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Ehsan Samei

Reed and Martha Rice Distinguished Professor of Radiology
Radiology
DUMC Box 2731, Durham, NC 27710
2424 Erwin Road, Suite 302, Ravin Advanced Imaging Labs, Durham, NC 27705

Research Interests


Dr. Samei’s scientific expertise include x-ray imaging, theoretical imaging models, simulation methods, and experimental techniques in medical image formation, quantification, and perception.  His research aims to bridge the gap between scientific scholarship and clinical practice, in the meaningful realization of translational research, and in clinical processes that are informed by scientific evidence. He has advanced image quality and safety metrics and radiometrics that are clinically relevant and that can be used to design, optimize, and monitor interpretive and quantitative performance of imaging techniques. These have been implemented in advanced imaging performance characterization, procedural optimization, and clinical dose and quality analytics. His most recent research interests have been virtual clinical trial across a broad spectrum of oncologic, pulmonary, cardiac, and vascular diseases, and developing methodological advances that provide smart fusions of principle-informed and AI-based, data-informed approaches to scientific inquiry.

Selected Grants


Research Triangle Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2023 - 2028

Accuracy and Precision in CT Quantification of COPD Through Virtual Imaging Trials

ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute · 2021 - 2026

Center for Virtual Imaging Trials

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering · 2021 - 2025

Quality and Safety Monitoring of Clinical Computed Tomography Practice

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Metis · 2021 - 2025

Simulation Tools for 3D and 4D CT and Dosimetry

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2007 - 2025

Photon Counting Computed Tomography for Detection of Small Liver Metastases: Comparison to Conventional and Dual-Energy Systems

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Society of Abdominal Radiology · 2022 - 2024

Precision Cardiac CT: Development of a Computational Platform for Optimizing Imaging

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2017 - 2023

Enabling accurate identification and quantification of brown adipose tissue mass by xenon enhanced computed tomography

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2020 - 2022

Open-access X-ray and CT simulation toolkit for research in cancer imaging and dosimetry

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by GE Global Research · 2019 - 2021

Advanced Spectral CT System Design Through Virtual Imaging

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by GE Healthcare · 2020 - 2021

3D Printing of Anatomically Realistic Phantoms for Optimization of Imaging Algorithms

ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2018 - 2021

Design for systematic consistency of quality and dose in contrast enhanced CT

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Bracco Diagnostics, Inc. · 2018 - 2020

Physics Associates Affiliate Residency Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Physics Associates · 2017 - 2020

Training in Medical Imaging

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2003 - 2020

Imaging Physics Residency Grant

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by American Association of Physicists in Medicine · 2014 - 2018

Reconstruction Software Evaluation

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. · 2014 - 2018

Methodology and Reference Image set for Volumetric Characterization and Compliance

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Radiological Society of North America · 2014 - 2017

Reference Image Set for Quantitation Conformance of Algorithmic Lesion Characterization

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Radiological Society of North America · 2014 - 2017

Advancement and Effective Implementation of Dose and Risk Monitoring Systems

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by GE Healthcare · 2014 - 2017

Decreased Variability for Robust Imaging-based Quantification of Tumor Heterogeneity

ResearchAdvisor · Awarded by Radiological Society of North America · 2015 - 2017

IAEA scientific visit and training

ConferencePrincipal Investigator · Awarded by International Atomic Energy Agency · 2016 - 2016

Duke Clinical Imaging Physics Group Fellowship

FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Bracco Foundation · 2015 - 2016

A Diagnostic Capability Concurrence study of a SSXI Mobile Fluoroscopy System and the OEC 9900 Elite Mobile Fluoroscopy

Clinical TrialInvestigator · Awarded by General Electric Corporation · 2013 - 2016

X-Ray Scatter and Phase Imaging for Explosive Detection

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by US Department of Homeland Security · 2011 - 2015

3D Digital Breast Phantoms For Multimodality Research

ResearchCollaborator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2010 - 2014

Cross-disciplinary Training in Medical Physics

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEDirector · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2007 - 2013

Information-Theoretic Based CAD in Mammography

ResearchScientist · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2003 - 2011

Tomosynthesis for Improved Breast Cancer Detection

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2006 - 2011

Bi-Plane Correlation Imaging for Early Detection of Lung Cancer

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2004 - 2010

Task-Specific Optimization of Mammographic Systems

FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by United States Army Medical Research and Materiel Command · 2004 - 2007

Resolution Requirements for Mammographic Displays

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2003 - 2006

Early Detection of Lung Cancer via Bi-plane Correlation Chest Imaging

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2001 - 2004

External Relationships


  • 12 Sigmas Medical Imaging
  • GE Healthcare
  • Gammex / Sun Nuclear
  • Imalogix, LLC
  • METIS Health Analytics, LLC
  • Siemens Medical Solutions
  • Silomedics, LLC

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies, institutions, or organizations listed above. This information is available to institutional leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.