Seth Smith, Ph.D.

Professor
Radiology & Radiological Sciences
Professor
Biomedical Engineering
Professor
Ophthalmology
Director of the Human Imaging Core
Phone
(615)421-8527

My research is focused on translation of advanced, quantitative MRI methods to the human population at both high and low field strenghts.  Specifically, I am interested in developing advanced quantitative MRI methods to study under-represented structures of the human nervous system (optic nerve, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves) as they pertain to human disease.

We are currently involved in a number of research projects, all of which are targeted at understanding the pathophysiology of human disease through the development of advanced, quantitative MRI biomarkers for neurological diseases of the Brain, Spinal Cord, Optic Nerves, and Peripheral nerves.  Specifically, we are focused on ultra-high field (7T) CEST, Diffusion (conventional diffusion tensor and advanced diffusion weighted MRI), Magnetization Transfer, and quantiative T2.  

Research Information

Reproducibility of tract-specific magnetization transfer and diffusion tensor imaging in the cervical spinal cord at 3 tesla. Smith SA, Jones CK, Gifford A, Belegu V, Chodkowski B, Farrell JA, Landman BA, Reich DS, Calabresi PA, McDonald JW, van Zijl PC.

Damage to the optic radiation in multiple sclerosis is associated with retinal injury and visual disability. Reich DS, Smith SA, Gordon-Lipkin EM, Ozturk A, Caffo BS, Balcer LJ, Calabresi PA. Arch Neurol. 2009 Aug;66(8):998-1006.

Direct saturation MRI: theory and application to imaging brain iron. Smith SA, Bulte JW, van Zijl PC. Magn Reson Med. 2009 Aug;62(2):384-93.

Sensorimotor dysfunction in multiple sclerosis and column-specific magnetization transfer-imaging abnormalities in the spinal cord. Zackowski KM, Smith SA, Reich DS, Gordon-Lipkin E, Chodkowski BA, Sambandan DR, Shteyman M, Bastian AJ, van Zijl PC, Calab

Quantitative magnetization transfer characteristics of the human cervical spinal cord in vivo: application to adrenomyeloneuropathy. Smith SA, Golay X, Fatemi A, Mahmood A, Raymond GV, Moser HW, van Zijl PC, Stanisz GJ. Magn Reson Med. 2009 Jan;61(1):22