), and minimal distortion in 2 minutes.
- 09/03/2021 – MRI Workshop
EPFL Workshop on ‘New Horizons in MRI’ - Speaker: Prof. Kawin Setsompop
Prof. Setsompop to speak at the "New Horizons in MRI" workshop in EPFL. Event broadcast live on Sep 24th!
- 08/05/2021 – Wave
FDA-approved clinical product: Wave-CAIPI SWI
Our wave-CAIPI acquisition technology is now an FDA-approved clinical product on Siemens scanners worldwide!
- 08/05/2021 – Doctoral Thesis: MRI techniques for quantitative and microstructure imaging
Congratulation to Zijing Dong for his successful thesis defense!
This thesis aims at overcoming these challenges and providing efficient microstructure imaging for the human brain with higher speed, SNR, resolution, and motion robustness. Thesis Supervisor(s): Kawin Setsompop, Elfar Adalsteinsson (co-advisor)
- 05/15/2021
ISMRM quantitative MR Study Group - 2021 Best Abstract in the Validation category to Fuyixue Wang
Title: Fast and repeatable multi-parametric mapping using 3D Echo-Planar Time-resolved Imaging (3D-EPTI). Synopsis: 3D-EPTI is a recent multi-parametric mapping technique capable of rapid T1,T2,and T2* quantification. In this work, we characterize the repeatability of two optimized 3D-EPTI whole-brain protocols at 1-mm and 0.7-mm isotropic resolutions (3- and 9-minutes), suitable for a range of clinical and neuroscientific applications...
- 05/13/2021 – Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology
Congratulations to Fuyixue Wang for completing her Medical Engineering and Medical Physics (MEMP) PhD program at MIT
Thesis: Spatiotemporal encoding methods for brain magnetic resonance imaging. Thesis Supervisor: Kawin Setsompop, PhD - Associate Professor of Radiology, Stanford University