Daniel B. Vigneron Lab

Professor Daniel Vigneron's research focuses on the development of advanced functional and metabolic Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques for the study of prostate cancer, brain tumors, and diseases. He is also a core member of UCB/UCSF Graduate Group in Bioengineering.

Dr. Vigneron's group of researchers focus on developing new metabolic Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques for both basic research and clinical assessments of human diseases. This requires the development of new hardware/software and MR protocols to provide biochemical information in addition to the anatomic information provided by clinical MRI. The Vigneron lab group develops novel coil and software techniques for high field MRI, MR spectroscopy and MR diffusion imaging techniques. The group has optimized these 3T & 7T MR methods for studies of brain, prostate cancer and other organs and diseases. The Vigneron lab, located in Byers Hall on the UCSF Mission Bay campus, are now developing improved acquisition techniques and hardware for multinuclear MR spectroscopy including hyperpolarized carbon-13 metabolic imaging in the Surbeck Laboratory for Advanced Imaging. The group has a particular focus on the development of novel 3T and 7T MR methods and Dr. Vigneron is the Operations Director overseeing the technical operations of the Surbeck Laboratory. Dr. Vigneron is the Director of the NIH-funded Hyperpolarized MRI Technology Resource Center (HMTRC) and project leader for the development of novel DNP methology and HP MR acquisition techniques. He also directs the UCSF Advanced Imaging Technologies Specialized Resource Group and the UCSF RRP Human Imaging Services Core.

UCSF MR Imaging Labs Tour Video

Publication #1 Title: Simultaneous T₁ and T₂ Mapping of Hyperpolarized ¹³C Compounds using the bSSFP Sequence

Authors: Milshteyn E, Reed GD, Gordon JW, von Morze C, Cao P, Tang S, Leynes AP, Larson PEZ, Vigneron DB

Highlights:
- Two approaches were developed for simultaneous T₁ and T₂ mapping of HP ¹³C probes.
- Multiple HP ¹³C compounds were mapped in vivo using bSSFP.
- T₁ and T₂maps agreed with both literature values and comparative acquisitions.

Publication #2 Title: A metabolite-specific 3D stack-of-spiral bSSFP sequence for improved lactate imaging in hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]pyruvate studies on a 3T clinical scanner

Authors: Tang S, Bok R, Qin H, Reed G, VanCrienkinge M, DeLos Santos R, Overall W, Santos J, Gordon J, Wang ZJ, Vigneron DB, Larson PEZ

Purpose: The balanced steady-state free precession sequence has been previously explored to improve the efficient use of nonrecoverable hyperpolarized ¹³C magnetization, but suffers from poor spectral selectivity and long acquisition time. The purpose of this study was to develop a novel metabolite-specific 3D bSSFP ("MS-3DSSFP") sequence with stack-of-spiral readouts for improved lactate imaging in hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]pyruvate studies on a clinical 3T scanner.

Publication #3 Title: Elevated Tumor Lactate and Efflux in High-grade Prostate Cancer demonstrated by Hyperpolarized ¹³C Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of Prostate Tissue Slice Cultures

Authors: Sriram R, Van Criekinge M, DeLos Santos J, Ahamed F, Qin H, Nolley R, DeLos Santos R, Tabatabai ZL, Bok RA, Keshari KR, Vigneron DB, Peehl DM, Kurhanewicz J

Purpose: To provide the first functional evidence in living patient-derived tissues that tumor HP [1-¹³C]lactate and efflux provide accurate measures of PCa aggressiveness/pathologic grade, thereby validating prior animal studies and setting the stage for testing HP [1-¹³C]pyruvate MR imaging in patients to noninvasively assess disease aggressiveness. This was accomplished using a combination of quantitative ¹H high resolution-magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) NMR of snap-frozen patient biopsies, and HP ¹³C NMR studies of living human prostate tissues obtained at surgery and maintained in an NMR-compatible three-dimensional (3D) tissue culture bioreactor.

Featured Publication #1 Title: Simultaneous T₁ and T₂ Mapping of Hyperpolarized ¹³C Compounds using the bSSFP Sequence

Featured Publication #2 Title: A metabolite-specific 3D stack-of-spiral bSSFP sequence for improved lactate imaging in hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]pyruvate studies on a 3T clinical scanner

Featured Publication #3 Title: Elevated Tumor Lactate and Efflux in High-grade Prostate Cancer demonstrated by Hyperpolarized ¹³C Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of Prostate Tissue Slice Cultures

List of Vigneron Group Publications on PubMed