Human MR Imaging Research Lab

Principal Investigator Stefan Posse, PhD, leads The Human MR Imaging Research Lab. Here, we develop novel diagnostic MRI methods for characterizing human brain function and physiology. Our goal is to improve individualized treatment strategies and prognosis based on patient-specific functional brain mapping.

Principal Investigator Dr. Posse pioneered real-time functional MRI and high-speed MR spectroscopic imaging, which is known as Proton-Echo-Planar-Spectroscopic-Imaging (PEPSI).

Current Studies

Presurgical Mapping in Patients with Brain Tumors

The objective of this study is to develop novel approaches for presurgical mapping of eloquent cortex, tumor metabolism and fiber tracts in patients with brain tumors using real-time resting-state fMRI, real-time task-based fMRI, and proton-echo-planar-spectroscopic-imaging (PEPSI).

Concurrent High-Speed fMRI and Diffusion Tensor MRSI

The objective of this study is to enable simultaneous acquisition of diffusion tensor spectroscopic imaging and high-speed functional MRI to reduce long scan times in multi-modal presurgical mapping, and validate this approach in healthy adults and in patients with brain tumors.

High frequency resting state connectivity in high-speed fMRI

The objective of this study is to characterize the biophysical basis and the clinical potential of high frequency connectivity.

High-speed fMRI of resting state connectivity

The objective of this study is to develop ultra-high-speed real-time fMRI by integrating simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) EPI and multi-slab echo-volumar imaging (EVI).

Monitoring Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Response in Breast Cancer using High-Speed 3D MR Spectroscopic Imaging of total Choline

In this study, we will assess whether changes in total choline concentration [tCho] during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) are predictive of pathologic complete response (pCR) in patients with early stage breast cancer (ESBC) appropriate for NAC, and compare our findings with dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI).