Ho-Ling Anthony Liu, Ph.D. DABR, MRSE, FAAPM,
Department of Imaging Physics, Division of Diagnostic Imaging
About Dr. Ho-Ling Anthony Liu
Ho-Ling Anthony Liu, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Imaging Physics. Dr. Liu has more than 20 years of experience in advanced neuroimaging. His research interest is on development of perfusion and functional MRI methods for management of neurological diseases. He has been collaborating with clinicians and scientists in radiology, psychology and neuroscience, and serving as a PI or a co-investigator in research grants. He has authored over 100 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals, lectured and chaired at national and international conferences and held symposia and hands-on workshops in related fields. Dr. Liu’s current research directions include quantitative MRI for characterizing tumor microenvironment and precise functional localization with pre-surgical functional MRI.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Professor, Imaging Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Faculty Member, Medical Physics Graduate Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas
Professor, Imaging Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Research Interests
The focus of his research is to develop and optimize advanced MR neuroimaging methods for improving diagnosis, treatment planning and evaluation of early treatment response of tumors. Two specific directions are:
1. Quantitative MRI for characterizing tumor microenvironment: this includes the quantitation of dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC), dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) and arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI for characterizing tumor angiogenesis, and the characterization of microvascular properties such as vessel caliber and vessel reactivity using MRI methods.
2. Advanced MRI for pre-surgical planning and intra-operative evaluation: this includes advanced functional MRI acquisition/processing strategy and the study of neurovascular coupling of brain activation adjacent to tumors for pre-surgical planning, and the incorporation of functional/physiological imaging for the intra-operative evaluation.
Clinical Interests
Advanced brain tumor imaging | Pre-surgical functional MRI and diffusion MR tractography | Optimization of MRI sequences for neurological applications
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2000 | University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, US, Medical Physics, Ph.D |
| 1994 | National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, TW, Nuclear Science, M.S |
| 1992 | National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, TW, Physics, BS |
Postgraduate Training
| 2004-2005 | Resident, Imaging Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2023 | American Board of Magnetic Resonance Safety (MR Safety Expert) |
| 2014 | Texas Medical Physicist |
| 2004 | American Board of Radiology (Diagnostic Medical Physics) with MOC |
Experience & Service
Editorial Activities
Section Editor, American Journal of Neuroradiology, 2026 - Present
Board Member, Neuroimaging Section Tomography, 2023 - Present
Associate Editor, Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 2015 - Present
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2026 - 2027 |
| Title: | 2D and 3D MAGIC Imaging for Brain Tumors |
| Funding Source: | GE Healthcare |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2026 - 2027 |
| Title: | Beyond Language: Toward Multimodal Memory Mapping for Resection of Eloquent Glioma |
| Funding Source: | American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2025 - 2026 |
| Title: | MRI of aquaporin activity as a marker of glymphatic function in glioma patients before and after surgery |
| Funding Source: | ARPA-H (ARPA-H-ICHUB-24-101-559), Sub-Award through GE HealthCare |
| Role: | Site Principal Investigator |
| ID: | FP0027449 |
| Date: | 2025 - 2027 |
| Title: | Advancing connectomics-based prediction of postoperative neurocognitive outcome in patients with eloquent glioma |
| Funding Source: | MDACC IRG |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2023 - 2023 |
| Title: | Project 1: Co-Development of Standardized MR Protocol Set |
| Funding Source: | Siemens Healthcare |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2022 - 2027 |
| Title: | Interdisciplinary Translational Pre/Postdoctoral Program in Cancer Nanotechnology |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Mentor |
| ID: | 5T32CA196561-08 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2027 |
| Title: | A Comprehensive Clinical fMRI Software Solution to Enable Mapping of Critical Functional Networks and Cerebrovascular Reactivity in the Brain |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 5R01CA257788-04 |
| Date: | 2020 - 2025 |
| Title: | Multi-Parametric MRI Assessment of Brain Connectivity and Spectroscopic Biomarkers in Patients with a Substance Use Disorder |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NIDA |
| Role: | Co-Mentor |
| ID: | 5K23DA049216-05 |
| Date: | 2020 - 2021 |
| Title: | A pilot study to determine the brain and cognitive effects of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in patients with melanoma as well as the association of this neurotoxicity with changes in cytokines and the fecal microbiome |
| Funding Source: | MDACC IRG |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2019 - 2021 |
| Title: | Transforming the Standard of Care: A Personalized Approach for Patients with Cancer Metastatic to the Brain |
| Funding Source: | Brockman Foundation |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2016 - 2021 |
| Title: | Resting-state Functional MRI in Glioma Patients Before and After Surgery |
| Funding Source: | MDACC DICRC |
| Role: | PI |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Dagher R, Sun P, Al Qudah H, Kaya D, Alizada S, Taylor BA, Hou P, Wintermark M, Liu HA. Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast MRI using Gadopiclenol for Evaluation of Relative Cerebral Blood Volume at 3T: A Comparison with Gadobutrol. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41672714.
- Liu HA, Khalaf A, Naya L, Flynt L, Surasi DS, Lu Y, Nagpal S, Thomas RP, Recht LD, Beckham TH, Davidzon G, Beinat C, Patel CB. [(18)F]DASA-23 PET/MRI evaluation in newly-diagnosed and recurrent high-grade glioma, 2026.
- Yeh, MY, Wu, CW, Peng, HH, Liu, HA, Hsu, AL, Hsu, YY. Age-Related Variations in Cerebrovascular Reactivity Measured With Resting-State BOLD MRI. NMR in Biomedicine 39(1), 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41265868.
- Qudah, Al, Jackson D Hamilton, Liu HA, Gubbiotti Maria A, Msherghi Ahmed, Salim Hamza A, Alizada Sahar, Kumar Vinodh A, Wintermark Max, Eldaya Rami W. Imaging features of high-grade astrocytoma with piloid features: A single center case series. NeuroradiolJ. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 41239912.
- Teo JM, Kumar VA, Khalaf AM, Noll KR, Ferguson SD, Ene Cl, Prabhu SS, Wintermark M, Liu HA. Probabilistic template matching for detecting resting-state functional MRI language network in brain tumor patients. Med Phys 52(11), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 41231662.
- Muir MT, Noll K, Prinsloo S, Michener H, Traylor JI, Kumar VA, Ene CI, Ferguson S, Liu HL, Weinberg JS, Lang F, Taylor BA, Forkel SJ, Prabhu SS. Preoperative Brain Mapping Predicts Language Outcomes After Eloquent Tumor Resection. Hum Brain Mapp. Human Brain Mapp 46(15), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 41099461.
- Noll KR, Bander ED, Chen HS, Bradshaw M, Wefel JS, Kumar VA, Prabhu SS, Liu HL. Changes in functional connectivity are associated with functional independence in the early postoperative period following awake surgical resection of language-eloquent glioma. Neurooncol Adv 7(1), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 41019665.
- Dagher SA, Johnson JM, Mohamed RMM, Ansari S, Mawlawi O, Liu HL, Wintermark M, Schellingerhout D, Flynt L, Yeboa DN, Weinberg JS, Ferguson SD. Gule-Monroe MK. Study of 18 F-fluciclovine PET for serial assessment of glioblastoma tumor volumes during surgery and radiotherapy. J Neurooncol 175(2):549-560. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40591209.
- Hsu AL, Wu CW, Huang CM, Lin C, Toh CH, Liu HL, Lee TMC, Lee SH. Reliability of brain localization using task-based fMRI for late-life depression with suicidal risk. J Psychiatr Res 187:10-17, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40318407.
- Gule-Monroe M, Chasen N, Long JP, Kumar VA, Shah K, Chen M, Stafford J, Chung C, Wintermark M, Hou P, Sura E, Wang C, Weinberg J, Liu HL. Diagnostic Confidence of Contrast-Enhanced T1-Weighted MRI for the Detection of Brain Metastases: 3D FSE versus 3D GRE-Based Sequences. AJNR AM J Neuroradiol. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39572196.
- Nye, JA, Dugas, JP, Erwin, WD, Gierga, D, Kaurin, DL, Leon, S, Liu, HA, Lu, ZF, Magri, AW, Rill, L, Schubert, L, Schueler, B, Vergalasova, I, Vetter, J, Wichman, B, Yu, AS, Zheng, D. AAPM Task Group No. 249.B—Essentials and guidelines for clinical medical physics residency training programs. Journal of applied clinical medical physics 26(6), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40387591.
- Chibawanye I E, Silva E, Noll K, Bradshaw M, Connelly K, Liu HL, Tummala R, Ferson D, Lang FF, Kumar VA. Language mapping during awake brain surgery in a deaf patient with a brain tumor: illustrative case. J Neurosurg Case Lessons 9(18):CASE2597, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40324327.
- Amer A, Ansari S, Krayyem A, Kundu S, Khose S, Pokhylevych H, Calle S, Patel CB, Yang Z, Liu HA, Johnson JM. Dynamic Contrast-enhanced MRI Processing Comparison for Distinguishing True Progression From Pseudoprogression in High-grade Glioma. J Comput Assist Tomogr. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39876523.
- Teo JM, Kumar VA, Lee J, Eldaya RW, Hou P, Jen ML, Noll KR, Wei P, Ferguson SD, Prabhu SS, Wintermark M, Liu HL. Probabilistic Presurgical Language Functional MRI Atlas of Brain Tumor Patients. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 45(11):1798-1804, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38889968.
- Pan, Y, Hong, E, Acheson, A, Thompson, PM, Jahanshad, N, Zhu, AH, Yu, J, Chen, C, Ma, T, Liu, HA, Veraart, J, Fieremans, E, Karcher, NR, Kochunov, P, Chen, S. A Site-Wise Reliability Analysis of the ABCD Diffusion Fractional Anisotropy and Cortical Thickness. Human Brain Mapping 45(16), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39526419.
- Kumar VA, Lee J, Liu HL, Allen JW, Filippi CG, Holodny AI, Hsu K, Jain R, McAndrews MP, Peck KK, Shah G, Shimony JS, Singh S, Zeineh M, Tanabe J, Vachha B, Vossough A, Welker K, Whitlow C, Wintermark M, Zaharchuk G, Sair HI. Recommended Resting-State fMRI Acquisition and Preprocessing Steps for Preoperative Mapping of Language and Motor and Visual Areas in Adult and Pediatric Patients with Brain Tumors and Epilepsy. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 45(2):139-148, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38164572.
- Lin C, Huang CM, Chang W, Chang YX, Liu HL, Ng SH, Lin HL, Lee TM, Lee SH, Wu SC. Predicting suicidality in late-life depression by 3D convolutional neural network and cross-sample entropy analysis of resting-state fMRI. Brain Behav 14(1):e3348, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38376042.
- Lin C, Lee SH, Huang CM, Wu YW, Chang YX, Liu HL, Ng SH, Cheng YC, Chiu CC, Wu SC. Cognitive protection and brain entropy changes from omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids supplement in late-life depression: A 52-week randomized controlled trial. J Affect Disord 351:15-23, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38281596.
- Lee J, Kumar VA, Teo JM, Eldaya RW, Hou P, Noll KR, Ferguson SD, Prabhu SS, Liu HL. Comparative analysis of brain language templates with primary language areas detected from presurgical fMRI of brain tumor patients. Brain Behav 14(6):e3497, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38898620.
- Noll KR, Asman P, Tasnim I, Hall M, Connelly K, Swamy C, Ene C, Tummala S, Grasu RM, Liu HL, Kumar VA, Muir M, Prinsloo S, Michener H, Wefel JS, Ince NF, Prabhu SS. Intraoperative language mapping guided by real-time visualization of gamma band modulation electrocorticograms: Case report and proof of concept. Neurooncol Pract 11(1):92-100, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38222047.
- Dagher SA, Liu HL, Ozkara BB, Calle S, Kaya D, Gule-Monroe MK, Chasen NN, Schellingerhout D, Learned KO, Shah KB, Johnson JM, Sun J, Schomer DF, Kumar VA, Wintermark M, Majd NK, Nam JY, Chen MM. The Impact of MRI-Based Advanced Neuroimaging on Neurooncologists' Clinical Decision-Making in Patients With Posttreatment High-Grade Glioma: A Prospective Survey-Based Study. AJR Am J Roentgenol. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39140632.
- Young AL, Kundu S, Tappa KK, Hou P, Liu HL, Kumar VA. Incidence of resting-state functional connectivity to secondary language areas and contralateral language areas in patients with brain tumors. Neuroradiol J:19714009231196471. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37596790.
- Gao, M, Wong, NM, Lin, C, Huang, CM, Liu, HA, Toh, CH, Wu, C, Tsai, YF, Lee, SH, Lee, TM. Multimodal brain connectome-based prediction of suicide risk in people with late-life depression. Nature Mental Health 1(2):100-113, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
- Lin C, Lee SH, Huang CM, Chen GY, Chang W, Liu HL, Ng SH, Lee TM, Wu SC. Automatic diagnosis of late-life depression by 3D convolutional neural networks and cross-sample Entropy analysis from resting-state fMRI. Brain Imaging Behavior 17(1):125-135, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36418676.
- Liu, Z, Wong, NM, Shao, R, Lee, SH, Huang, CM, Liu, HA, Lin, C, Lee, TM. Classification of Major Depressive Disorder using Machine Learning on brain structure and functional connectivity. Neurology Psychiatry and Brain Research 10, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Yeh MY, Chen HS, Hou P, Kumar VA, Johnson JM, Noll KR, Prabhu SS, Ferguson SD, Schomer DF, Peng HH, Liu HL. Cerebrovascular Reactivity Mapping Using Resting-State Functional MRI in Patients With Gliomas. J Magn Reson Imaging 56(6):1863-1871, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35396789.
- Shao R, Gao M, Lin C, Huang CM, Liu HL, Toh CH, Wu C, Tsai YF, Qi D, Lee SH, Lee TMC. Multimodal Neural Evidence on the Corticostriatal Underpinning of Suicidality in Late-Life Depression. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging 7(9):905-915, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 34861420.
- Chan PS, Cheng CH, Wu YT, Wu CW, Hsu AL, Liu CY, Liu HL, Davenport PW. Neural substrates of respiratory sensory gating: A human fMRI study. Biol Psychol 169:108277, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35077848.
- Muir M, Patel R, Traylor J, de Almeida Bastos DC, Prinsloo S, Liu HL, Noll K, Wefel J, Tummala S, Kumar V, Prabhu S. Validation of Non-invasive Language Mapping Modalities for Eloquent Tumor Resection: A Pilot Study. Front Neurosci 16:833073, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35299624.
- Siu HC, Lee SH, Au JS, Lo AP, Huang CM, Tsai YF, Lee TM, Liu HL, Lin C, Chiu CD. Loneliness and Major Depressive Disorder in the Elderly with a History of Suicidal Ideation or Attempt: A Comment on "Therapist-Guided Internet-Based Treatments for Loneliness" by Käll et al. Psychother Psychosom 91(2):142-144, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 34915527.
- Chang, TY, Wu, HH, Li, YJ, Liu, HA, Yeh, CH, Jian, HS, Huang, KL, Lee, TH, Tian, YC, Wu, CW. Changes of Brain Functional Connectivity in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients Receiving Peritoneal Dialysis Without Cognitive Decline. Frontiers in Medicine 8, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34901056.
- Johnson, JM, Chen, MM, Rohren, E, Prabhu, SS, Chasen, B, Mawlawi, O, Liu, HA, Gule-Monroe, MK. Delayed FDG PET Provides Superior Glioblastoma Conspicuity Compared to Conventional Image Timing. Frontiers in Neurology 12, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34867723.
- Johnson JM, Chen MM, Rohren EM, Prabhu SS, Chasen B, Mawlawi O, Liu HL, Gule-Monroe MK. Delayed FDG PET Provides Superior Glioblastoma Conspicuity Compared to Conventional Image Timing. Frontiers in Neurology, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Yang, TT, Hsung, RM, Chen, SH, Du, YR, Lin, YJ, Yen, NS, Wu, CT, Liu, HA. The mechanisms of trust formation under different conditions of political identity. Current Sociology 69(6):879-899, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Chen HS, Jen ML, Hou P, Stafford RJ, Liu HL. A dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI digital reference object for testing software with leakage correction: Effect of background simulation. Med Phys 48(10):6051-6059, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34293208.
- Chen HS, Kumar VA, Johnson JM, Chen MM, Noll KR, Hou P, Prabhu SS, Schomer DF, Liu HL. Effect of brain normalization methods on the construction of functional connectomes from resting-state functional MRI in patients with gliomas. Magn Reson Med 86(1):487-498, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33533052.
- Lin C, Huang CM, Karim HT, Liu HL, Lee TM, Wu CW, Toh CH, Tsai YF, Yen TH, Lee SH. Greater white matter hyperintensities and the association with executive function in suicide attempters with late-life depression. Neurobiol Aging 103:60-67, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33845397.
- Noll KR, Chen HS, Wefel JS, Kumar VA, Hou P, Ferguson SD, Rao G, Johnson JM, Schomer DF, Suki D, Prabhu SS, Liu HL. Alterations in Functional Connectomics Associated With Neurocognitive Changes Following Glioma Resection. Neurosurgery 88(3):544-551, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33080024.
- Mei-Yu Yeh, Changwei W Wu, Liu HA, Hsu-Hsia Peng, Ai-Ling Husu, Yuan-yu Hsu. Age-Related Variations in Cerebrovascular Reactivity Measured With Resting-State BOLD MRI. Neuroradiology. PMID: 41239912.
Review Articles
- Lee J, Chen MM, Liu HL, Ucisik FE, Wintermark M, Kumar VA. MR Perfusion Imaging for Gliomas. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am 32(1):73-83, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38007284.
- Wong NML, STST M, Lin C, Huang CM, Liu HL, Lee SH, Lee TMC. Meta-analytic evidence for the cognitive control model of loneliness in emotion processing. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 138:104686, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35537565.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified September 14, 2026