SUMMARY
Kishore Rajendran, Ph.D., is a computerized tomography (CT) imaging scientist and bioengineer with research interests in photon-counting CT, musculoskeletal imaging, imaging biomarkers and CT physics. Dr. Rajendran is a faculty member at the CT Clinical Innovation Center at Mayo Clinic. Through his research, Dr. Rajendran strives to develop, validate and translate new CT technologies and methodologies for the quantitative imaging of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
His research uses quantitative imaging biomarkers captured using high-resolution, multienergy CT technologies to enable early diagnosis and illness staging, guide pharmacological or surgical interventions, monitor response to treatment, and measure clinical outcomes. Dr. Rajendran collaborates with orthopedic surgeons, endocrinologists, radiologists, medical physicists and anatomists to enable multidisciplinary translational imaging research.
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine, the National Institutes of Health and Mayo Clinic Department of Radiology fund his research work.
Focus areas
- Photon-counting CT. Dr. Rajendran has substantial expertise in the development and evaluation of photon-counting CT systems ranging from preclinical small-animal systems to whole-body human scanners. At Mayo Clinic, he collaborates with CT physicists to evaluate new photon-counting detector CT systems, acquisition and image formation methods, and image postprocessing frameworks for subsequent implementation in the Department of Radiology.
- Quantitative imaging biomarkers. Dr. Rajendran's research focuses on imaging biomarkers for objective evaluation of skeletal fragility, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. He also is interested in new contrast media for diagnostic and theranostic applications involving photon-counting CT.
- Translational CT research and standardization. Dr. Rajendran's research focuses on translating new CT technologies into routine clinical care, with special emphasis on standardization to achieve accurate and reproducible results. Musculoskeletal imaging, neuroimaging and cardiac imaging are key focus areas for his translational research. His work evaluating the technical benefits of photon-counting CT has enabled new applications and imaging methodologies that are now routinely used at Mayo Clinic.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Rajendran's research improves the clinical use of CT scans by obtaining clinically useful, quantitative information from CT data at a reduced radiation dose to patients. His work focuses on early detection of illnesses and monitoring responses to clinical interventions.
Professional highlights
- American Association of Physicists in Medicine:
- Associate editor, Medical Physics, 2024.
- Chair, Working Group on the Physics of Quantitative Imaging, 2024-present.
- Member, 2017-present.
- Member, American Heart Association, 2024-present.
- Member, Research Committee, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 2023-present.
- Fellow Award, Radiological Society of North America, 2018, 2019.
- Member, editorial board, European Radiology, European Society of Radiology, 2019-present.
- Imaging Biomarker Discovery Grant, Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 2018.
- University of Otago, New Zealand:
- Exceptional Ph.D., Thesis Award, 2016.
- Rutherford Prize, Department of Bioengineering, 2013, 2014.
- Richard H.T. Bates Award, Royal Society of New Zealand, 2014.