BME PhD Defense Announcement for Conner C. Earl (C. Goergen, advisor) Everyone is invited to the public presentation beginning at 10:00am. Title: Advanced Characterization of Cardiac Pathology Using 4D Medical Imaging Date: 12/4/23 Time: 10am-12pm (10am-11am open portion, 11am-12pm closed portion) Location: MJIS 2001 or Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/91371610129<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpurdue-edu.zoom.us%2Fj%2F91371610129&data=05%7C01%7Cbmegradstudents-list%40ecn.purdue.edu%7C57c05fd5cf4b4602abb508dbe7ae862d%7C4130bd397c53419cb1e58758d6d63f21%7C0%7C0%7C638358508977600089%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=FYouomrPkkkkmHB8AeMZCVCqqfwWRdXW1lKXAPUOzYk%3D&reserved=0> Thesis committee: Dr. Craig J. Goergen (Chair), Dr. Guang Lin, Dr. Vitaliy L. Rayz, Dr. Larry W. Markham, Dr. Jonathan H. Soslow Abstract: Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, highlighting the importance of improving cardiac imaging for early disease detection and treatment. While 3D and 4D imaging methods offer enhanced precision, their complexity necessitates accessible applications in research and clinical settings. This thesis introduces an advanced 4D kinematic analysis to evaluate Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) cardiomyopathy, a progressive neuromuscular disorder with no cure, affecting approximately 1 in 5000 boys. Despite varied progression, the lack of standard imaging biomarkers impedes early detection or rapid-progressing DMD cardiomyopathy. Our novel 4D cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) analysis paradigm aims to comprehensively map left-ventricular kinematics, introducing innovative imaging biomarkers and computational methods for earlier and more accurate diagnosis of DMD. Our focus on myocardial strain biomarkers provides insights into early disease onset and progression, paving the way for multi-center studies to enhance treatment outcomes.