Ioannis Koktzoglou, PhD

Ioannis Koktzoglou, PhD, is an imaging scientist at Endeavor Health (formerly NorthShore University HealthSystem) with expertise in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). His research interests focus on new methods that improve the quality, reliability, efficiency, and informativeness of MRI. Areas of recent research activity include cardiovascular, oncological, and cerebrovascular MRI. He has authored or co-authored over 90 peer-reviewed journal publications and has contributed to more than 15 issued US patents.

Please tell us your background, where you are from, schooling, etc.

Although I was born in Greece, I moved to the United States at a young age and grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. I attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for undergraduate studies in Computer Engineering, and thereafter began my graduate studies in Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University. After completing my doctoral studies at Northwestern University, I joined the Center for Advanced Imaging within the Department of Radiology of Endeavor Health (formerly NorthShore University HealthSystem), where I have conducted translational research in the field of MRI, aiming to bring new innovations in imaging to improve patient care.

What led you to become involved with brain aneurysm research?

One area of research focus for me has been cerebrovascular MRI, specifically on the development of new magnetic resonance angiographic (MRA) methods for improved non-invasive evaluation of the cervical (neck) and cerebral (brain) arteries. While conducting research in this area, it occurred to me that a new MRA method had the potential to improve the display of brain arteries, while also potentially providing measurable hemodynamic information (i.e., information about blood flow within brain arteries) that is not obtained with the current standard MRA method that only evaluates arterial structure. After initial results supported this hypothesis, I contacted my collaborator and co-applicant, neurosurgeon Dr. William Ares, who helped me to better understand its potential role in brain aneurysm evaluation, risk assessment, and treatment monitoring.

In the simplest terms, what is the purpose of your project?

The purpose of the project is to validate a new, efficient, and patient-friendly method for brain magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) that has the potential to improve the structural evaluation of brain aneurysms, and simultaneously measure blood flow within and near brain aneurysms.

In the simplest terms, what do you hope will change through your research findings?

We hope that an improved and more informative method for brain MRA will improve clinical decision-making and positively impact patient care and outcomes.

Why is the funding you are receiving through the Brain Aneurysm Foundation so important?

The funding we are receiving through the Brain Aneurysm Foundation is essential to pursue this research, otherwise it could not be conducted.