My primary interest is in using imaging technology for elucidating the pathophysiology of hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus, a disease which is most common in newborns and young children, although it is also one of the causes of dementia in the elderly, is characterized by an increased accumulation of fluid in the brain. It is associated with brain development, cognitive and motor function delays and deficits. In collaboration with researchers at the Washington University in St. Louis, we are working on characterizing the role of brain pulsations in the development and progression of ventricular dilation in hydrocephalus. We use MRI and multi-photon confocal microscopy to image blood and cerebrospinal fluid flow in an animal, and are now working with the Einstein Behavioral Core to evaluate potential biomarkers of disease severity and of recovery following shunting of the fluid from the brain. The work obviously has important clinical application, and we are working on improved imaging techniques for quantifying pulsatile fluid flow in the brain and its relationship to hydrocephalus and recovery following shunt surgery.
Finally, I am interested in MRI pulse sequence development, i.e. manipulating the MRI machine to extract new types of information from MRI images.
Focus areas:
- Quantitative flow imaging
- Hydrocephalus
- Animal models of disease
- Dynamic MRI and sleep apnea
- Multiple sclerosis
- Diffusion tensor imaging
- Volumetric analysis
- MRI Pulse sequence development