Ponnada A. Narayana, Ph.D. 1969, Indian Institute of Technology The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging Contact Information Biographical Sketch

Research Interests:

• Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging
• In vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging
• Instrumentation
• Ultrafast imaging
• Automatic image segmentation

The main emphasis of the research group is the development and application of advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, including selective tissue imaging, magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging, and diffusion tensor imaging to neurological disorders and central nervous system trauma. Another major emphasis of our research is the development of novel image processing techniques that are robust and automatic for handling large number of images that are typically encountered in multi-center clinical trials. The laboratory facilities include a 7 Tesla, state-of-the-art MRI scanner dedicated to animal studies, a research dedicated 3 Tesla whole body scanner (to be installed in June 2004), an image processing laboratory, and a fully equipped animal surgical suite.

In the tutorial students will learn basic MR physics, advanced MR techniques, MR instrumentation, including the design and fabrication of RF coils, basics of image processing algorithms and their application to neuroimaging. Students will also be trained in writing software for image processing under IDL and MATLAB environment.


Publications

Program Affiliations:

Program in Medical Physics

Program in Neuroscience