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Richard Dortch, PhD
MRI, Peripheral Neuropathies
Richard Dortch, PhD, is an associate professor of imaging research in the Neuroimaging Innovation Center in the Department of Translational Neuroscience at Barrow Neurological Institute.
Dr. Dortch’s expertise includes radiological sciences and biomedical engineering. He is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Dr. Dortch earned his master’s and doctorate degrees in biomedical engineering from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he served as assistant professor before joining the faculty at Barrow in 2019. His research has been funded through the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense.
Dr. Dortch’s research interests include developing, optimizing, and validating quantitative MRI methods for neuroimaging applications beyond the brain. More specifically, Dr. Dortch focuses on developing MRI methods to overcome specific challenges of nerve and spinal cord imaging, translating these methods to clinical populations (e.g., to guide surgery, improve diagnostics, and serve as biomarkers of therapeutic response), and validating these methods in relevant preclinical models. He applies these methods to evaluate the pathological underpinnings (e.g., demyelination, axonal degeneration) of nerve and spinal cord trauma, peripheral neuropathies, and multiple sclerosis. Dr. Dortch was instrumental in Barrow gaining admission to the North American Imaging in MS Cooperative (NAIMS).
- Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, 2009-2012
- PhD, Vanderbilt University, Biomedical Engineering, 2009
- MS, Vanderbilt University, Biomedical Engineering, 2005
- BS, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Electrical Engineering, 2002
- American Academy of Neurology
- International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
- Manuscript featured on the cover of Neurology, 2014
- Data Blitz Presentation for “Integrated Neurosciences,” American Academy of Neurology, 2014
- Certificate for Reviewing Excellence, Elsevier Publishing Company, 2014
- Magna Cum Laude Merit Award for Abstract Submissions, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 2013
- Summa Cum Laude Merit Award for Top 3% of Abstract Submissions, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 2012
- Student Stipend Award Recipient, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 2008, 2010, 2011
- Scholarship Recipient, The Charles Foundation, 2000-2002
Investigating the relationship between multi-scale perfusion and white matter microstructural integrity in patients with relapsing-remitting MS
Date: 01/2021
Authors: Nicholas J. Sisco, Aimee Borazanci, Richard Dortch, Ashley M. Stokes
Rapid whole-brain quantitative magnetization transfer imaging using 3D selective inversion recovery sequences.
Date: 05/2020
Authors: Matthew J Cronin, Junzhong Xu, Francesca Bagnato, Daniel F Gochberg, John C Gore, Richard Dortch
Selective inversion recovery quantitative magnetization transfer imaging: Toward a 3 T clinical application in multiple sclerosis.
Date: 04/2020
Authors: Francesca Bagnato, Giulia Franco, Fei Ye, Run Fan, Patricia Commiskey, Seth A Smith, Junzhong Xu, Richard Dortch
Diffusion Tensor Tractrography Visualizes Partial Nerve Laceration Severity as Early as 1 Week After Surgical Repair in a Rat Model Ex Vivo.
Date: 01/2020
Authors: Angel F Farinas, Isaac V Manzanera Esteve, Alonda C Pollins, Nancy L Cardwell, Mark D Does, Richard Dortch, Wesley P Thayer
Length-dependent MRI of hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies.
Date: 01/2020
Authors: Michael Pridmore, Ryan Castoro, Megan Simmons McCollum, Hakmook Kang, Jun Li, Richard Dortch
- English


Richard Dortch, PhD
MRI, Peripheral Neuropathies
Richard Dortch, PhD, is an associate professor of imaging research in the Neuroimaging Innovation Center in the Department of Translational Neuroscience at Barrow Neurological Institute.
Dr. Dortch’s expertise includes radiological sciences and biomedical engineering. He is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Dr. Dortch earned his master’s and doctorate degrees in biomedical engineering from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he served as assistant professor before joining the faculty at Barrow in 2019. His research has been funded through the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense.
Dr. Dortch’s research interests include developing, optimizing, and validating quantitative MRI methods for neuroimaging applications beyond the brain. More specifically, Dr. Dortch focuses on developing MRI methods to overcome specific challenges of nerve and spinal cord imaging, translating these methods to clinical populations (e.g., to guide surgery, improve diagnostics, and serve as biomarkers of therapeutic response), and validating these methods in relevant preclinical models. He applies these methods to evaluate the pathological underpinnings (e.g., demyelination, axonal degeneration) of nerve and spinal cord trauma, peripheral neuropathies, and multiple sclerosis. Dr. Dortch was instrumental in Barrow gaining admission to the North American Imaging in MS Cooperative (NAIMS).

- Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, 2009-2012
- PhD, Vanderbilt University, Biomedical Engineering, 2009
- MS, Vanderbilt University, Biomedical Engineering, 2005
- BS, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Electrical Engineering, 2002
- American Academy of Neurology
- International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
- Manuscript featured on the cover of Neurology, 2014
- Data Blitz Presentation for “Integrated Neurosciences,” American Academy of Neurology, 2014
- Certificate for Reviewing Excellence, Elsevier Publishing Company, 2014
- Magna Cum Laude Merit Award for Abstract Submissions, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 2013
- Summa Cum Laude Merit Award for Top 3% of Abstract Submissions, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 2012
- Student Stipend Award Recipient, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 2008, 2010, 2011
- Scholarship Recipient, The Charles Foundation, 2000-2002
Investigating the relationship between multi-scale perfusion and white matter microstructural integrity in patients with relapsing-remitting MS
Date: 01/2021
Authors: Nicholas J. Sisco, Aimee Borazanci, Richard Dortch, Ashley M. Stokes
Rapid whole-brain quantitative magnetization transfer imaging using 3D selective inversion recovery sequences.
Date: 05/2020
Authors: Matthew J Cronin, Junzhong Xu, Francesca Bagnato, Daniel F Gochberg, John C Gore, Richard Dortch
Selective inversion recovery quantitative magnetization transfer imaging: Toward a 3 T clinical application in multiple sclerosis.
Date: 04/2020
Authors: Francesca Bagnato, Giulia Franco, Fei Ye, Run Fan, Patricia Commiskey, Seth A Smith, Junzhong Xu, Richard Dortch
Diffusion Tensor Tractrography Visualizes Partial Nerve Laceration Severity as Early as 1 Week After Surgical Repair in a Rat Model Ex Vivo.
Date: 01/2020
Authors: Angel F Farinas, Isaac V Manzanera Esteve, Alonda C Pollins, Nancy L Cardwell, Mark D Does, Richard Dortch, Wesley P Thayer
Length-dependent MRI of hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies.
Date: 01/2020
Authors: Michael Pridmore, Ryan Castoro, Megan Simmons McCollum, Hakmook Kang, Jun Li, Richard Dortch
- English