Radiology Research Home Page
The Department of Radiology is actively engaged in research in a number of areas. A major departmental research effort is the investigation of clinical applications of magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy. The department has a strong program in basic research and development in high field MRI that is focused on developing techniques to assess organ metabolism for clinical applications. The Meadows Advanced Imaging Center houses one 0.7T open system, two 1.5T units, and two 3T units, including one dedicated to research.
We have leading scientists in the field of MR including Dr. Phillip Purdy (Gulf War Syndrome, spinal cord injury, interventional neuroradiology), Dr. Richard Briggs (fMRI, Gulf War Syndrome), Dr. Ron Peshock (cardiology), Dr. Craig Malloy (cardiac MR spectroscopy), Dr. Diane Twickler (Obstetrics). Dr. Orhan Oz is in the field of Bone Biology. Dr. Ralph Mason (Prognostic Radiology, tumor physiology) is the director of an NCI P20 grant to establish a new program of imaging applications on the molecular level of diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In the field of Neuroradiology (spinal cord injury and stroke) is Dr. Phil Purdy.
There are currently 25 full-time Ph.D. scientists on the faculty, specializing in such areas as radiological physics, radiation biology, biochemistry, radiochemistry, biomedical engineering, computer science, positron emission tomography and biomedical magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy.
The department offers both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in radiological sciences through the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences under the direction of Dr. Peter Antich. This program maintains active research laboratories investigating numerous topics, including the effects of radiation, computer applications in radionuclide cardiology and positron emission tomography, and the medical applications of new physical concepts and instrumentation. The section includes a well-equipped machine shop capable of producing a wide variety of phantoms and other research aids.
The Neuroradiology Division in Radiology has recently established a Neuroimaging Research Laboratory, as part of a collaborative effort with the Division of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine, to form a neuroimaging research program. The goal of this laboratory is to develop and apply the most advanced magnetic resonance (MR) and other neuroimaging technology to further understanding of normal and abnormal brain and spinal cord function.
Directed by Dr. Richard Briggs, the Neuroimaging Research Laboratory features a Siemens Trio 3 Tesla whole-body human MR system, housed in the Algur H. Meadows Diagnostic Imaging Center on the UT Southwestern campus near the General Clinical Research Center. This instrument is used for functional MR imaging (fMRI), MR spectroscopy (MRS), and perfusion/diffusion imaging. It has 8 channels for fast parallel imaging and will be upgraded to 16 channels in late 2005.
