Personalized & Integrative Computational Cardiovascular Imaging (PIC-CVI) Lab Elbaz PIC-CVI Lab

The Elbaz Personalized & Integrative Computational Cardiovascular Imaging (PIC-CVI) Lab, part of the Northwestern Radiology Department, is dedicated to pioneering advanced computational MRI techniques that enable personalized and comprehensive assessments of complex cardiovascular diseases. Our NIH-funded lab integrates data science with cutting-edge computational methods to transform cardiac MRI, covering aspects such as flow, function, structure, and mechanics, all in the service of personalized medicine.

By leveraging interdisciplinary expertise in computer science, cardiovascular imaging, applied fluid dynamics, and translational clinical research, we aim to push the boundaries of cardiovascular diagnostics. Our research blends mathematical modeling, AI/ML, and probabilistic analysis to improve personalized diagnostics, guide intervention planning, and predict outcomes. Our innovations process millions-to-billions of associations in near real-time, equipping clinicians with tools to make more accurate assessments of cardiovascular disease, stroke risk, and catheter-ablation outcomes.

At the heart of our work is the analysis of vast and complex datasets, connecting imaging, clinical data, and outcomes to create precise, multiplexed disease signatures. We are also focused on developing self-calibrating imaging methods, advanced quantitative tools, and interpretable AI systems that deliver clinically translatable solutions across cardiology, surgery, pulmonology, and neurology.

Our key research areas include noninvasive evaluation of advanced hemodynamics (e.g., using 4D Flow MRI), precise quantification of high-dimensional physiological and structural imaging data (e.g., from 3D LGE, Diffusion MRI, Tissue Phase Mapping, 4D Flow, T1 & T2 mapping), and the integration of MRI with other imaging modalities (e.g., Electrophysiology, CT, PET, Echo). These innovations are designed to uncover new insights into cardiovascular pathophysiology and develop novel diagnostic and predictive markers for enhanced risk stratification in both adult and congenital heart disease.

Example Fields of Interest: Medical Image Processing / Analysis; AI/ML, Quantitative MRI; Computational Imaging; Personalized Imaging-Guided Intervention; Hyper-Dimensional Data Analysis & Transform; Inverse Imaging Problems; Cardiovascular Fluid Dynamics; Translational Imaging . Check the Research page for example ongoing projects

LATEST NEWS

• May 2023: Our #ISMRM23 abstract received the Summa Cum Laude Award (Top 5% of abstracts)– the highest ISMRM abstract Merit Award — from the ISMRM conference to be held in Toronto in June 2023:
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• May 2023:  Dr. Mohammed Elbaz, Ph.D., the PIC-CVI-lab PI – has been named a Fellow of the Society of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (FSCMR)! This prestigious honor recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance.
• December 2022: Two SCMR Travel Awards : Congratulations to PIC-CVI PhD students, Mehri Mehrnia and Thara Nallamothu, for each receiving competitive SCMR Travel Award for each of their accepted abstracts to present their work at the SCMR conference, in San Diego in January, 2023.
• November, 2022: Four Accepted abstracts at SCMR 2023 spanning computational MRI of Cardiac Flow, Structure and Mechanics in atrial fibrillation, mitral regurgitation and pre and post left atrial ablation intervention.
  1. Mehri Mehrnia, Eugene Kholmovski, Daniel Kim, Rod Passman, Mohammed S. M. Elbaz. “Novel Threshold-free Fibrosis Signature Index (FSI) for quantification of left atrial fibrosis and scar burden from 3D LGE”. In Proceedings: Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) 26th annual meeting, January 25-28, 2023 (Accepted)
  2. Thara Nallamothu, Aakash Gupta, Philip Greenland, Mohammed S. M. Elbaz. “Novel 4D Flow Hemodynamic Signature Index (HSI) of mitral regurgitation burden associates with cardiac dysfunction independent of regurgitation severity grading”. In Proceedings: Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) 26th annual meeting, January 25-28, 2023 (Accepted)
  3. Siva Sreedhar, Aakash Gupta, Teodora Chitiboi, Maurice Pradella, Mohammed S.M. Elbaz. “Left Atrial Circumferential Strain Associates with Mitral Regurgitation (MR) Severity and Cardiac Function in Primary and Secondary MR Patients”. In Proceedings: Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) 26th annual meeting, January 25-28, 2023 (Accepted)
  4. Thara Nallamothu, Daniel C. Lee, Philip Greenland, Rod Passman, Mohammed S.M. Elbaz. “Post-ablation 4D flow restoration in atrial fibrillation patients with high CHA2DS2-VASc score quantified by novel 4D Hemodynamic Signature Index (HSI): A follow-up study”. In Proceedings: Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) 26th annual meeting, January 25-28, 2023 (Accepted)
• July 2022: New patent Issued: Elbaz, Mohammed SM, et al. “Co-Expression Signatures Method for Quantification of Physiological and Structural Data.” U.S. Patent Application No. 17/004,779.
• May 2022: American Heart Association (AHA) Student Scholarship Award. Congratulations to MD student in the lab, Siva Sreedhar, for being awarded a prestigious AHA Student Scholarships in Cardiovascular Disease Award. Siva’s project is on development and validation of new methods for reproducible 3D segmental cardiac strain mechanics from cardiac MRI.
• April 2022: ISMRM Magna Cum Laude Award for our lab work. Congratulations to PhD Student, Mehri Mehrnia, and the team!
• March 2022: Two ISMRM  Travel Awards: Congratulations to PIC-CVI lab PhD students, Mehri Mehrnia and  Thara Nallamothu for each being awarded Stipend (Travel) Award from the 2022 ISMRM conference for their recently accepted abstracts below.
• February 2022: Two Abstracts Accepted for presentation at the upcoming International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) 31st Annual Meeting 7-12 May, 2022.
  • Mehrnia M, Kholmovski E, Passman R, Katsaggelos A, Nazarian S, Kim D and Elbaz MS. Stochastic Fibrosis Signatures from 3D LGE: Novel Threshold-Free quantification of left atrial fibrosis. In Proceedings: International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) 31st Annual Meeting. 7-12 May, 2022. (accepted)
  • Nallamothu T, Berhane H, Ma L, Baraboo J, Lee D., Kim D., Greenland P., Markl M., Passman R.,  Elbaz M.,  Novel Self-calibrating 4D Flow-Field Disparity Signature Technique to Optimize Eddy Current Corrections and Detect Wraparound Errors. In Proceedings: International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) 31st Annual Meeting. 7-12 May, 2022. (accepted)
• February 2022 Early Career Award Finalist: Congratulations to PhD student, Thara Nallamothu, selected as Early career Award Finalist and received a Travel Award by the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) 25th annual meeting for the abstract:  Nallamothu T, Pradella M, Lee D, Kim D, Markl M, Greenland P, Passman R and Elbaz MS. Novel atrial 4D Flow Hemodynamic Signature Index (HSI) associates inversely with stroke volume and directly with LA size independent of age, gender and CHA₂DS₂-VASc score in atrial fibrillation patients. In Proceedings: Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) 25th annual meeting, February 2-5, 2022 (Oral; Travel Award; Early Career Award Finalist).
• December 2021: Two abstracts accepted as Oral presentations at the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance:
  • Nallamothu T, Pradella M, Lee D, Kim D, Markl M, Greenland P, Passman R and Elbaz MS. Novel atrial 4D Flow Hemodynamic Signature Index (HSI) associates inversely with stroke volume and directly with LA size independent of age, gender and CHA₂DS₂-VASc score in atrial fibrillation patients. In Proceedings: Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) 25th annual meeting, February 2-5, 2022 (Oral; Early Career Award Finalist).

  • Mohammed S.M. Elbaz, Aakash Gupta, Tugce Trabzonlu, Haben Berhane, Robert O. Bonow, James Carr, Chris Malaisrie, Patrick McCarthy, Michael Markl Intra-aortic segmental flow energetics and vorticity associate with aortopathy severity in bicuspid aortic valve patients: Novel 4D CMR virtual Catheter evaluation in 440 patients. In Proceedings: Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) 25th annual meeting, February 2-5, 2022 (Oral presentation)

• June 2021: Three @ISMRM  Awards: At the 2021 ISMRM conf., our lab work was recognized with 3 awards: Magna Cum Laude, Best Trainee Abstract from the Cardiac Group, and Travel Awards. Congrats Thara, first-year Ph.D. student, on this achievement! Thanks to all co-authors!
• May 2021: ISMRM abstract receives Magna Cum Laude Merit Award – given to the top 15% of submitted abstracts: Thara Nallamothu, Amanda L. DiCarlo, Daniel C. Lee, Daniel Kim, Rishi Arora, Michael Markl, Philip Greenland, Rod Passman, Mohammed S.M. Elbaz. Novel Stochastic 4D Flow Signatures of time-resolved 3D left atrial flow-field alterations in atrial fibrillation. The annual conference of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM), 15-20 May 2021. First Author Thara Nallamothu is a first-year BME PhD student in the lab.
• For more news check the News page