Cristian T. Badea, PhD

• My research focus lies primarily in developing novel imaging systems, reconstruction algorithms and analysis methods. I have a broad background in medical imaging with specific expertise in X-ray based computed tomography (CT), micro-CT, micro-DSA, tomosynthesis, and fluorescence tomography. I am convinced that CT imaging can be expanded from mostly anatomical to functional and even molecular imaging capabilities.
• At the time when no commercial or academic micro-CT imaging systems were capable of performing dynamic cardiac CT in the mouse, at Duke my group designed and built a unique micro-CT system that was used to produce the first in vivo cine CT imaging of the murine heart. Following that achievement, we have completed a second-generation dual tube/detector micro-CT system for faster dynamic imaging. With our system, the two x-ray tubes fire simultaneously, making cardiac imaging twice faster. Furthermore, having two x-ray sources allows Dual Energy-CT with a single scan.

• The last few years, my focus has shifted to dual energy CT imaging using nanoparticle-based contrast agents for theranostics (i.e. therapy and diagnostics). One major aim of modern cancer therapy is to target, image, and treat cancer using a single nanoparticle platform. I have used our in-house-developed dual source micro-CT system to image iodinated liposomes and gold nanoparticles in various cancer and cardiac applications. Dual energy micro-CT provides separation of iodine and calcium or iodine and gold, and it was applied in imaging myocardial infarction, classification of atherosclerotic plaque composition, and the classification of tumor aggressiveness in classification of lung cancer, and classification of radiation therapy response in primary sarcoma tumors. We were the first to demonstrate dual energy micro-CT imaging using dual nanoparticles (gold and iodine) to image two important vascular biomarkers in tumors—the microvascular blood volume and vascular permeability.
• More recently, we have developed Photon Counting CT systems for spectral CT of tumors and the beating murine heart. This work has received NIH funding.

·         I have also been engaged in developing new approaches in image reconstruction suitable to address difficult undersampling cases in cardiac and spectral micro-CT using compressed sensing. We have recently introduced combined spectral and temporal 5D (3D + Time + Energy) CT imaging.  See examples here. We have also developed 5D hybrid CT reconstruction combining energy integrating and photon counting CT data. An older talk on Multidimensional CT Imaging illustrated most of my previous preclinical research.

·         We are currently developing Deep Learning solutions to solve various imaging problems for both preclinical and clinical spectral dual source CT.

• I am also the Principal Investigator on the U24 Duke Preclinical Research Resources for Quantitative Imaging Biomarkers part of the NCI Co-Clinical Imaging Research Resources Program network (CIRP). We are developing quantitative imaging methods for use in the preclinical arm of a co-clinical trial investigating synergy between immunotherapy and radiotherapy in sarcoma.  We have investigated the importance  of respiratory gating for micro-CT imaging of lung nodules and developed deep learning based segmentation and radiomics of MRI-based sarcoma tumors.

Education and Training

• University of Patras (Greece), Ph.D. 2001
• Postdoctoral Studies at Duke 2003-2005

Selected Grants and Awards

• The Duke Preclinical Research Resources for Quantitative Imaging Biomarkers
• Cardiac photon counting CT and its application in studying interactions between Alzheimer's and heart disease
• Development of a New Generation Micro-CT imaging for Functional and Molecular Imaging of Cancer
• Tumor perfusion in small animals with tomographic digital subtraction angiography
• Director of Core B (Extend Micro-CT / Image Reconstruction for Functional Imaging) for P41 (EB015897) resource grant.

Mentoring

·         I am also involved with teaching in Duke Medical Physics Program and I am have mentored brilliant graduate students and postdocs: Darin Clark, Matt Holbrook, Alex Allphin, Jeffrey Ashton, Mengheng Touch, Samuel Johnston.

·         During 2007-2012, I have also served as faculty and CT imaging expert during the NCI-sponsored Cancer Research Imaging Camps

My Gratitude

§  I am grateful to all my collaborators for being a source of inspiration and motivation. Working with these people makes my day, and gets me through all kinds of moments. It reminds me of the value of what we need to do, and helps me not forget why we ought to keep moving onwards! I am particularly grateful for collaborating with Drs. David Kirsch, Yvonne Mowery, Ketan Ghagahada and Jennifer West.

§  I owe a lot to colleagues and staffers. But students are the beating heart and blood of a university, and the Duke students I have the privilege to work with are some of the best.

§  Nothing I have done so far would be possible without the support of a loving and fun family.

My Publications

§  My Google Scholar Webpage

§  My Scopus Author Page

§  My ORCID Page

§  My Duke Scholars Page

§  My Duke Radiology Page

Press Releases

§  On CT imaging using liposomal contrast agents : Collaboration with Texas Children's

§  On tumor dual energy CT using gold and iodinated nanoparticles

§  "Micro-CT" Scans of Mice Zoom in on Heart Defects