Brian Toner

PhD Candidate

Brian Toner

Email: tonerbp@arizona.edu

Research: Quantitative MRI, abdominal T2 mapping, uncertainty quantification

Research Interests

I am focused on improving and accelerating abdominal quantitative MRI through pulse sequence development, advanced image reconstruction, and improved parameter estimation. My research focuses on T2 mapping using the radial turbo spin-echo (RADTSE) and radial gradient-echo and spin-echo (RADGRASE) sequences.

Background

In 2017, I graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA with a B.A. in Mathematics. Afterwards, I worked two years as an image analyst for Invicro in Boston, MA. In 2019, I moved to Tucson, AZ to pursue my PhD in Applied Mathematics (Minoring in Statistics and Data Science) at the University of Arizona. I received my M.S. in 2020 and defended my PhD in 2025. I am currently living in Seattle, WA working with the lab remotely.

Publications

JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS

  1. B. Toner, S. Arberet, S. Zhang, et al. “Accelerated free-breathing abdominal T2 mapping with deep learning reconstruction of radial turbo spin-echo data.” Magn Reson Med. 2025. doi: 10.1002/mrm.70017
  2. M. Keerthivasan, B. Toner, J.P. Galons, K. Johnson, A. Bilgin, D.R. Martin, M. Altbach. “Diagnosing abdominal neoplasms using a T2 mapping radial turbo spin-echo technique with partial volume correction.” European Radiology. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-025-11931-4.
  3. E. Ahanonu, U. Goerke, K. Johnson, B. Toner, D. Martin, V. Deshpande, A. Bilgin, M. Altbach. “Accelerated 2D radial Look-Locker T1 mapping using a deep learning-based rapid inversion recovery sampling technique. NMR in Biomedicine. 2024.
  4. M. J. Douglas, B. W. Bell, A. Kinney, S. A. Pungitore, B. Toner. “Early COVID-19 respiratory risk stratification using machine learning.” Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open 2022.
  5. A. Makeev, B. Toner, M. Qian, A. Badal, and S. J. Glick. “Using convolutional neural networks to discriminate between cysts and masses in Monte Carlo-simulated dual-energy mammography.” Medical Physics (2021).

CONFERENCE PUBLICATIONS

  1. B. Toner, F. Han, S. Arberet, E. Ahanonu, K. Johnson, U. Goerke, L. Jiang, S. Zhang, R.K. Akhbari, G. Block, D.R. Martin, V. Deshpande, M. Nadar, A. Bilgin, M. Altbach. “Respiratory triggered abdominal T2-weighted imaging for concurrent T2water mapping and PDFF quantification using RADGRASE,” in Proceedings of the 2025 Annual Meeting of the ISMRM, Honolulu, HI, May 2025. Power Pitch Presentation.
  2. B. Toner, S. Shih, F. Han, E. Ahanonu, U. Goerke, K. Johnson, H. Wu, M. Altbach, A. Bilgin. “Automated streaking artifact suppression for multi-echo radial abdominal data compatible with advanced reconstruction techniques,” in Proceedings of the 2025 Annual Meeting of the ISMRM, Honolulu, HI, May 2025. Digital Poster Presentation.
  3. E. Ahanonu, U. Goerke, B. Toner, K. Johnson, R. Akhbari, G. Block, D. Martin, V. Deshpande, X. Zhong, H. Wu, A. Bilgin. M. Altbach, “A Hybrid Multi-Echo Radial Look-Locker (hME-rLL) multi-slice protocol for efficient liver coverage in joint T1-water, PDFF, and R2* estimation,” in Proceedings of the 2025 Annual Meeting of the ISMRM, Honolulu, HI, May 2025. Oral Presentation.
  4. B. Toner, F. Han, S. Arberet, E. Ahanonu, K. Johnson, U. Goerke, L. Jiang, S. Zhang, R.K. Akhbari, G. Block, D.R. Martin, V. Deshpande, M. Nadar, A. Bilgin, M. Altbach. “Using Respiratory-Triggered RADGRASE for Simultaneous Abdominal T2-Weighted Imaging, T2water Mapping, and PDFF Quantification,” in Proceedings of the 2025 ISMRM Workshop on Body MRI: Unsolved Problems & Unmet Needs, Philadelphia, PA, March 2025. Oral Presentation.
  5. E. Ahanonu, U. Goerke, B. Toner, K. Johnson, R. Akhbari, G. Block, A. Bilgin, M. Altbach, “Comprehensive Liver Imaging with Hybrid Multi-Echo Radial Look-Locker (hME-rLL) Acquisition.” in Proceedings of the 2025 ISMRM Workshop on Body MRI: Unsolved Problems & Unmet Needs, Philadelphia, PA, March 2025. Oral Presentation.
  6. B. Toner, S. Arberet, E. Ahanonu, U. Goerke, K. Johnson, F. Han, S. Zhang, D. Martin, V. Deshpande, M. Nadar, A. Bilgin, M. Altbach. “Free-breathing T2 mapping of the abdomen in half the scan time using RADTSE with deep learning reconstruction,” in Proceedings of the 2024 Annual Meeting of the ISMRM, Singapore, May 2024. Power Pitch Presentation.
  7. B. Toner, M. Keerthivasan, J-P Galons, K. Johnson, D. Martin, A. Bilgin, M. Altbach. “Characterization of small liver lesions using a partial volume corrected T2 mapping technique,” in Proceedings of the 2024 Annual Meeting of the ISMRM, Singapore, May 2024. Digital Poster Presentation. 2024 ISMRM Summa Cum Laude Merit Awardee.
  8. Y. Zhang, A. Bilgin, S. Kafali, B. Toner, T. Delgado, E. Ahanonu, D. Karakay, W. Zhou, S. Mollus, S. Kannengießer, V. Deshpande, S. Grbic, M. Altbach, H. Wu. “Enhancing deep learning-based liver vessel segmentation on MRI with image translation techniques,” in Proceedings of the 2024 Annual Meeting of the ISMRM, Singapore, May 2024. Oral Presentation.
  9. E. Ahanonu, U. Goerke, B. Toner, K. Johnson, V. Deshpande, S-F Shih, X. Zhong, H. Wu, A. Bilgin, M. Altbach. “Hybrid multi-echo radial look-locker (hME-rLL) acquisition for joint estimation of water-T1, PDFF, and R2*,” in Proceedings of the 2024 Annual Meeting of the ISMRM, Singapore, May 2024. Oral Presentation. 2024 ISMRM Summa Cum Laude Merit Awardee.
  10. P. Martin, B. Toner, M. Altbach, A. Bilgin. “Accelerated diffusion tensor imaging using a diffusion generative deep learning model,” in Proceedings of the 2024 Annual Meeting of the ISMRM, Singapore, May 2024. Digital Poster Presentation.
  11. B. Toner, S. Arberet, F. Han, M. Nadar, V. Deshpande, M. Altbach, A. Bilgin. “Deep learning reconstruction of radial T2 weighted data sets with data consistent unrolled neural networks,” in Proceedings of the 2023 Annual Meeting of the ISMRM, Toronto, CA, June 2023. Power Pitch Presentation.
  12. E. Ahanonu, U. Goerke, K. Johnson, B. Toner, D. Martin, V. Deshpande, A. Bilgin, M. Altbach. “Single breath-hold full abdominal T1 mapping using a CNN based short inversion-recovery sampling technique,” in Proceedings of the 2023 Annual Meeting of the ISMRM, Toronto, CA, June 2023. Oral Presentation. 2023 ISMRM Summa Cum Laude Merit Awardee.
  13. E. Ahanonu, K. Johnson, U. Goerke, B. Toner, D. Martin, V. Deshpande, A. Bilgin, M. Altbach. “T1 mapping of the entire abdomen using a time efficient free breathing neural network radial Look Locker approach,” in Proceedings of the 2023 Annual Meeting of the ISMRM, Toronto, CA, June 2023. Oral Presentation. 2023 ISMRM Summa Cum Laude Merit Awardee.
  14. B. Toner, Z. Fu, R. Philip, D. R. Martin, M. Altbach, and A. Bilgin. “The impact of streak-removal on deep learning reconstruction of radial datasets,” in Proceedings of the 2022 Annual Meeting of the ISMRM, London, UK, May 2022. Power Pitch Presentation.
  15. B. Toner, A. Makeev, P. KC, and S. J. Glick. “Towards improved lesion quantification and volume estimation with contrast-enhanced digital breast tomosynthesis using convolutional neural networks: a simulation study,” in Proceedings of SPIE 12031, Medical Imaging 2022: Physics of Medical Imaging, 120311U. Poster Presentation.
  16. B. Toner, A. Makeev, M. Qian, A. Badal, and S. J. Glick. “Classification of round lesions in dual-energy FFDM using a convolutional neural network: simulation study,” in Proceedings of SPIE 11595, Medical Imaging 2021: Physics of Medical Imaging, 115952C. Poster Presentation.

Personal

In my free time, I enjoy hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, cycling, running, tennis, and grilling.