C.J.Gorter MRI Center

Ocular MRI

MRI is scarcely used in the care for patients with ocular conditions, due to technical limitations of conventional MRI techniques. We develop dedicated MRI technologies dedicated for the eye and orbit and apply them clinically. Our research focusses on ocular oncology, ranging from diagnosis of intraocular masses to MR-based proton therapy planning for uveal melanoma.

Conventional ophthalmic imaging techniques, such as fundus photography, have intrinsic limitations as they do not provide 3D visualisation of the eye and cannot image inside opaque tissues, such as a tumour. MRI could resolve many of these limitations, but conventional MR-images of the eye are of low diagnostic value due eye motion induced artefacts and the high spatial resolution needed to differentiate the ocular structures. We develop eye-specific MRI techniques, such as a dedicated eye-coil and acquisition strategies, to resolve these challenges and enable high resolution ocular MR-imaging in a clinical setting. Together with our collaborators, especially from ophthalmology and radiotherapy, we apply and evaluate these new possibilities of MRI for various ocular conditions.

Conventional ophthalmic imaging techniques, such as fundus photography, have intrinsic limitations as they do not provide 3D visualisation of the eye and cannot image inside opaque tissues, such as a tumour. MRI could resolve many of these limitations, but conventional MR-images of the eye are of low diagnostic value due eye motion induced artefacts and the high spatial resolution needed to differentiate the ocular structures. We develop eye-specific MRI techniques, such as a dedicated eye-coil and acquisition strategies, to resolve these challenges and enable high resolution ocular MR-imaging in a clinical setting. Together with our collaborators, especially from ophthalmology and radiotherapy, we apply and evaluate these new possibilities of MRI for various ocular conditions.

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As the LUMC is the national reference center for Uveal Melanoma, the most common primary intra-ocular tumour, a large part of our research focusses on using MRI to improve the care for these patients. We develop eye-specific quantitative MRI techniques, such as perfusion weighted imaging, to aid in the diagnosis of uveal melanoma and to evaluate if they can be used as an early marker of therapy response. Together with the Holland Proton Therapy Center, we are developing MR-based ocular proton therapy planning to reduce its side-effects, such as vision loss.

As the LUMC is the national reference center for Uveal Melanoma, the most common primary intra-ocular tumour, a large part of our research focusses on using MRI to improve the care for these patients. We develop eye-specific quantitative MRI techniques, such as perfusion weighted imaging, to aid in the diagnosis of uveal melanoma and to evaluate if they can be used as an early marker of therapy response. Together with the Holland Proton Therapy Center, we are developing MR-based ocular proton therapy planning to reduce its side-effects, such as vision loss.

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Themes for Innovation

Team members

Current members:

  • Jan-Willem Beenakker, PI
  • Corné Haasjes, PhD candidate
  • Lennart Pors, PhD candidate
  • Lisa Klaassen, PhD candidate
  • Martijn Hol, PhD candidate
  • Michael Tang, PhD candidate
  • Bas van der Burgh, PhD candidate

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Former members:

  • Kevin Keene, PhD candidate
  • Luc van Vught, PhD candidate
  • Lorna Grech-Fonk, PhD candidate
  • Myriam Jaarsma-Coes, PhD candidate
  • Teresa Ferreira, PhD candidate