Bastiaan Driehuys

Professor of Radiology

Our research focuses on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) research with hyperpolarized 129Xe gas. We are at at the forefront of developing this novel technology for imaging the lungs of patients with pulmonary disease. We currently have multiple, ongoing NIH and industry-sponsored studies invovling this technique. Hyperpolarization is a laser-based process that enhances the MRI signal of xenon gas by a factor of 100,000 to allow for high-resolution, non-invasive MRI of pulmonary function. In addition to our research program, this technology was recently FDA approved and efforts are underway to implement it clinically.

Current studies are applying 129Xe MRI for early diagnosis and monitoring of interstitial and pulmonary vascular diseases. Our group, which is comprised of MRI scientists and radiologists, works closely with colleagues in pulmonary medicine. Our laboratory provides research opportunities to Ph.D., Masters, and medical students as well as select undergraduate students. 

Appointments and Affiliations

  • Professor of Radiology
  • Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Contact Information

  • Office Location: 161-B Bryan Research, 311 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710
  • Office Phone: +1 919 684 7786
  • Email Address: bastiaan.driehuys@duke.edu
  • Websites:

Education

  • Ph.D. Princeton University, 1995

Courses Taught

  • PHYSICS 495: Thesis Independent Study
  • PHYSICS 493: Research Independent Study
  • EGR 393: Research Projects in Engineering

Representative Publications

  • Kaushik, S Sivaram, Matthew S. Freeman, Zackary I. Cleveland, John Davies, Jane Stiles, Rohan S. Virgincar, Scott H. Robertson, et al. “Probing the regional distribution of pulmonary gas exchange through single-breath gas- and dissolved-phase 129Xe MR imaging.” J Appl Physiol (1985) 115, no. 6 (September 2013): 850–60. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00092.2013.
  • Driehuys, B., J. Nouls, A. Badea, E. Bucholz, K. Ghaghada, A. Petiet, and L. W. Hedlund. “Small animal imaging with magnetic resonance microscopy.” ILAR Journal 53, no. 1 (September 11, 2012): 35–53.
  • Cleveland, Zackary I., Harald E. Möller, Laurence W. Hedlund, John C. Nouls, Matthew S. Freeman, Yi Qi, and Bastiaan Driehuys. “In vivo MR imaging of pulmonary perfusion and gas exchange in rats via continuous extracorporeal infusion of hyperpolarized 129Xe.” PLoS One 7, no. 2 (2012): e31306. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0031306.
  • Driehuys, Bastiaan, Santiago Martinez-Jimenez, Zackary I. Cleveland, Gregory M. Metz, Denise M. Beaver, John C. Nouls, S Sivaram Kaushik, et al. “Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: safety and tolerability of hyperpolarized 129Xe MR imaging in healthy volunteers and patients.” Radiology 262, no. 1 (January 2012): 279–89. https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.11102172.
  • Thomas, Abe C., John C. Nouls, Bastiaan Driehuys, James W. Voltz, Boma Fubara, Julie Foley, J Alyce Bradbury, and Darryl C. Zeldin. “Ventilation defects observed with hyperpolarized 3He magnetic resonance imaging in a mouse model of acute lung injury.” Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 44, no. 5 (May 2011): 648–54. https://doi.org/10.1165/rcmb.2009-0287OC.
  • Kaushik, S Sivaram, Zackary I. Cleveland, Gary P. Cofer, Gregory Metz, Denise Beaver, John Nouls, Monica Kraft, et al. “Diffusion-weighted hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI in healthy volunteers and subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.” Magn Reson Med 65, no. 4 (April 2011): 1154–65. https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.22697.
  • Cleveland, Zackary I., Gary P. Cofer, Gregory Metz, Denise Beaver, John Nouls, S Sivaram Kaushik, Monica Kraft, et al. “Hyperpolarized Xe MR imaging of alveolar gas uptake in humans.” PLoS One 5, no. 8 (August 16, 2010): e12192. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0012192.
  • Branca, Rosa T., Zackary I. Cleveland, Boma Fubara, Challa S. S. R. Kumar, Robert R. Maronpot, Carola Leuschner, Warren S. Warren, and Bastiaan Driehuys. “Molecular MRI for sensitive and specific detection of lung metastases.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 107, no. 8 (February 23, 2010): 3693–97. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1000386107.
  • Cleveland, Zackary I., Harald E. Möller, Laurence W. Hedlund, and Bastiaan Driehuys. “Continuously infusing hyperpolarized 129Xe into flowing aqueous solutions using hydrophobic gas exchange membranes.” J Phys Chem B 113, no. 37 (September 17, 2009): 12489–99. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp9049582.
  • Driehuys, Bastiaan, Harald E. Möller, Zackary I. Cleveland, James Pollaro, and Laurence W. Hedlund. “Pulmonary perfusion and xenon gas exchange in rats: MR imaging with intravenous injection of hyperpolarized 129Xe.” Radiology 252, no. 2 (August 2009): 386–93. https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.2513081550.
  • Thomas, Abraham C., Erin N. Potts, Ben T. Chen, Deborah M. Slipetz, W Michael Foster, and Bastiaan Driehuys. “A robust protocol for regional evaluation of methacholine challenge in mouse models of allergic asthma using hyperpolarized 3He MRI.” NMR Biomed 22, no. 5 (June 2009): 502–15. https://doi.org/10.1002/nbm.1362.
  • Driehuys, Bastiaan, Jim Pollaro, and Gary P. Cofer. “In vivo MRI using real-time production of hyperpolarized 129Xe.” Magn Reson Med 60, no. 1 (July 2008): 14–20. https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.21651.
  • Driehuys, Bastiaan, John Nouls, Alexandra Badea, Elizabeth Bucholz, Ketan Ghaghada, Alexandra Petiet, and Laurence W. Hedlund. “Small animal imaging with magnetic resonance microscopy.” ILAR J 49, no. 1 (2008): 35–53. https://doi.org/10.1093/ilar.49.1.35.
  • Driehuys, Bastiaan, Julia Walker, Jim Pollaro, Gary P. Cofer, Nilesh Mistry, David Schwartz, and G Allan Johnson. “3He MRI in mouse models of asthma.” Magn Reson Med 58, no. 5 (November 2007): 893–900. https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.21306.
  • Driehuys, Bastiaan, Gary P. Cofer, Jim Pollaro, Julie Boslego Mackel, Laurence W. Hedlund, and G Allan Johnson. “Imaging alveolar-capillary gas transfer using hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 103, no. 48 (November 28, 2006): 18278–83. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0608458103.
  • Månsson, Sven, Jan Wolber, Bastiaan Driehuys, Per Wollmer, and Klaes Golman. “Characterization of diffusing capacity and perfusion of the rat lung in a lipopolysaccaride disease model using hyperpolarized 129Xe.” Magn Reson Med 50, no. 6 (December 2003): 1170–79. https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.10649.
  • Babcock, Earl, Ian Nelson, Steve Kadlecek, Bastiaan Driehuys, L. W. Anderson, F. W. Hersman, and Thad G. Walker. “Hybrid spin-exchange optical pumping of 3He.” Phys Rev Lett 91, no. 12 (September 19, 2003): 123003. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.91.123003.
  • Ruppert, K., J. R. Brookeman, K. D. Hagspiel, B. Driehuys, and J. P. Mugler. “NMR of hyperpolarized (129)Xe in the canine chest: spectral dynamics during a breath-hold.” NMR Biomed 13, no. 4 (June 2000): 220–28. https://doi.org/10.1002/1099-1492(200006)13:43.0.co;2-f.
  • Chen, X. J., H. E. Möller, M. S. Chawla, G. P. Cofer, B. Driehuys, L. W. Hedlund, J. R. MacFall, and G. A. Johnson. “Spatially resolved measurements of hyperpolarized gas properties in the lung in vivo. Part II: T *(2).” Magn Reson Med 42, no. 4 (October 1999): 729–37. https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1522-2594(199910)42:43.0.co;2-2.
  • Chen, X. J., H. E. Möller, M. S. Chawla, G. P. Cofer, B. Driehuys, L. W. Hedlund, and G. A. Johnson. “Spatially resolved measurements of hyperpolarized gas properties in the lung in vivo. Part I: diffusion coefficient.” Magn Reson Med 42, no. 4 (October 1999): 721–28. https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1522-2594(199910)42:43.0.co;2-d.
  • Möller, H. E., X. J. Chen, M. S. Chawla, G. P. Cofer, B. Driehuys, L. W. Hedlund, S. A. Suddarth, and G. A. Johnson. “Sensitivity and resolution in 3D NMR microscopy of the lung with hyperpolarized noble gases.” Magn Reson Med 41, no. 4 (April 1999): 800–808. https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1522-2594(199904)41:43.0.co;2-k.
  • Möller, H. E., X. J. Chen, M. S. Chawla, B. Driehuys, L. W. Hedlund, and G. A. Johnson. “Signal dynamics in magnetic resonance imaging of the lung with hyperpolarized noble gases.” J Magn Reson 135, no. 1 (November 1998): 133–43. https://doi.org/10.1006/jmre.1998.1563.
  • Johnson, G. A., G. Cates, X. J. Chen, G. P. Cofer, B. Driehuys, W. Happer, L. W. Hedlund, B. Saam, M. D. Shattuck, and J. Swartz. “Dynamics of magnetization in hyperpolarized gas MRI of the lung.” Magn Reson Med 38, no. 1 (July 1997): 66–71. https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.1910380111.
  • Mugler, J. P., B. Driehuys, J. R. Brookeman, G. D. Cates, S. S. Berr, R. G. Bryant, T. M. Daniel, et al. “MR imaging and spectroscopy using hyperpolarized 129Xe gas: preliminary human results.” Magn Reson Med 37, no. 6 (June 1997): 809–15. https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.1910370602.
  • Driehuys, B., G. D. Cates, E. Miron, K. Sauer, D. K. Walter, and W. Happer. “High-volume production of laser-polarized 129Xe.” Applied Physics Letters 69, no. 12 (September 16, 1996): 1668–70. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.117022.
  • MacFall, J. R., H. C. Charles, R. D. Black, H. Middleton, J. C. Swartz, B. Saam, B. Driehuys, et al. “Human lung air spaces: potential for MR imaging with hyperpolarized He-3.” Radiology 200, no. 2 (August 1996): 553–58. https://doi.org/10.1148/radiology.200.2.8685356.
  • Black, R. D., H. L. Middleton, G. D. Cates, G. P. Cofer, B. Driehuys, W. Happer, L. W. Hedlund, G. A. Johnson, M. D. Shattuck, and J. C. Swartz. “In vivo He-3 MR images of guinea pig lungs.” Radiology 199, no. 3 (June 1996): 867–70. https://doi.org/10.1148/radiology.199.3.8638019.
  • Driehuys, B., G. D. Cates, and W. Happer. “Surface relaxation mechanisms of laser-polarized 129Xe.” Phys Rev Lett 74, no. 24 (June 12, 1995): 4943–46. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.74.4943.
  • Albert, M. S., G. D. Cates, B. Driehuys, W. Happer, B. Saam, C. S. Springer, and A. Wishnia. “Biological magnetic resonance imaging using laser-polarized 129Xe.” Nature 370, no. 6486 (July 21, 1994): 199–201. https://doi.org/10.1038/370199a0.
  • Gatzke, M., G. D. Cates, B. Driehuys, D. Fox, W. Happer, and B. Saam. “Extraordinarily slow nuclear spin relaxation in frozen laser-polarized 129Xe.” Phys Rev Lett 70, no. 5 (February 1, 1993): 690–93. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.70.690.