News & Events

May 2023: Team Spotlight

Our brilliant Jasmine Vu has been awarded the prestigious Magna Cum Laude Merit Award at this year’s ISMRM conference! Her paper, “Vertical MRI Systems May Offer a Safer Platform with Substantially Reduced RF Heating in Adult and Pediatric Patients with CIEDs”, stood out amongst the crowd, and we couldn’t be prouder 🙂

April 2023: Major NIH Grant Awarded for Development of Child-Safe MRI Coil Technology

Our lab has received a significant grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a revolutionary MRI coil technology. This groundbreaking project aims to make magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) safe and accessible for children with conductive implants, a population previously unable to benefit fully from standard MRI procedures.

Our multidisciplinary team of MRI biophysics and instrumentation experts, clinicians, and industry partners, plans to create, validate, and deploy a novel, patient-adjustable MRI coil technology that will allow for safe, high-resolution imaging. This innovative approach will address the critical issue of radiofrequency heating caused by MRI procedures in individuals with implants.

Our preliminary results have shown promising potential, with our technique achieving a 20-fold reduction in radiofrequency heating of various implanted devices. This project represents a significant step toward making state-of-the-art MRI accessible to all children, improving patient care, and expanding our understanding of a range of medical conditions. Stay tuned for updates on our progress!

February 2023: Bringing Ultra Speed and Accuracy to Neural Modeling

Our latest collaboration with electromagnetic expert Prof. Sergey Makarov and renowned mathematician Prof. Leslie Greenland has resulted in the development of an ultra-fast BEM-based method solver for calculating the volume of activated tissue around depth electrodes. Don’t miss our presentation on this topic at the upcoming International Brain Stimulation Conference in Lisbon, Portugal!

February 2023: Ahead of the Game: Staying at the Forefront of Medical Device Testing Standards

Our recent three-week bootcamp workshop on RF heating tests, as outlined in ISO-TS 10974 technical specification, was a huge success. Recognized by the FDA as the consensus standard, ISO-TS 10974 outlines the application of advanced computational modeling and measurements of implant response to controlled RF exposure in order to determine safe conditions under which patients with Active Implantable Medical Devices (AIMDs) can undergo MRI. Workshop participants had a unique opportunity to dive into the depth of theoretical foundations, applied computational methods, and experimental procedures to determine RF safety of realistic devices, including deep brain stimulation (DBS) neuromodulators and cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), at 1.5 T and 3 T. 

January 2023: Say yes to the power of multinational collaboration!

Say yes to the power of multinational collaboration! Our latest work brought together experts from the National Magnetic Resonance Research Center in Turkey, Mittelhessen University of Applied Sciences in Germany, and the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR) at the University of Minnesota to explore the effect of MRI field strength on RF heating of conductive leads, spanning from 1.5 T to 10.5 T. It’s amazing to see how the world can feel small when the motivation to drive scientific progress is big. This is a powerful example of how collaboration can break down barriers and help us achieve great things together. Congratulation to Ehsan Kazemivalipour for driving the work!

January 2023: AI and MRI Safety- A Game-Changer in Patient Care

Our lab has just released a new paper on the groundbreaking application of machine learning for predicting RF heating of cardiac leads during MRI scans. Congratulations to Xinlu Chen and Can Zhang for their outstanding work! This new paper represents a significant step forward in our efforts to improve patient safety and outcomes during MRI procedures. Stay tuned for more exciting developments as we continue to lead the way in MRI safety research.

December 2022: Gutter Balls and Good Times - Lab Celebrates End of Year with Bowling Night!

Strike! Our lab ended 2022 with a bang, hitting the bowling alley for a night of celebration, laughter, and some friendly competition. The sound of crashing pins and cheers filled the air as we reflected on our team’s accomplishments and successes throughout the year. We’re proud of the work we’ve done and the impact we’ve made, and we’re excited to continue pushing the boundaries of science and innovation in 2023!

December 2022: A Neurosurgeon, an Engineer, and an MRI Vendor Walk Into a Bar...

Great discoveries happen when clinicians, engineers, and industry leaders work together. Our new paper on RF heating of deep brain stimulation devices in open bore vertical scanners brings new hope for the possibility of safe MRI in patients with implanted devices using already existing platforms. We’re excited to acknowledge the generous support from FUJIFILM Healthcare, as well as in-kind donations from Boston Scientific and Abbott Neuromodulation. Stay tuned for more exciting developments as we continue to work on this promising avenue for other types of implants!

October 2022: Pushing the Envelope of MRI Safety- Highlights from NYC Workshop

Our lab rocked the boat at the recent ISMRM Workshop on MRI Safety in NYC. We had a strong presence, with four presentations and an expert talk by Laleh on pushing the envelope of MRI safety in unusual systems and environments. We also caught up with old friends and collaborators over a steaming bowl of udon, including Prof. Giorgio Bonmassar from Harvard Medical School and Dr. Kyoko Fujimoto, Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs at GE Healthcare, with whom we have exciting ongoing projects. But the highlight of the workshop was definitely the iconic dinner on a scenic cruise. With stunning views of the city skyline and delicious food to boot, we all had a blast and made some unforgettable memories. It was a great opportunity to network with peers and experts in the field, learn about the latest developments in MRI safety, and share our own research and expertise. We can’t wait to set sail again at the next workshop!