Brain Imaging Laboratory

The brain imaging laboratory in the Department of Radiology was established in 1997 for the purposes of analyzing imaging data acquired at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Housed within the Dept of Radiology Library, it has proven to be of vital use for researchers and students undertaking neuro research. It is currently in use not only, by research groups within the University and the hospital, but also by other insitutions such as the Austin Hospital.

Research groups currently using the Brain Imaging laboratory:

Group under Prof Brian Tress (Dept of Radiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital and University of Melbourne): Assoc Prof Patricia Desmond, Dr Christopher Steward, Ms Amy Timoshanko, Ms Melissa de Fosses

• Analysis of deconstructed diffusion tensor parameters in the assessment of acute stroke
• Analysis of temporal progression of deconstructed diffusion tensor parameters in stroke
• The use of MRI, including T1 perfusion, spectroscopy and diffusion in the diagnosis of brain tumours in vivo
• Assessment of the correlation between MRI paramters and histological parameters in a glioma rat model
• A fundamental analysis of the ADC distributions in different tissue types within the brain
• Development of in-house medical imaging software for analysis of above projects

Group under Assoc Prof Terry O'Brien (Dept of Medicine, University of Melbourne): Anita Vinton, Bianca Jupp.

• SPM analysis of FDG-PET images in depressed and non-depressed TLE patients
• FDG-PET hypometabolism and outcome from epilepsy surgery for TLE
• FDG-PET and diffusion and perfusion MRI in a rat model of TLE
• Hippocampal volume measurements and neuropsychological measures in gulf war veterans.
• FDG-PET and brain volumes in non-lesional TLE vs mesial temporal lobe epilepsy

Group of Professor Stephen Davis (Dept of Radiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital and University of Melbourne) Dr Louise Allport, Dr Jane Prosser, Dr Christen Barras, Soren Christenson, Dr Poh-Sien Lo.

• Infarct predictions in stroke using multimodal MRI.
• The 'PREDICT' study - Prediction in ischaemic cerebral transient events. The use of MRI and biomarker assays to atempt to predict recurrent stroke
• The 'ENHANCE' Study - Enhancement of haematoma in Analysis of clot evolution. The investigation of Ct angiography for predixction of haematoma growth in primary intracerebral haemorrhage
• CT scan predictors of haematoma growth in intracerebral haemorrhage: density heterogeneity and shape.
• Insular cortical ischaemia is independently associated with acute stress hyperglycaemia.
• Elevated haematocrit is associated with reduced reperfusion and tissue survival in acute stroke.
• Frequency and temporal profile of poststroke hyperglycaemia using continuous glucose monitoring.
• Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and infacrt evolution in acute stroke: A serial fibrinolytic and MRI study.