Faculty Directory
Laleh Rad

Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Radiology

Contact

2145 Sheridan Road
Tech
Evanston, IL 60208-3109

Email Laleh Rad

Website

Rad Research Lab

Departments

Biomedical Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Education

Post-Doctoral Fellow, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 

Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

PhD in Electrical Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland

MSc in Electrical Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran


Research Interests

My lab focuses on application of computational modeling in medical imaging and medical device instrumentation. We are particularly interested in simulation-guided assessment and enhancement of safety of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with implants, including but not limited to those with neuromodulation devices (such as deep brain stimulation systems) and cardiovascular electronic devices. We work hand in hand with major MRI vendors (Siemens) medical device companies (Abbott, Boston Scientific, Medtronic), FDA regulatory experts, and clinicians to devise novel surgical and technological methodologies to enhance safety of MRI in pediatric and adult patient populations with medical implants.


We are also interested in application of computational modeling and advanced neuroimaging to evaluate and guide neuromodulation therapies, with a focus on deep brain stimulation (DBS). Specifically, we create image-based patient-specific models of head and brain and use biophysical models of neural stimulation to quantify and optimize DBS therapeutic protocols.


Selected Publications

  • Vu, Jasmine; Bhusal, Bhumi; Rosenow, Joshua M.; Pilitsis, Julie; Golestanirad, Laleh, Effect of surgical modification of deep brain stimulation lead trajectories on radiofrequency heating during MRI at 3T, Journal of neurosurgery (2024).
  • Desai, Lajja; Popescu, Andrada; Golestanirad, Laleh; Webster, Gregory; Kim, Daniel, Wideband magnetic resonance sequencing to decrease image artifact in a child with a cardiac implantable device, HeartRhythm Case Reports (2024).
  • Jiang, Fuchang; Bhusal, Bhumi; Nguyen, Bach; Monge, Michael; Webster, Gregory; Kim, Daniel; Bonmassar, Giorgio; Popsecu, Andrada R.; Golestanirad, Laleh, Modifying the trajectory of epicardial leads can substantially reduce MRI-induced RF heating in pediatric patients with a cardiac implantable electronic device at 1.5T, Magnetic resonance in medicine (2023).
  • Henry, Kaylee R.; Miulli, Milina Michelle; Nuzov, Noa B.; Nolt, Mark J.; Rosenow, Joshua M.; Elahi, Behzad; Pilitsis, Julie; Golestanirad, Laleh, Variations in Determining Actual Orientations of Segmented Deep Brain Stimulation Leads Using the DiODe Algorithm, Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (2023).
  • Jiang, Fuchang; Henry, Kaylee R.; Bhusal, Bhumi; Sanpitak, Pia; Webster, Gregory; Popescu, Andrada; Laternser, Christina; Kim, Daniel; Golestanirad, Laleh, Age Matters, Diagnostics (2023).
  • Chen, Xinlu; Zheng, Can; Golestanirad, L., Application of Machine learning to predict RF heating of cardiac leads during magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5 T and 3 T, Journal of Magnetic Resonance (2023).
  • Nuzov, Noa B.; Bhusal, Bhumi; Henry, Kaylee R.; Jiang, Fuchang; Vu, Jasmine; Rosenow, Joshua M.; Pilitsis, Julie G.; Elahi, Behzad; Golestanirad, Laleh, Artifacts Can Be Deceiving, Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (2023).
  • Kazemivalipour, Ehsan; Sadeghi-Tarakameh, Alireza; Keil, Boris; Eryaman, Yigitcan; Atalar, Ergin; Golestanirad, Laleh, Effect of field strength on RF power deposition near conductive leads, PloS one (2023).

Patents

Rad, L.G., Wald, L.L. and Bonmassar, G., General Hospital Corp, 2021. Mri-safe implantable leads with high-dielectric coating. U.S. Patent Application 16/970,550.

Rad, L.G., Bonmassar, G. and Pascual-Leone, A., General Hospital Corp, 2021. Systems and methods for ultra-focal transcranial magnetic stimulation. U.S. Patent Application 16/971,080.

Golestanirad, L. and Graham, S.J., Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2016. Electrode designs for efficient neural stimulation. U.S. Patent 9,526,890.