Dennis L. Parker

Dennis L. Parker, PhD

Languages spoken: English, French, German

Academic Information

Departments Primary - Radiology & Imaging Sciences

Academic Office Information

dennis.parker@hsc.utah.edu

Lab

Research Interests

  • Mathematics and Physics of Medical Imaging with Emphasis on Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • MR Angiography (Rapid Scanning and High Resolution)
  • Improved Small Vessel Detail in Magnetic Resonance Angiography
  • Human Carotid Artery Plaque Imaging and Analysis
  • MR-Guided High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Both transcranial MRgHIFU and a Breast-Specific MRgHIFU Device
  • MR Mammography
  • Composite MRI Gradient Systems
  • Custom MR Coils - Optic Nerve

Dr. Dennis Parker earned his MS in Physics from Brigham Young University and his PhD in Medical Biophysics and Computing from the University of Utah. He is the Mark H. Huntsman endowed Professor, in the Departments of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, and Biomedical Informatics. He served as the founding Director of the Utah Center for Advanced Imaging Research from 2003 to 2016. Dr. Parker is also an investigator of the Huntsman Cancer Institute and a member of the Experimental Therapeutics Program.



With more than 40 years of experience in medical imaging research and image guided therapies, Dr. Parker has published extensively in his areas of expertise. These areas include: physics and mathematics of medical imaging, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA), and MR guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (MRgHIFU) in breast and pancreatic cancer, as well as general cancer magnetic resonance imaging. He published the first paper on using MRI to measure temperature with the intent of guiding thermal therapy of cancer and has been one of the principal faculty in developing the University of Utah's program in MRgHIFU for thermal therapy applications.


Prior to joining the University of Utah in 1982 as an assistant professor, Dr. Parker was an assistant professor at the University of California at San Francisco. In 2000, he received the Distinguished Research Award from University of Utah and prior to this was appointed President of the Magnetic Resonance Angiography Club (1998). He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biomedical Engineers (2008) and of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (2015).

“After earning my BS in Physics, I read the book The Double Helix and realized that physics could be used in medical/biological research. During my PhD, I became interested in the great potential of computers and how they could be used, in combination with physics, to develop new methods of medical imaging. I found it very fulfilling to be able to use physics and computer science to develop technology that could see things in the body that have never been seen before. This has kept me on a challenging but fascinating journey, developing an educational/research program in medical imaging research.”

Google Scholar: http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=9_0odKsAAAAJ&hl=en

Education History

Doctoral Training University of Utah
 PhD
Graduate Training Brigham Young University
 MS
Undergraduate Brigham Young University
 BS

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Richards N, Malmberg M, Oden H, Johnson S, Kline M, Merrill R, Hadley R, Parker DL, Payne A (2025). In vivo simultaneous proton resonance frequency shift thermometry and single reference variable flip angle T(1) measurements. Magn Reson Med. (Read full article)
  2. Adams-Tew SI, Oden H, Parker DL, Cheng CC, Madore B, Payne A, Joshi S (2024). Physics Informed Neural Networks for Estimation of Tissue Properties from Multi-echo Configuration State MRI. 15011, 502-511. (Read full article)
  3. Cornelssen C, Payne A, Parker DL, Alexander M, Merrill R, Senthilkumar S, Christensen J, Wilcox KS, Oden H, Rolston JD (2024). Development of an MR-Guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) Lesioning Approach for the Fornix in the Rat Brain. Ultrasound Med Biol, 50(6), 920-926. (Read full article)
  4. Malmberg MA, Oden H, Hofstetter LW, Hadley JR, Parker DL (2023). Validation of single reference variable flip angle (SR-VFA) dynamic T(1) mapping with T(2) * correction using a novel rotating phantom. Magn Reson Med, 91(4), 1419-1433. (Read full article)
  5. Oden H, Shah LM, Rieke V, Parker DL, Rahimpour S (2024). MR-Guided Focused Ultrasound Thalamotomy in the Setting of Aneurysm Clip. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol, 45(3), 302-304. (Read full article)
  6. Marchant JK, Clinard SR, Oden H, Parker DL, Christensen DA (2023). The influence of bone model geometries on the determination of skull acoustic properties. Int J Numer Method Biomed Eng, 39(12), e3779. (Read full article)
  7. Kim SE, McNally JS, Alexander MD, Zabriskie MS, Parker DL, Day RW (2023). Evaluation of methemoglobin as an intravascular contrast agent: T1 relaxation time effect in a rabbit model. Magn Reson Imaging, 103, 1-7. (Read full article)
  8. Oden H, Hofstetter LW, Payne AH, Guiraud L, Dumont E, Parker DL (2023). Simultaneous proton resonance frequency T(1) - MR shear wave elastography for MR-guided focused ultrasound multiparametric treatment monitoring. Magn Reson Med, 89(6), 2171-2185. (Read full article)
  9. Slominski E, Marchant J, Judd W, Alexander MD, Rolston JD, Oden H, Rieke V, Christensen DA, Parker DL (2023). Influence of cerebrospinal fluid on power absorption during transcranial magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound treatment. Med Phys, 50(6), 3245-3257. (Read full article)
  10. Baradaran H, Culleton S, Stoddard G, Alexander MD, Romero JR, Hadley JR, Kim SE, Parker DL, McNally JS (2022). Association between high-risk extracranial carotid plaque and covert brain infarctions and cerebral microbleeds. Neuroradiology, 65(2), 287-295. (Read full article)
  11. Adams-Tew SI, Johnson S, Oden H, Parker DL, Payne A (2022). Validation of a drift-corrected 3D MR temperature imaging sequence for breast MR-guided focused ultrasound treatments. Magn Reson Imaging, 96, 126-134. (Read full article)
  12. Parker DL, Payne A, Oden H (2022). A k-space-based method to measure and correct for temporal B(0) field variations in MR temperature imaging. Magn Reson Med, 88(3), 1098-1111. (Read full article)
  13. Malmberg MA, Oden H, Parker DL (2022). Effects of T(2) * on accuracy and precision of dynamic T(1) measurements using the single reference variable flip angle method: a simulation study. Med Phys, 49(4), 2396-2412. (Read full article)
  14. Hensen B, Hellms S, Werlein C, Jonigk D, Gronski PA, Bruesch I, Rumpel R, Wittauer EM, Vondran FWR, Parker DL, Wacker F, Gutberlet M (2022). Correction of heat-induced susceptibility changes in respiratory-triggered 2D-PRF-based thermometry for monitoring of magnetic resonance-guided hepatic microwave ablation in a human-like in vivo porcine model. Int J Hyperthermia, 39(1), 1387-1396. (Read full article)
  15. Hofstetter LW, Hadley R, Merrill R, Pham H, Fine GC, Parker DL (2022). MRI-compatible electromagnetic servomotor for image-guided medical robotics. Commun Eng, 1. (Read full article)
  16. Hadley JR, Oden H, Merrill R, Adams SI, Rieke V, Payne A, Parker DL (2021). Improving image quality in transcranial magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound using a conductive screen. Magn Reson Imaging, 83, 41-49. (Read full article)
  17. Baradaran H, Delic A, McNally JS, Alexander M, Majersik JJ, Parker DL, de Havenon A (2021). Carotid Compliance and Parahippocampal and Hippocampal Volume over a 20-Year Period. Dement Geriatr Cogn Dis Extra, 11(3), 227-234. (Read full article)
  18. McLean M, Parker DL, Oden H, Payne A (2021). A T1-based correction method for proton resonance frequency shift thermometry in breast tissue. Med Phys, 48(9), 4719-4729. (Read full article)
  19. Kim SE, Parker DL, Roberts JA, Treiman GS, Alexander M, Baradaran H, de Havenon A, McNally JS (2021). Differentiation of symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid intraplaque hemorrhage using 3D high-resolution diffusion-weighted stack of stars imaging. NMR Biomed, 34(11), e4582. (Read full article)
  20. McNally JS, Havenon A, Kim SE, Wang C, Wang S, Zabriskie MS, Parker DL, Baradaran H, Alexander MD (2020). Rabbit models of intracranial atherosclerotic disease for pathological validation of vessel wall MRI. Neuroradiol J, 34(3), 193-199. (Read full article)
  21. Hofstetter LW, Oden H, Bolster BD Jr, Christensen DA, Payne A, Parker DL (2021). Magnetic resonance shear wave elastography using transient acoustic radiation force excitations and sinusoidal displacement encoding. Phys Med Biol, 66(5). (Read full article)
  22. Baradaran H, Eisenmenger LB, Hinckley PJ, de Havenon AH, Stoddard GJ, Treiman LS, Treiman GS, Parker DL, Scott McNally J (2021). Optimal Carotid Plaque Features on Computed Tomography Angiography Associated With Ischemic Stroke. J Am Heart Assoc, 10(5), e019462. (Read full article)
  23. Beck MJ, Parker DL, Hadley JR (2021). Quasistatic Solutions versus Full-Wave Solutions of Single-Channel Circular RF Receive Coils on Phantoms of Varying Conductivities at 3 Tesla. Concepts Magn Reson Part B Magn Reson Eng, 2021. (Read full article)
  24. Payne A, Minalga E, Merrill R, Parker DL, Hadley JR (2020). Technical Note: Effect of transducer position and ground plane configuration on image quality in MR-guided focused ultrasound therapies. Med Phys, 47(6), 2350-2355. (Read full article)
  25. Hofstetter LW, Fausett L, Mueller A, Oden H, Payne A, Christensen DA, Parker DL (2020). Development and characterization of a tissue mimicking psyllium husk gelatin phantom for ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. Int J Hyperthermia, 37(1), 283-290. (Read full article)
  26. Beck MJ, Parker DL, Hadley JR (2020). Capacitive versus Overlap Decoupling of Adjacent Radio Frequency Phased Array Coil Elements: An Imaging Robustness Comparison When Sample Load Varies for 3 Tesla MRI. Concepts Magn Reson Part B Magn Reson Eng, 2020. (Read full article)
  27. McNally JS, Jaffey JA, Kim SE, Alexander MD, Shumway KL, Cohn LA, Parker DL, Day RW (2019). Methemoglobin Modulation as an Intravascular Contrast Agent for Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Proof of Concept. Front Vet Sci, 6, 416. (Read full article)
  28. de Havenon A, Muhina HJ, Parker DL, McNally JS, Alexander MD (2019). Effect of Time Elapsed since Gadolinium Administration on Atherosclerotic Plaque Enhancement in Clinical Vessel Wall MR Imaging Studies. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol, 40(10), 1709-1711. (Read full article)
  29. de Bever JT, Oden H, Hofstetter LW, Parker DL (2017). Simultaneous MR thermometry and acoustic radiation force imaging using interleaved acquisition. Magn Reson Med, 79(3), 1515-1524. (Read full article)
  30. Svedin BT, Payne A, Bolster BD Jr, Parker DL (2017). Multiecho pseudo-golden angle stack of stars thermometry with high spatial and temporal resolution using k-space weighted image contrast. Magn Reson Med, 79(3), 1407-1419. (Read full article)
  31. Svedin BT, Parker DL (2017). Technical Note: The effect of 2D excitation profile on T1 measurement accuracy using the variable flip angle method with an average flip angle assumption. Med Phys, 44(11), 5930-5937. (Read full article)
  32. Iversen MM, Christensen DA, Parker DL, Holman HA, Chen J, Frerck MJ, Rabbitt RD (2017). Low-intensity ultrasound activates vestibular otolith organs through acoustic radiation force. J Acoust Soc Am, 141(6), 4209. (Read full article)
  33. Volland NA, Kholmovski EG, Parker DL, Hadley JR (2013). Initial feasibility testing of limited field of view magnetic resonance thermometry using a local cardiac radiofrequency coil. Magn Reson Med, 70(4), 994-1004. (Read full article)
  34. Mendes J, Parker DL, Kim SE, Treiman GS (2013). Reduced blood flow artifact in intraplaque hemorrhage imaging using CineMPRAGE. Magn Reson Med, 69(5), 1276-84. (Read full article)
  35. Diakite M, Payne A, Todd N, Parker DL (2013). Irreversible change in the T1 temperature dependence with thermal dose using the proton resonance frequency-T1 technique. Magn Reson Med, 69(4), 1122-30. (Read full article)
  36. Wang Y, Morrell G, Heibrun ME, Payne A, Parker DL (2013). 3D multi-parametric breast MRI segmentation using hierarchical support vector machine with coil sensitivity correction. Acad Radiol, 20(2), 137-47. (Read full article)
  37. Underhill HR, Yuan C, Zhao XQ, Kraiss LW, Parker DL, Saam T, Chu B, Takaya N, Liu F, Polissar NL, Neradilek B, Raichlen JS, Cain VA, Waterton JC, Hamar W, Hatsukami TS (2008). Effect of rosuvastatin therapy on carotid plaque morphology and composition in moderately hypercholesterolemic patients: a high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging trial. Am Heart J, 155(3), 584.e1-8. (Read full article)

Patent

  1. Hadley JR, Parker DL, Beck M, Minalga E, Merrill R (2019). Interchangeable Patient-Specific Receive-Only Neck Coils for Simultaneous Imaging with Radio Frequency Head Coils. U.S. Patent No. U6077. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  2. Hadley JR, Parker DL, Merrill R (2019). Endoenteric BAlloon Coil. U.S. Patent No. U5860. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  3. Payne A, Merrill RP, Parker DL, Lighty L (2019). Pateint Support Apparatus. U.S. Patent No. U5941. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  4. Payne A, Hadley JR, MErrill RP, Minalga E, Parker DL, Lighty L (2019). Therapeutic Ultrasound breast Treatment. U.S. Patent No. U5763. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  5. Parker DL, Payne A, Svedin B, Bolster B (2019). 3D Multi-echo Stack of Stars Radial Acquisition for MRI temperature measurement. U.S. Patent No. U6158. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  6. Parker DL, Payne A, Christensen DA, de Bever J (2019). Elastography Imaging with Magnetic Resonance Imaging Guided Focused Ultrasound. U.S. Patent No. U6010. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  7. Hadley JR, Parker DL, Morrell GR (2015). Linear phase microstrip radio frequency trasnmit coils. U.S. Patent No. US 9,057,767 B2, 06/16/21015. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  8. Mendes J, Parker DL (2014). Intrinsic Detection of Motion in Segmented Sequences. U.S. Patent No. US 8,811,694, 08/19/2014. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  9. Mendes J, Parker DL (2014). Retrospectively Correlated Turbo Spin Echo Imaging, submitted: ECG Correlated (cine) Turbo Spin Echo Magnetic Resonance Imaging(cine TSE MRI). U.S. Patent No. Ref: U-4856, US 8,738,413; 05/27/2014. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  10. Jeong, EK, Parker DL, Kim SE Choi, Kholmovski EG (2013). System and Methods for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. U.S. Patent No. US 8406849, 03/26/2013. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  11. Kholmovski EG, Parker DL, DiBella EVR (2013). Systems and methods for image reconstruction of senstivity encoded MRI data. U.S. Patent No. US 8427156, 04/23/2013. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  12. Parker DL, Hadley JR, Goodrich KC (2012). Dynamic Composite Gradient Systems for MRI. U.S. Patent No. US 8,339,138, 12/25/2012. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  13. Parker DL, Kholmovski EG (2012). Method and system for motion correction in imaging systems. U.S. Patent No. US 8155389, 04/10/2012. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  14. Kholmovski E, Parker DL, DiBella EVR (2011). Systems and methods for image reconstruction of sensitivity encoded MRI data. U.S. Patent No. US 7,511,495 B2 (US 7,884,604 B2 Feb 8, 2011). Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  15. Guo J, Kholmovski EG, Zhang L, Parker DL (2010). Method and System for Parallel Reconstruction in the K-Space Domian for Application in Imaging Systems. U.S. Patent No. US 7,840,045,B2, 11/23/2010. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  16. Hadley JR, Parker DL, Burnett AJ (2009). Apparatus and Methods for Imaging Using an Anat9omical Positioning System. U.S. Patent No. US 7,613,494 B2, issued 11/3/09. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  17. Lu ZR, Parker DL. (2009). Degradable macromolecular magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents and methods thereof. U.S. Patent No. 6,982,324. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  18. Parker DL, Alexander AL, Roberts JA, Chapman BE (2004). Method and Apparatus for Enhancing an Image using Data Optimization and Segmentation. U.S. Patent No. 6,674,894. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  19. Zhou R, Hammond EH, Parker D (1998). Method and system for multiple wavelength microscopy image analysis. U.S. Patent No. 5,732,150. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  20. DU YP, Parker DL (1997). Vessel enhancement filtering in magnetic resonance angiography. U.S. Patent No. 5,644,646. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  21. Parker DL, Blatter DD (1993). Three-Dimensional Hybrid Magnetic Resonance Spatial and Velocity Imaging. U.S. Patent No. 5,225,779. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  22. Parker DL, Blatter DD (1992). Magnetic Resonance Angiography by Sequential Multiple Thin Slab Three-Dimensional Acquisition (1062 P). U.S. Patent No. 5,167,232. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.