David T. Fuentes, Ph.D.
Department of Imaging Physics, Division of Diagnostic Imaging
About Dr. Fuentes
Dr. Fuentes has a strong interdisciplinary background in applied mathematics, imaging physics, engineering, scientific computation, and mathematical modeling of physics based phenomena. Dr. Fuentes has contributed in numerous aspects of quantitative clinical imaging guided research, including, MRI image acquisition, image registration, modeling of the nonlinear dynamic bioheat transfer within heterogeneous tissue, geometry extraction, high-speed data transfer, remote computer visualization, laser optics, high-performance parallel computing, inverse analysis, calibration, model validation, thermal image processing, data assimilation, optimal control algorithms, and uncertainty quantification. Dr. Fuentes has been involved with multi-disciplinary teams of engineers, imaging physicists, computational scientists, applied mathematicians, interventionists, and industry collaborators in 20+ peer reviewed publications relating to image guided research.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Imaging Physics - Research, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Research Interests
The development, implementation, and validation of high performance human assisted computational tools for image-guided interventions.
Clinical Interests
Image guided therapy, computation science, treatment planning, and treatment monitoring.
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2008 | The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA, PHD, Computational and Applied Mathematics |
| 2005 | The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA, MS, Computational and Applied Mathematics |
| 2002 | The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA, BS, Aerospace Engineering |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Imaging Physics, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2013 - 2019
Honors & Awards
| 2003 | CAM Fellowship, University of Texas at Austin |
| 2001 | Maureen M. and Richard E. Wakeland Endowed Scholarship in Engineering, University of Texas at Austin |
| 1999 | University Honors, University of Texas at Austin |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Muthusivarajan R, Celaya A, Yung JP, Long JP, Viswanath SE, Marcus DS, Chung C, Fuentes D. Evaluating the relationship between magnetic resonance image quality metrics and deep learning-based segmentation accuracy of brain tumors. Med Phys 51(7):4898-4906, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38640464.
- Wahid KA, Cardenas CE, Marquez B, Netherton TJ, Kann BH, Court LE, He R, Naser MA, Moreno AC, Fuller CD, Fuentes D. Evolving Horizons in Radiotherapy Auto-Contouring: Distilling Insights, Embracing Data-Centric Frameworks, and Moving Beyond Geometric Quantification. Advances in Radiation Oncology, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 37904737.
- Huang K, Chung C, Ludmir EB, Zhang L, Owens CA, Vega JG, Duryea J, Zhao Y, Chen X, Fuentes D, Cardenas CE, Briere TM, Beddar S, Court LE, Das P. Automatic end-to-end VMAT treatment planning for rectal cancers. J Appl Clin Med Phys:e14259. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38317597.
- Wahid KA, Sahlsten J, Jaskari J, Dohopolski MJ, Kaski K, He R, Glerean E, Kann BH, Mäkitie A, Fuller CD, Naser MA, Fuentes D.. Harnessing uncertainty in radiotherapy auto-segmentation quality assurance. Phys Imaging Radiat Oncol 29:100526, 2024. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 38179210.
- Nikzad N, Fuentes DT, Roach M, Chowdhury T, Cagley M, Badawy M, Elkhesen A, Hassan M, Elsayes KM, Beretta L, Koay EJ, Jalal PK. Enhancement Pattern Mapping for Early Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Cirrhosis. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 11:595-606, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38525156.
- Walker CM, Fuentes D, Larson PEZ, Kundra V, Vigneron DB, Bankson JA.. Effects of Excitation Angle Strategy on Quantitative Analysis of Hyperpolarized Pyruvate. Magn Reson Med 81(6):3754-3762, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30793791.
- Fuentes D, Ahmed K, Lin JS, Abdel-Wahab R, Kaseb AO, Hassan M, Szklaruk J, Morshid A, Hazle JD, Qayyum A, Elsayes KM. Automated Volumetric Assessment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Response to Sorafenib: A Pilot Study. J Comput Assist Tomogr. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31082984.
- Gates EDH, Lin JS, Weinberg JS, Hamilton J, Prabhu SS, Hazle JD, Fuller GN, Baladandayuthapani V, Fuentes D , Schellingerhout D.. Guiding the first biopsy in glioma patients using estimated Ki-67 maps derived from MRI: conventional versus advanced imaging. Neuro Oncol 21(4):527-536, 2019. PMID: 30657997.
- Hormuth DA, Jarrett AM, Lima EABF, McKenna MT, Fuentes DT , Yankeelov TE. Mechanism-Based Modeling of Tumor Growth and Treatment Response Constrained by Multiparametric Imaging Data. JCO Clin Cancer Inform 3:1-10, 2019. PMID: 30807209.
- Beechar VB, Prabhu SS, Bastos D, Weinberg JS, Stafford RJ, Fuentes D, Hess KR, Rao G. Volumetric Response of Progressing Post-SRS Lesions Treated with Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy. Journal of Neuroncology 137(1):57-65, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29204838.
- Melancon MP, Appleton Figueira T, Fuentes DT, Tian L, Qiao Y, Gu J, Gagea M, Ensor JE, Muñoz NM, Maldonado KL, Dixon K, McWatters A, Mitchell J, McArthur M, Gupta S, Tam AL. Development of an Electroporation and Nanoparticle-Based Therapeutic Platform for Bone Metastases. Radiology 286(1):149-157, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28825892.
- Mitchell D, Fahrenholtz S, MacLellan C, Bastos D, Rao G, Prabhu S, Weinberg J, Hazle J, Stafford J, Fuentes D.. A Heterogeneous Tissue Model for Treatment Planning For Magnetic Resonance-Guided Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy. International Journal of Hyperthermia:1-10, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29343140.
- Fuentes, D, Munoz, N, Guo, C, Polak, U, Minhaj, A, Allen, W, Gustin, M, and Cressmen, E.. A Molecular Dynamics Approach towards Evaluating Osmotic and Thermal Stress in the Extracellular Environment. International Journal of Hyperthermia pages 1-9, 2018.
- Khalaf, A.M, Fuentes, D, Morshid, A.I, Burke, M.R, Kaseb, A.O, Hassan, M, Hazle, J.D, and Elsayes, K.M.. Role of WNT/Catenin Signaling in Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Pathogenesis, and Clinical Significance. Journal of Hepatocellular Carcinoma 5:61, 2018.
- Owens, C, Peterson, C, Tang,C,Koay, E, Yu, W, Mackin, D, Li, J, Salehpour, M, Fuentes, D, Court, L and Yang, J.. Lung Tumor Segmentation Methods: Impact on the Uncertainty of Radiomics Features for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. PLoS One 13(10), 2018.
- Sovizi J, Mathieu KB, Thrower SL, Stefan W, Hazle JD, Fuentes D . Gaussian Process Classification of Superparamagnetic Relaxometry Date: Phantom Study. Artificial Intelligence in Medicine 82:47-59, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28911905.
- Mitcham T, Taghavi H, Long J, Wood C, Fuentes D , Stefan W, Ward J, Bouchard R. Photoacoustic-Based SO2 Estimation Through Excised Bovine Prostate Tissue With Interstitial Light Delivery. Photoacoustics 7:47-56, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28794990.
- MacLellan CJ, Fuentes D , Prabhu S, Rao G, Weinberg JS, Hazle JD, Stafford RJ. A Methodology for Thermal Dose Model Parameter Development Using Perioperative MRI. International Journal of Hyperthermia:1-10. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28830311.
- Yung JP, Fuentes D , MacLellan CJ, Maier F, Liapis Y, Hazle JD, Stafford RJ. Referenceless Magnetic Resonance Temperature Imaging Using Gaussian Process Modeling. Med Phys 44(7):3545-3555, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28317125.
- Fahrenholtz SJ, Madankan R, Danish S, Hazle JD, Stafford RJ, Fuentes D. Theoretical Model for Laser Ablation Outcome Predictions in Brain: Calibration and Validation on Clinical MR Thermometry Images. International Journal of Hyperthermia 34(1):1-11, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28540820.
- Lin J, Fuentes D, Weinberg J, Prabhu S, Baladandayuthapani V, Hazle J. D, and Schellingerhout D.. Performance Assessment for Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Registration Methods. American Journal of Neuroradiology 38(5):973-980, 2017.
- Madankan R, Stefan W, Fahrenholtz SJ, MacLellan CJ, Hazle JD, Stafford RJ, Weinberg JS, Rao G, Fuentes D. Accelerated Model-Based Signal Reconstruction for Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Presence of Uncertanties. Phys Med Biol 62(1):214-245, 2017. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27991449.
- Tam AL, Figueira TA, Gagea M, Ensor JE, Dixon K, McWatters A, Gupta S, Fuentes D . Irreversible Electroporation in the Epidural Space of the Porcine Spine: Effects on Adjacent Structures. Radiology 281(3):763-771, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27266723.
- Bankson JA, Walker CM, Ramirez MS, Stefan W, Fuentes D, Merritt ME, Lee J, Sandulache VC, Chen Y, Phan L, Chou PC, Rao A, Yeung SC, Lee MH, Schellingerhout D, Conrad CA, Malloy C, Sherry AD, Lai SY, Hazle JD. Kinetic Modeling and Constrained Reconstruction of Hyperpolarized [1-13C]-Pyruvate Offers Improved Metabolic Imaging of Tumors. Cancer Research 75(22):4708-17, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26420214.
- Maier F, Fuentes D, Weinberg JS, Hazle JD, Stafford RJ. Robust Phase Unwrapping Using a Sorted List, Multi-Clustering Algorithm. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 73(4):1662-1668, 2015. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24809984.
- Fahrenholtz SJ, Moon TY, Franco M, Medina D, Danish S, Gowda A, Shetty A, Maier F, Hazle JD, Stafford RJ, Warburton T, Fuentes D. A Model Evaluation Study for Treatment Planning of Laser Induced Thermal Therapy. International Journal of Hyperthermia 31(7):705-714, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26368014.
- Oden J, Lima E, Almedia R, Feng Y, Rylander M, Fuentes D, Faghihi D, Rahman M, DeWitt M, Gadde M. Toward Predictive Multiscale Modeling of Vascular Tumor Growth. Archives of Computational Methods in Engineering:1-45, 2015.
- Castillo E, Castillo R, Fuentes D, Guerrero T. Computing Global Minimizers to a Constrained B-Spline Image Registration Problem From Optimal 11 Perturbations to Block Match Data. Medical Physics 41(4):041904, 2014. PMID: 24694135.
- Fuentes D, Contreras J, Yu J, He R, Castillo E, Castillo R, Guerrero T. Morphometry-Based Measurements of the Structural Response to Whole-Brain Radiation. International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and surgery 10(4):393-401, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25408306.
- Fahrenholtz SJ, Stafford RJ, Maier F, Hazle JD, Fuentes D. Generalised Polynomial Chaos-Bas. Int J Hyperthermia 29(4):324-35, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23692295.
- Castillo R, Castillo E, Fuentes D , Ahmad M, Wood AM, Ludwig MS, Guerrero. A Reference Dataset for Deformable Image Registration Spatial Accuracy Evaluation Using the COPDgene Study Archive. Physics in Medicine and Biology 58(9):2861-77, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23571679.
- Fuentes D, Elliott A, Weinberg JS, Shetty A, Hazle JD, Stafford RJ. An Inverse Problem Approach to Recovery of In-Vivo Nanopractice Concentrations from Thermal Image Monitoring of MR-Guided Laser Induced Thermal Therapy. Ann BME 41(1):100-11, 2013. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22918665.
- Yeniaras E, Fuentes D , Fahrenholtz SJ, Weinberg JS, Maier F, Hazle JD, Stafford RJ. Design and Initial Evaluation of a Treatment Planning Software System for MRI-Guided Laser Ablation in the Brain. International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery:1-9, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24091853.
- MacLellan CJ, Fuentes D, Elliott AM, Schwartz J, Hazle JD, Stafford RJ. Estimating Nanoparticle Optical Absorption with Magnetic Resonance Temperature Imaging and Bioheat Transfer Stimulation. International Journal of Hyperthermia 30(1):47-55, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24350668.
- Fuentes D, Yung J, Hazle JD, Weinberg JS, Stafford RJ. Kalman Filtered MR Temperature Imaging for Laser Induced Thermal Therapies. IEEE Trans Med Imaging 31(4):984-94, 2012. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 22203706.
- Fuentes D, Walker C, Elliott A, Shetty A, Hazle JD, Stafford RJ. MR Temperature Imaging Validation of a Bioheat Transfer Model for LITT. International Journal of Hypothermia 27(5):453-64, 2011. PMID: 21756043.
- Feng Y, Fuentes D. Model-Based Planning and Real-Time Predictive Control for Laser-Induced Theraml Therapy. International Journal of Hyperthermia 27(8):751-61, 2011.
- Feng Y. and Fuentes D. . Real-Time Predictive Surgical Control for Cancer Treatment Using Laser Ablation [Life Science]. Signal Processing Magazine, IEEE 28(3):134 -138, 2011.
- Fuentes D, Cardan R, Stafford RJ, Yung J, Dodd GD, Feng Y. High-Fidelity Computer Models for Prospective Treatment Planning of RF Ablation with in Vitro Experimental Correlation. J. of Vascular and Interventional Radiology 21(11):1725-1732, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20920840.
- Fuentes D, Feng Y, Elliott A, Shetty A, McNichols RJ, Oden JT, Stafford RJ. Adaptive real-time bioheat transfer models for computer-driven MR-guided laser induced thermal therapy. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 57(5):1024-30, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20142153.
- Stafford RJ, Fuentes D , Elliott AA, Weinberg JS, Ahrar K. Laser Induced Thermal Therapy for Ablation. Crit Rev Biomed Eng 38(1):79-100, 2010. PMID: 21175405.
- Fuentes D, Oden JT, Diller KR, Hazle JD, Elliott A, Shetty A, Stafford RJ. Computational Modeling and Real-Time Control of Patient- Specific Laser Treatment Cancer. Ann. BME 37(4):763-82, 2009. e-Pub 2009.
- Feng Y, Fuentes D, Hawkins A, Bass JM, Rylander MN. Model-Based Optimization and Real-Time Control for Laser Treatment of Heterogeneous Soft Tissues. CMAME 198(21-26):1742-1750, 2009. PMID: 20485457.
- Feng Y, Fuentes D, Hawkins A, Bass J, Rylander MN, Elliott A, Shetty A, Stafford RJ, Oden JT. Nanoshell-Mediated Laser Surgery Simulation for Prostate Cancer Treatment. Engineering with Computers 25(1):3-13, 2009. PMID: 20648233.
- Oden JT, Diller KR, Bajaj C, Browne JC, Hazle J, Babuška I, Bass J, Biduat L, Demkowicz L, Elliott A, Feng Y, Fuentes D, Prudhomme S, Rylander MN, Stafford RJ, Zhang Y. Dynamic Data-Driven Finite Element Models for Laser Treatment of Prostate Cancer. Numer Methods Partial Differ Equ 23(4):904-922, 2007. PMID: 20376194.
- Fuentes D, Littlefield D, Oden J, Prudhomme S. Extensions of goal-oriented error estimation methods to simulations of highly-nonlinear response of shock-loaded elastomer-reinforced structuresock-loaded elastomer-reinforced structures. Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg 195(37-40):4659-4680, 2006. e-Pub 2006.
Other Articles
- Patel N, Eltaher M, Glenn R, Savannah KB, Brock K, Sanchez J, Calderone T, Cleere D, Elsaiey A, Cagley M, Gupta N, Victor D, Beretta L, Celaya A, Koay E, Netherton T, Fuentes, D Training Robust T1-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging Liver Segmentation Models Using Ensembles of Datasets with Different Contrast Protocols and Liver Disease Etiologies. Res Sq, 2024. PMID: 38746406.
- Wahid KA, Fuentes D Weak Supervision, Strong Results: Achieving High Performance in Intracranial Hemorrhage Detection with Fewer Annotation Labels. Radiol Artif Intell 6(1):e230598, 2024. PMID: 38294326.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2023 - 2025 |
| Title: | An image analysis based diagnostic for liver disease |
| Funding Source: | MD Anderson QIAC Partnership in Research |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Date: | 2017 - 2018 |
| Title: | Developing computer models predictive of HCC response to radiation therapy |
| Funding Source: | MDACC CCSG Radiation Oncology and Cancer Imaging Program (ROCIP) |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Date: | 2017 - 2019 |
| Title: | Simultaneous Thermal and Osmotic Stresses in Tumor Ablation: Imaging and Biology |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Supplement PI |
| ID: | 3R01CA201127-02S1 |
| Date: | 2017 - 2027 |
| Title: | Training Program in Biomedical Informatics and Data Science |
| Funding Source: | NIH |
| Role: | Mentor |
| ID: | 2T15LM007093-31 |
| Date: | 2016 - 2021 |
| Title: | Advanced Applications of Synthetic MR and MAGiC |
| Funding Source: | GE Healthcare |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| ID: | WS#21 |
| Date: | 2016 - 2019 |
| Title: | Developing Predictive Models of Treatment Response in HCC |
| Funding Source: | UTMDACC Institutional Research Grant |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Date: | 2016 - 2019 |
| Title: | Advanced micro-PET/CT/RT System for Translational Radiation Oncology Applications |
| Funding Source: | NIH/UT Southwestern |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| ID: | 5R01EB019438-04 |
| Date: | 2015 - 2020 |
| Title: | Advancing Magnetic Relaxometry |
| Funding Source: | Imagion |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Date: | 2015 - 2017 |
| Title: | Patient-Specific Treatment Planning System for MR-Guided Thermal Therapy in Brain |
| Funding Source: | Medtronic Inc |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| ID: | 1211788 |
| Date: | 2014 - 2015 |
| Title: | Photoacoustic and Ultrasound Needle Guided Biopsy |
| Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| ID: | W81XWH-14-1-0024 |
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified February 28, 2025