Kai Ruppert, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Radiology and Medical Imaging

M.S., Physics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany, 1994
Ph.D., Bio-Physics, University of Virginia, 1999

University of Virginia
Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging Research
Fontaine Research Park
480 Ray C. Hunt Dr.
Charlottesville, VA  22903

Office Phone: 1 434-243-1770
ruppert@virginia.edu

Research Interests

My research interests are the development of hyperpolarized media MRI techniques. I have focused in particular on hyperpolarized helium-3 MR imaging as well as the development of new MR spectroscopy and imaging pulse sequences for hyperpolarized xenon-129 MRI. I investigate the use of these tools to measure or detect changes in various physiological lung parameters such as the surface-to-volume ratio, the effective xenon diffusion constant in lung tissue as well as the alveolar wall thickness and alveolar diameter in healthy and diseased lungs. Current research projects include:

1. Multiple exchange time Xenon-polarization Transfer Contrast (MXTC) MRI
2. Hyperpolarized helium-3 ventilation imaging in asthmatic children
3. Quantification of pulmonary xenon uptake and exchange

Multiple-exchange-time xenon polarization transfer contrast (MXTC) MRI: initial results in animals and healthy volunteers. Dregely I, Ruset IC, Mata JF, Ketel J, Ketel S, Distelbrink J, Altes TA, Mugler JP 3rd, Wilson Miller G, William Hersman F, Ruppert K. Magn Reson Med. 2012 Apr;67(4):943-53.

Hyperpolarized Xenon-129 gas-exchange imaging of lung microstructure: first case studies in subjects with obstructive lung disease. Dregely I, Mugler JP 3rd, Ruset IC, Altes TA, Mata JF, Miller GW, Ketel J, Ketel S, Distelbrink J, Hersman FW, Ruppert K. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2011 May;33(5):1052-62.

Assessment of in vitro vs. in vivo lung structure using hyperpolarized helium-3 diffusion magnetic resonance imaging. Mata JF, Altes TA, Ruppert K, Hagspiel KD, Miller GW, Brookeman JR, Mugler JP. Magn Reson Imaging. 2009; 27:845-851.

Assessment of the lung microstructure in patients with asthma using hyperpolarized (3)He diffusion MRI at two time scales: Comparison with healthy subjects and patients with COPD. J Wang C, Altes TA, Mugler III JP, Miller GW, Ruppert K, Mata JF, Cates Jr GD, Borish L, de Lange EE. Magn Reson Imaging 2008 Jun 25; 28(1):80-88.

Diffusion-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging for pediatric musculoskeletal disorders. MacKenzie JD, Gonzalez L, Hernandez A, Ruppert K, Jaramillo D. Pediatric Radiology 2007; 37(8):781-788.

Sensitivity Improvements through Parameter Optimizations. Ruppert K, Mata JF, Wang H-TJ, Tobias WA, Cates GD, Brookeman JR, Hagspiel KD, Mugler III JP. XTC MRI: Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 2007; 57(6):1099-1109.

Evaluation of Emphysema Severity and Progression in a Rabbit Model: A Comparison of Diffusion Hyperpolarized He-3 and Xe-129 MRI with Lung Morphometry. Mata JF, Altes TA, Cai J, Ruppert K, Mitzner W, Hagspiel KD, Salerno M, Brookeman JR, de Lange EE, Mugler JP. Journal of Applied Physiology 2007; 102(3):1273-1280.

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