Bastiaan DriehuysView profile
Professor
Bastiaan Driehuys is a Professor of Radiology and Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Duke University School of Medicine. His research focuses on developing hyperpolarized 129Xe gas MRI technology for imaging lung function in patients with pulmonary disease. His laboratory, supported by multiple NIH and industry-sponsored studies, is at the forefront of translating this technology from research to clinical application, with recent FDA approval for clinical use. Dr. Driehuys' research interests center on applying 129Xe MRI for early diagnosis and monitoring of interstitial and pulmonary vascular diseases. His work leverages the unique properties of hyperpolarized xenon gas, which enhances MRI signal by 100,000-fold, enabling high-resolution, non-invasive imaging of pulmonary function. His laboratory investigates ventilation defects, gas exchange abnormalities, and membrane transfer in various lung conditions including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and pulmonary hypertension. Analysis of Dr. Driehuys' recent publications (2024-2025) reveals a strong focus on standardizing 129Xe MRI techniques across multiple centers, establishing reference values in healthy populations, and applying these methods to track disease progression and treatment response in pulmonary conditions. His work increasingly emphasizes clinical translation, with studies on FDA-approved applications, multi-center validation, and integration with radiation therapy planning. Dr. Driehuys serves as Principal Investigator for several major studies including NIH R01HL126771-05 and NIH R01HL105643-06, which focus on optimizing 129Xe gas exchange MRI for visualizing regional therapy response in interstitial lung disease and imaging lung function in healthy volunteers and patients with pulmonary disease, respectively. His laboratory provides research opportunities for PhD, Masters, and medical students, as well as select undergraduate students. The Driehuys Lab collaborates closely with colleagues in pulmonary medicine and works within Duke's Center for Advanced Magnetic Resonance Development for clinical 129Xe MRI studies. The lab has developed numerous tools for image processing and reconstruction, contributing significantly to making 129Xe spectroscopy and imaging more practical for researchers worldwide.










