Ping Hou, Ph.D., DABR
Department of Imaging Physics, Division of Diagnostic Imaging
About Dr. Ping Hou
Ping Hou, Ph.D., DABR, is currently a Professor of Imaging Physics. After obtaining her Ph.D. in physics, focused on MR angiography in 1993 from University of Utah, she joined the MR pulse sequence development group at General Electric Medical Systems. This industrial experience granted her an in-depth understanding MR system, MR physics, pulse sequence implementation and its applications. Prior to joining MD Anderson Cancer Center, she bridged through industrial experience and academic research at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston as an Assistant Professor. There she participated in MR research on multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases using fMRI and perfusion imaging on 3T systems. She is passionate about clinic challenges of MR imaging, and plays a key role in fMRI pre-surgical planning. Her research interests include advanced neuroimaging, such as fMRI, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) imaging, dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) imaging and MR spectroscopy (MRS) imaging. Currently, she is a collaborator of two grants (R01s) for fMRI study, as well as a pediatric brain tumor study. In addition to neuroimaging, she also actively collaborated with body radiologists, initiated quantitative liver iron study in MD Anderson.
Dr. Hou is a committee member of American Association of Medical Physics (AAPM) and also actively teaching graduate student in Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) and medical physics resident.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Professor, Department of Imaging Physics, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, HOUSTON, TX
Associate Member, Department of Medical Physics Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 1993 | University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, US, Physics, Ph.D |
| 1989 | University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, US, Physics, M.S |
| 1985 | Institute of Metallurgy, Academic Sinica, Shanghai, CN, Physics, M.S |
| 1982 | Nanjing University, Nanjing, CN, Physics, BS |
Board Certifications
| 2006 | American Board of Radiology - Diagnostic Radiological Physics |
Experience & Service
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
System Engineer, GE Medical Systems - MRI Section, Waukesha, WI, 2000 - 2003
Application Engineer, GE Medical Systems - MRI Section, Waukesha, WI, 1995 - 2000
Research Associate, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 1994 - 1995
Clinical Application Scientist, OTSUKA ELECTRONICS (USA), Inc, St. Louis, MO, 1992 - 1994
Honors & Awards
| 2021 | FY21 DI Outstanding Clinician Award, Non-Patient Care |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- 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 fMRI Atlas of Patients with Brain Tumors. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 45(11):1798-1804, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38889968.
- Lee, J, Kumar, VA, Teo, JM, Eldaya, R, 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 and Behavior 14(6), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38898620.
- 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. Neuroradiology 0(0) 1-8, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
- 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.
- Bronk, JK, Hou, P, Amsbaugh, MJ, Khatua, S, Mahajan, A, Ketonen, L, McGovern, SL. Sequential Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Patients Undergoing Reirradiation for Progressive Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma. Advances in Radiation Oncology 7(2), 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35071836.
- 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.
- 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.
- Thrower SL, Feghali KA, Luo D, Paddick I, Hou P, Briere T, Li J, McAleer MF, McGovern SL, Woodhouse KD, Yeboa DN, Brock K, Chung C. The effect of slice thickness on contours of brain metastases for stereotactic radiosurgery. Advances in Radiation Oncology, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Bronk JK, Hou P, Amsbaugh MJ, Khatua S, Mahajan A, Ketonen L, McGovern SL. Sequential Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Patients Undergoing Re-irradiation for Progressive Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma. Advances in Radiation Oncology, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Thrower, SL, Al Feghali, KA, Luo, D, Paddick, I, Hou, P, Briere, TM, Li, J, McAleer, MF, McGovern, SL, Woodhouse, KD, Yeboa, DN, Brock, K, Chung, C. The Effect of Slice Thickness on Contours of Brain Metastases for Stereotactic Radiosurgery. Advances in Radiation Oncology 6(4), 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34124413.
- Elsewafy MM, Liu H, Johnson JM, Colen R, Hou P, Chen M, Basset R, Prabhu SS, Schomer D, Kumar VA. The Dorsal Arcuate Fasciculus Can Serve as a Marker of the Visual Word Form Area for Preoperative Planning of Brain Tumors. BioMed Central Medical Imaging.
Selected Presentations & Talks
National Presentations
- 2021. Brain MRI Protocols. Invited. AAPM, US.
- 2010. Physics Case of the Day. Invited. RSNA. Chicago, Il, US.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2019 - 2024 |
| Title: | Percutaneous cordotomy for pain palliation in patients with advanced cancer: A randomized controlled study |
| Funding Source: | Baylor College of Medicine/NIH |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | 5R01NR018481-03 |
| Date: | 2018 - 2022 |
| Title: | Percutaneous Cordotomy for Cancer Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial |
| Funding Source: | American Cancer Society (ACS) |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| Date: | 2016 - 2021 |
| Title: | Meditation for the Treatment of Cognitive Dysfunction after Chemotherapy for Women with Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | 1R01CA204964-01 |
| Date: | 2015 - 2020 |
| Title: | Neuropathic Pain Transmission in the Human Spinothalamic Tract |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| Date: | 2013 |
| Title: | Methotrexate Infusion into the Fourth Ventricle in Children with Malignant Fourth Ventricular Brain Tumors : A Pilot Study |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2012 - 2018 |
| Title: | Multimodal MRI Biomarker of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Breast Cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | 5R01NR014195-05 |
| Title: | Repeatability Assessment of Quantitative DCE-MRI and DWI: A Multicenter Study of Functional Imaging Standardization in the Prostate |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-PI |
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified May 29, 2025