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Ronald L. Wolf, MD, PhD

Associate Professor of Radiology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Active Staff, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center
Attending Staff, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Active Staff, Pennsylvania Hospital
Modality Chief, MRI, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Co-Director, CAMRIS, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Department: Radiology

Contact information
Hospital of University of Pennsylvania
Department of Radiology
1 Silverstein
3400 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office: 215-349-5184
Fax: 215-662-3283
Education:
BS (Medical Microbiology)
Stanford University, 1986.
MD (Medicine)
Mayo Medical School, 1994.
PhD (Biomedical Imaging)
Mayo Graduate School, 1994.
Post-Graduate Training
Diagnostic Radiology Residency, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, 1994-1998.
Neuroradiology Fellowship, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 1998-2000.
NRSA Research Fellowship, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 1999-2000.
Certifications
American Board of Radiology: CAQ in Neuroradiology, 2000.
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Description of Research Expertise

I am primarily interested in the imaging of acute and chronic cerebrovascular disease. The immediate goal of current projects is to gain a better understanding of carotid atherosclerosis and its relationship to stroke using structural MR and CT techniques. The long-term goal is to integrate structural imaging of the brain and extracranial and intracranial blood vessels with functional imaging methods of the brain, including perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI), diffusion-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging (DWI and DTI), functional MRI (fMRI), and/or spectroscopy in order to generate a comprehensive exam for the evaluation of cerebrovascular disease. I have a particular interest in perfusion imaging of the brain using a variety of techniques, including bolus contrast CT and MR perfusion, stable xenon CT perfusion, and arterial spin labeled (ASL) perfusion imaging. This interest targets not only cerebrovascular disease but also nonischemic pathology, especially CNS neoplasms and associated treatment effects.

Description of Clinical Expertise

As an academic neuroradiologist, my clinical skills are applied primarily to noninvasive imaging studies of brain, head and neck, and spine. While I do perform interventional studies such as conventional angiography, myelography/cisternography, and image-guided lumbar or cervical punctures, my participation is almost always in the role of diagnostician. Areas of particular clinical interest parallel research interests; specifically, I am interested in neuroimaging of cerebrovascular disease and CNS neoplasia. In this light, I have expertise in many standard neuroimaging modalities (e.g., CT and MRI) as well as advanced imaging techniques, including noninvasive angiography, perfusion imaging, diffusion imaging, fMRI, and spectroscopy.

Selected Publications

Wolf RL (Guest Editor): Essentials of Neuroradiology. Radiol Clin North Am. Barton Dudlick (eds.). Elsevier, 44(1), January 2006 Notes: Guest Editor for this issue of the Quarterly, Radiologic Clinics of North America.

Jones CE, Wolf RL, Detre JA, Das B, Saha PK, Wang J, Zhang Y, Song HK, Wright AC, Mohler, EM, III, Fairman RM, Zager EL, Velazquez OC, Golden MA, Carpenter JP, Wehrli FW: Structural MRI of carotid artery atherosclerotic lesion burden and characterization of hemispheric cerebral blood flow before and after carotid endarterectomy NMR Biomed 19(2): 198-208, April 2006 Notes: DOI: 10.1002/nbm.1017

Wang S, Wolf RL, Woo JH, Wang J, O’Rourke DM, Roy S, Melhem ER, Poptani H : Actinomycotic Brain Infection: Registered Diffusion, Perfusion MR Imaging and MR Spectroscopy. Neuroradiology 48(5): 346-350, May 2006 Notes: DOI: 10.1007/s00234-006-0067-2

Wolf RL, Wang J, Wang S, Melhem ER, O’Rourke DM, Judy KD, Detre JA.: Grading of CNS Neoplasms Using Continuous Arterial Spin Labeled Perfusion MR Imaging at 3 Tesla. J Magn Reson Imaging 22(4): 475-482, Oct 2005 Notes: DOI: 10.1002/jmri.20415

Wolf RL, Wehrli SL, Popescu AM, Woo JH, Song HK, Wright AC, Mohler EM, III, Harding JD, Zager EL, Fairman RM, Golden MA, Velazquez OC, Carpenter JP, Wehrli FW.: Mineral volume and morphology in carotid plaque specimens using high resolution magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 25(8): 1729-1735, Aug 2005 Notes: DOI: 10.1161/01.ATV.0000173311.39867.65

Wang J, Zhang Y, Wolf RL, Roc AC, Alsop DC, Detre JA.: Amplitude-modulated continuous arterial spin-labeling 3.0-T perfusion MR imaging with a single coil: feasibility study. Radiology 235(1): 218-228, April 2005 Notes: DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2351031663

Kasner SE, Sheth KN, Wu GF, Messe SR, Wolf RL: Sirolimus may not cause neurotoxicity in kidney and liver transplant recipients. Neurology 65(2): 337-338, Jul 2005 Notes: DOI: 10.1212/wnl.65.2.337-a.

Wolf RL: Vascular injuries of the neck and thoracic inlet: helical CT-angiographic correlation. Radiographics 24(4): 1087-1098; discussion 1099-1100, Jul 2004 Notes: Invited commentary for Nunez DB, Jr, Torres-Leon MT, Munera F. https://doi.org/10.1148/rg.244035035

Sheth KN, Wu G, Messe SR, Wolf RL, Kasner SE: Dialysis disequilibrium: another reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome? Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery 105(4): 249-252, Sept 2003 Notes: DOI: 10.1016/s0303-8467(03)00039-8

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Last updated: 01/24/2024
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