Rachel M. Barbee, Ph.D., DABR
Department of Imaging Physics, Division of Diagnostic Imaging
About Dr. Rachel M. Barbee
Dr. Rachel Barbee (née Bartlett) is an ABR certified Nuclear Medical Physicist and Associate Professor in the Department of Imaging Physics at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. She obtained her PhD in Medical Physics from the University of Wisconsin – Madison studying environmental neurotoxins in utero using PET imaging of novel radiotracers. After defending her thesis, she joined the Nuclear Medicine group at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City as a post-doctoral fellow. Her work at MSKCC shifted her research focus from neurological conditions to the study of hypoxia in cancer. In 2012 she joined NYU Langone Health as the clinical nuclear medicine physicist and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiology, where in addition to providing clinical support she provided administrative support sitting on the IRB, IACUC, RDRC, and radiation safety committee in addition to educational roles for medical residents and clinical staff. In 2022 Dr. Barbee moved to Houston to join the Nuclear Medicine Physics group in the Department of Imaging Physics at MD Anderson Cancer Center where she provides daily support of clinical diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine procedures.
Dr Barbee’s interest focuses on the practical implementation of radionuclide therapy, particularly theranostics, and personalized dosimetry. She is passionate about educating and improving the nuclear medicine community as an active member of the SNMMI MIRD (medical internal radiation dosimetry) committee and quality standards as a member of the nuclear medicine subcommittee of the ACR. In addition to the training of medical physicists and radiology residents, Dr. Barbee supports the education and certification of fellows serving on multiple committees of the ABR.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Imaging Physics, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Imaging Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2009 | University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, US, Medical Physics, Ph.D |
| 2004 | University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, US, Medical Physics, M.S |
| 2002 | Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, US, Physics, BS |
Postgraduate Training
| 2009-2012 | Research Fellowship, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York |
Board Certifications
| 2014 | American Board of Radiology - Nuclear Medical Physics |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology, NYU Langone Medical Center, NYC, NY, 2012 - 2022
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Nuclear Medicine Physicist, Department of Imaging Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2022 - Present
Nuclear Medicine Physicist, Department of Nuclear Medicine, New York University Langone Medical Center NYULMC, New York, NY, 2012 - 2022
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 2023 - Present
Member, Medical Physics Graduate Program Steering Committee, 2023 - Present
Member, Nuclear Medicine Research Peer Review Committee, 2022 - Present
Committee Member, NYUSoM Institutional Review Board, 2019 - 2022
Committee Member, NYU Radioactive Drug and Research Committee, 2017 - 2022
Committee Member, NYU Medical Isotope Committee, 2016 - 2022
Committee Member, NYUSoM Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, 2012 - 2022
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
National Presentations
- 2024. Siemens XSPECT verses Flash 3D SPECT threshold-based Tc-99m sulfur colloid functional liver volume for liver primary chancer radiation therapy treatment planning. Conference, US.
- 2024. Dosimetry for Radiopharmaceutical Therapy: Data Acquisition and Analysis. Conference, US.
- 2024. Accuracy and variability of Siemens Lu-177 XSPECT Quant. Conference, US.
- 2024. Current Status and Needs of QA/QC in RPT. Conference, US.
- 2023. ACR Advances in NM Technology. Conference. ACR Advances in NM Technology, US.
- 2012. Direct lymphatic administration of 18F-FDG for high resolution and multimodal PET/Cerendov lymphography. Conference. Direct lymphatic administration of 18F-FDG for high resolution and multimodal PET/Cerendov lymphography, US.
- 2011. A pilot study of using pre- and early (1 week) [18F]-misonidazole positron emission and computed tomography (18F-FMSIO PET/CT) scans as an early treatment response predictor in a series of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing chemoradiation. Conference. A pilot study of using pre- and early (1 week) [18F]-misonidazole positron emission and computed tomography (18F-FMSIO PET/CT) scans as an early treatment response predictor in a series of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing chemoradiation, US.
- 2010. Evaluating changes in tumor uptake of [18F]-FLT in patients with diffuse large cell lymphoma pre and post chemotherapy. Conference. Evaluating changes in tumor uptake of [18F]-FLT in patients with diffuse large cell lymphoma pre and post chemotherapy, US.
- 2009. Maternal-Fetal dopaminergic receptor characteristics assessed in utero. Conference. Maternal-Fetal dopaminergic receptor characteristics assessed in utero, US.
- 2008. Paraquat uptake in adult and fetal macaque brains in vivo: A PET study. Conference. Paraquat uptake in adult and fetal macaque brains in vivo: A PET study, US.
- 2006. A PET/CT study of Cerebral Dopamine D2 receptors in Rhesus Macaque Fetus in utero. Conference. A PET/CT study of Cerebral Dopamine D2 receptors in Rhesus Macaque Fetus in utero, US.
- 2004. Dosimetry Estimates for [18F] Desmethoxyfallypride. Conference. Dosimetry Estimates for [18F] Desmethoxyfallypride, US.
- 2004. Striatal aromatic amino acid decarboxylase turnover in vivo in primate brain: A microPET study. Conference. Striatal aromatic amino acid decarboxylase turnover in vivo in primate brain: A microPET study, US.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified June 23, 2025