St. Jude Family of Websites
Explore our cutting edge research, world-class patient care, career opportunities and more.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Home
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St. Jude Family of Websites
Explore our cutting edge research, world-class patient care, career opportunities and more.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Home
- Fundraising
Our focus
To advance cures and deepen understanding of pediatric cancer and other catastrophic diseases through excellence in medical physics, supporting clinical research, patient care, and education.
Meet the team
Our team consists of experts in applying medical physics principles to diagnostic radiology. We work collaboratively with radiologists, technologists, and other healthcare professionals to ensure imaging procedures are both safe and effective.
We bring specialized expertise in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound (US), X-ray fluoroscopy and radiography, computed tomography (CT), radiation safety, and nuclear medicine (NM). This broad skill set enables our physicists to optimize image quality, implement state-of-the-art imaging technologies, and advance the field through innovative research.
Yuxi Pang, PhD
MR Physicist, Chief
Azeez Omotayo, PhD
Medical Physicist
Zhipeng Cao, PhD
MR Physicist
Our activities
The Medical Physics team provides essential clinical and research services in the following areas:
Quality Assurance
- Equipment Calibration: We regularly calibrate medical imaging equipment to ensure accurate, safe, and reliable performance.
- Protocol Development: We design and update imaging protocols to maintain high standards of care and consistency.
- Equipment Evaluation and Compliance: We conduct thorough evaluations of all imaging equipment to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations. Our team performs and monitors regular performance assessments to uphold the highest standards of safety and quality.
Radiation safety
Our physicists develop and implement radiation safety protocols to protect both patients and staff. We also provide training and education on best practices in radiation protection.
MR safety
Our physicists offer expert consultations on complex MR safety concerns, particularly those involving patient-reported implants and devices.
Image quality optimization
We work closely with technologists and radiologists to optimize image quality while minimizing radiation dose delivered.
Consultation and support
Our physicists are available for consultation on complex clinical cases and provide technical support for resolving issues with imaging equipment.
Research and development
We actively engage in clinical research to advance imaging science and patient care. Our current initiatives include:
- Partnering with industry leaders to innovate and improve care using total-body PET/CT.
- Developing quantitative MR imaging methods for assessing myelination and demyelination.
- Evaluating advanced neuro MR imaging techniques (e.g., DANTE-SPACE) to enhance pediatric tumor diagnosis.