Assistant Professor of Radiology, School of Medicine
Assistant Professor, Biological and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering

NextGen Focus Area: Imaging

Robert Thomen’s research involves investigation of pulmonary structure-function relationships using various medical imaging modalities such as computerized tomography, proton magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and hyperpolarized noble gas MRI of the lung. These studies are imperative to understanding how lung architecture relates to pulmonary ventilation and gas exchange and also are necessary for furthering development of treatments for various pulmonary abnormalities such as asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, bronchiolitic obliterans and others.

Precision Health Impact:

• Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI ventilation imaging for more precise measurement of patient-specific lung function.
• Development of treatments for pulmonary abnormalities such as asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, bronchiolitic obliterans and others.

Publications:

• Niedbalski PJ, Willmering MM, Thomen RP, Mugler JP, Choi J, Hall C, et al. A single-breath-hold protocol for hyperpolarized 129 Xe ventilation and gas exchange imaging. NMR Biomed. 2023 Mar 13;e4923.
• Shammi UA, D’Alessandro MF, Altes T, Hersman FW, Ruset IC, Mugler J, et al. Comparison of Hyperpolarized 3He and 129Xe MR Imaging in Cystic Fibrosis Patients. Acad Radiol. 2022 Feb;29 Suppl 2:S82–90.
• Niedbalski PJ, Hall CS, Castro M, Eddy RL, Rayment JH, Svenningsen S, et al. Protocols for multi-site trials using hyperpolarized 129 Xe MRI for imaging of ventilation, alveolar-airspace size, and gas exchange: A position paper from the 129 Xe MRI clinical trials consortium. Magn Reson Med. 2021 Dec;86(6):2966–86.
• Thomen RP, Walkup LL, Roach DJ, Higano N, Schapiro A, Brody A, et al. Regional Structure-Function in Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease Using Hyperpolarized 129Xe and Ultrashort Echo Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2020 Jul 15;202(2):290–2.
• Hall CS, Quirk JD, Goss CW, Lew D, Kozlowski J, Thomen RP, et al. Single-Session Bronchial Thermoplasty Guided by 129Xe Magnetic Resonance Imaging. A Pilot Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2020 Aug 15;202(4):524–34.

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Email: thomenr@health.missouri.edu
Department website: https://medicine.missouri.edu/faculty/robert-thomen-phd