Musculoskeletal Diseases Research Community Seminar Series

We are delighted to invite you to join our upcoming Musculoskeletal Diseases Research Community Seminar Series, which will take place on Thursday, February 6, 2025, from 15–16 in SN205 and online.

Special guest speaker, Dr. Marcelo Zibetti, PhD, from New York University, USA

Talk title: Enhancing T1rho Mapping: Optimization and Learning in MRI Acquisition

Abstract:
Spin-lattice relaxation in the rotating frame (T1rho) mapping is a magnetic resonance (MR) technique known for its sensitivity to macromolecular content in various human diseases. T1rho mapping has been demonstrated in applications such as early osteoarthritis detection and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s disease. To transition T1rho mapping into clinical reality, advancements are necessary to improve aspects such as accuracy, signal-to-noise ratio, and scan time.
In this presentation, we will discuss how to improve T1rho mapping by rethinking pulse sequences, supported by advanced optimization tools and machine learning. We'll highlight recent progress, including optimized variable flip angles, weighted spin-lock acquisitions, and the combined learning of undersampling and deep learning reconstruction. These innovations can significantly enhance T1rho mapping, moving it closer to clinical practice.

Bio:
Marcelo Victor Wust Zibetti received his doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering from Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina in 2007. He received the IBM Best Student Paper Award at the IEEE ICIP‘06. From 2007 to 2008 he was a researcher at the Department of Statistics and Applied Mathematics, University of Campinas, SP, Brazil. From 2008 to 2015 he was an assistant professor at the Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná in Curitiba, Brazil, teaching in the mechanical and electronic engineering departments, where he headed the research group on image reconstruction and inverse problems. From 2015 to 2016 he was a visiting scholar at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He started at the New York University (NYU) in 2016, as a research scientist. Currently, he is an assistant professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and a researcher at the Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAI2R). His research interests include image reconstruction algorithms, machine learning algorithms for imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and ultrasound imaging.

The seminar is open to anyone interested. We hope you will join us for an engaging seminar!

For more information, please contact Research Community Coordinator Cristina Florea, email cristina.florea@uef.fi.