Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy
Position: Research Associate (Postdoc)
ORCID: 0000-0003-0350-3482
T +43 1 40400 64710
tim.emmenegger@meduniwien.ac.at
Keywords
Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Spinal Cord Injuries
Research group(s)
- High Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
Research Area: musculoskeletal MR; neuroimaging; metabolic MR imaging and spectroscopy
Members:
Research interests
My research primarily focuses on the spatiotemporal dynamics of neurodegeneration following spinal cord injury, investigating advanced MRI techniques to track changes over time. I have investigated the progression of neurodegenerative changes in the cervical spinal cord post-injury, revealing distinct patterns of atrophy and degeneration. Additionally, my work has explored the widespread neuroplastic processes after traumatic spinal cord injury, highlighting the predictive value of acute lesion characteristics on long-term neurodegenerative outcomes. Through these studies, I have contributed to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration and neuroplasticity, providing insights that could inform the development of therapeutic strategies for neurological conditions.
Techniques, methods & infrastructure
My research focuses on quantitative MRI methods to investigate pathophysiological processes and their relation to disease progression, particularly in spinal cord injury (SCI). I apply conventional structural MRI (T2-weighted imaging) for lesion quantification and longitudinal tracking. Advanced techniques include single-voxel MR spectroscopy (SV-MRS), MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and multi-parametric mapping (MPM) to quantify myelin, iron, and axonal integrity. Data acquisition is performed on 3T clinical MRI scanners, supported by dedicated neuroimaging pipelines for advanced image processing and quantitative analysis.
Selected publications
- Emmenegger, T.M. et al. (2024) ‘Longitudinal motor system changes from acute to chronic spinal cord injury’, European Journal of Neurology, 31(4). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/ene.16196.
- Emmenegger, T. et al. (2024) ‘Temporal dynamics of white and gray matter plasticity during motor skill acquisition: a comparative diffusion tensor imaging and multiparametric mapping analysis’, Cerebral Cortex, 34(8). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhae344.
- Emmenegger, T.M. et al. (2021) ‘The Influence of Radio-Frequency Transmit Field Inhomogeneities on the Accuracy of G-ratio Weighted Imaging’, Frontiers in Neuroscience, 15. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2021.674719.
- Emmenegger, T.M. et al. (2024) ‘Progressive cervical cord atrophy parallels cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease’, Scientific Reports, 14(1). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-67389-9.
- Azzarito, M. et al. (2023) ‘Coherent, time-shifted patterns of microstructural plasticity during motor-skill learning’, NeuroImage, 274, p. 120128. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120128.