[Brainmap]: Dr. Priti Balchandani - Visualizing the brain at 7 Tesla: Technical Developments and Clinical Applications

Abstract: 

This talk will cover some novel radio frequency pulse and pulse sequence designs to overcome some of the main limitations of operating at high magnetic fields, thereby enabling high-resolution, whole-brain anatomical, spectroscopic and diffusion imaging at 7T. Translation of these techniques to improve diagnosis, treatment and surgical planning for a range of neurological diseases and disorders will be discussed. Specific clinical applications that will be covered include: Improved localization of epileptogenic foci; imaging to reveal the neurobiology of depression; and development of imaging methods to better guide neurosurgical resection of brain tumors. 

About the Speaker:

Dr. Priti Balchandani is an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiology and Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She also serves as the Director of the The Advanced Neuroimaging Research Program (ANRP) at the Translational and Molecular imaging institute. The mission of ANRP is to develop novel imaging technologies and apply them to diagnosis, treatment and surgical planning for a wide range of diseases, including epilepsy, brain tumors, psychiatric illnesses, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury. For her primary research, Dr. Balchandani leads a team of scientists to devise creative engineering methods to overcome some of the main limitations of magnetic resonance imaging at high magnetic fields, thereby enabling high-resolution whole-brain anatomical, spectroscopic and diffusion imaging as well as unlocking new contrast mechanisms and sources of signal. These techniques are ultimately applied to improve diagnosis, treatment and surgical planning for a wide range of neurological diseases and disorders. Some clinical areas of focus for Dr. Balchandani’s team are: improved localization of epileptogenic foci; imaging to reveal the neurobiology of depression; and development of imaging methods to better guide neurosurgical resection of brain tumors.  She is the principal investigator of two NIH R01 grants: The first on “7T Neurosurgical Mapping Protocol for Endoscopic Resection of Skull Base Tumors” and the second on “7T MRI to reveal structural, connectomic and metabolic imaging markers for the neurobiology of depression”. Both projects have allowed her to establish productive collaborative relationships with renowned neurologists, neurosurgeons and psychiatrists at Mount Sinai, resulting in some of the first work translating the 7T to these clinical applications. She has also been awarded the NARSAD Young Investigator Grant for her pilot work in imaging depression. Dr. Balchandani is also forging collaborative relationships with industry partners, resulting in her acting as the academic PI for a NIH Small Business Technology Transfer on body imaging at ultrahigh fields. Dr. Balchandani received her BASc in computer engineering at the University of Waterloo in Canada and her PhD in electrical engineering at Stanford University.