Rachelle Crescenzi, PhD
Rachelle Crescenzi, PhD
Associate Professor of Radiology and Medical Imaging
UJK7QZ@uvahealth.org
About
Dr. Rachelle Crescenzi, PhD, is a translational imaging scientist. Dr. Crescenzi is an Associate Professor of Radiology and Medical Imaging at the University of Virginia.
Dr. Crescenzi is Director of the SALT Lab, which studies Sodium, Adipose, and Lymphatic Translational (SALT) Sciences. Their research seeks to visualize the lymphatic system in health and disease using noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). SALT MRI strategies use noninvasive sodium 23Na-MRI to measure where sodium is stored in the body, and how it gets out through the lymphatic system. They also are developing non-tracer MR lymphangiography and related vascular imaging techniques to support the study of circulatory diseases.
Dr. Crescenzi’s lab is supported by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the NIH. They are currently conducting 2 observational imaging clinical trials (1R01HL155523, 1R01HL157378) to define the complex relationship between sodium storage and lymphatic clearance in patients with lower-extremity lymphedema or lipedema who suffer from poorly understood vascular disease pathways. We welcome student trainees, researchers, and patient volunteers to message us with interest in participating in these studies by contacting our group email: saltlab@uvahealth.org.
For more information on the SALT Lab, click here.
Recent Publications
- Koelmeyer L, Cheville A, Iker E, Donahue PM, Crescenzi RL, Aldrich MB, Vargo M. Current Diagnostic and Quantitative Techniques in the Field of Lymphedema Management: A Critical Review. Medical Oncology. 2024 Sept; vol 41, article 241. Open Access. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12032-024-02472-9
- Taylor SL, Donahue PMC, Pridmore MD, Garza ME, Patel NJ, Custer CA, Luo Y, Aday AW, Beckman JA, Donahue MJ, and Crescenzi RL. Semi-automated segmentation of lower extremity MRI reveals distinctive subcutaneous adipose tissue in lipedema: a pilot study. Journal of Medical Imaging. 2023, 10(3):036001. https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JMI.10.3.036001.
- Crescenzi R, Donahue PMC, Garza M, Patel NJ, Lee C, Guerreso K, Hall G, Luo Y, Chen SC, Herbst KL, Pridmore M, Aday AW, Beckman JA, Donahue MJ. Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Edema in Lipedema Revealed by Noninvasive 3T MR Lymphangiography. Journal of magnetic resonance imaging. 2022 June 3. PubMed PMID: 35657120; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9718889; DOI: 10.1002/jmri.28281.
- Crescenzi R, Donahue PMC, Petersen KJ, et al. Upper and Lower Extremity Measurement of Tissue Sodium and Fat Content in Patients with Lipedema. Obesity (Silver Spring). May 2020;28(5):907-915. doi:10.1002/oby.22778.
- Crescenzi R, Marton A, Donahue PM, Mahany HB, Lants SK, Wang P, Beckman JA, Donahue MJ, Titze J. Tissue Sodium Content is Elevated in the Skin and Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue in Women with Lipedema. Obesity. 2018 Feb;26(2):310-317. doi: 10.1002/oby.22090. PMID: 29280322.