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UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
University of Pittsburgh
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UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
University of Pittsburgh

Residents

Current Residents

PGY2 resident

Ayoola Okuribido
MS in Medical Physics
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

PGY1 residents

Justin Napolitano
PhD in Medical Physics
Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC

Zahid Safi
MS in Medical Physics
Columbia University, New York, NY

Recent Resident Publications

  1. J. Shields, S. Wadi-Ramahi, J. Bielata, M. Bulat, B. Barr, J. Mazza, S. Mandalpu, L. Hosch, K. Robles, D. Dimitriadou, R. Lalonde, A. Zeurick, S. Choi, “Photon-Based Stereotactic Radiosurgery-Style Planning for the Treatment of Primary Brain Tumors to Reduce Radiation Dose to the Uninvolved Brain,” 67th ASTRO Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 27 – October 1, 2025.
  2. S. Wadi-Rahami, J. Bielata, R. Lalonde, D. Dimitriadou, J. Shields, A. Zeurick, S. Choi, “Tumor-driven Plan Metrics for Prediction of Dose to Uninvolved Brain and Memory-circuit Substructures in Primary Brain Tumors,” 67th ASTRO Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 27 – October 1, 2025.
  3. J. Shields, T. McCaw, R. Patel, A. Saoudi, “A Dosimetric Analysis of Lu-177-Based Radiopharmaceutical Therapy for Optimizing Therapeutic Ratio,” 67th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Washington, DC, July 27 – 30, 2025.
  4. C. Tyerech, J. Shields, S. A. Ashmeg, T. J. McCaw, C. T. Wilke, M. Spector, “Assessing Dose Enhancement and Shadowing Effects in Head and Neck Cases with Titanium Mandibular Implants,” 67th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Washington, DC, July 27 – 30, 2025.
  5. C. Tyerech, S. A. Ashmeg, A. A. A. Mohamed, E. M. Ahmed, A. A. N. Abdelsalam, A. S. A. Mohammed, M. S. Huq, “Empowering Radiation Oncology in Sudan with Virtual and Augmented Reality Solutions,” 67th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Washington, DC, July 27 – 30, 2025.
  6. N. Mail, D. R. Goia, F. Li, R. J. Lalonde, J. Shields, C. Tyerech, M. S. Huq, “A Quantitative Analysis of Hypersight CBCT Image Quality Using a Phantom-Based Approach Under Different Scatter Conditions,” 67th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Washington, DC, July 27 – 30, 2025.
  7. D. R. Goia, S. E. O'Reilly, B.-K. K. Teo, "Comparison of Dual Energy CT Derived Tissue Composition with Published Human Tissue Composition," 66thAnnual Meeting of the AAPM, Los Angeles, CA, July 21-25, 2024.
  8. D. R. Goia, T. J. McCaw, S. Choi, N. S. McCall, K. G. Abdullah, M. S. Huq, "Factors that Contribute to Intra-Fractional Motion during Single-Isocenter Linac-Based SRS," 66thAnnual Meeting of the AAPM, Los Angeles, CA, July 21-25, 2024.
  9. T. J. McCaw, D. R. Goia, T. Wilhite, M. S. Huq, "Automated Lung SBRT Optimization Using Knowledge-Based Planning Improves Plan Quality and Consistency across Large Multisite Network," 66thAnnual Meeting of the AAPM, Los Angeles, CA, July 21-25, 2024.
  10. D. R. Goia, T. J. McCaw, S. Choi, N. S. McCall, K. G. Abdullah, M. S. Huq, "The Subtle Saboteur: Motions Impact on Brain Stereotactic Radiosurgery," Penn-Ohio-West Virginia Chapter of the AAPM MedPhys SLAM Event, Beachwood, OH, April 27, 2024.
  11. Tavakoli, B. Elgohari, S. J. Wadi-Ramahi, R. J. Lalonde, "Evaluating of automated non-coplanar planning stereotactic radiosurgery in linac-based treatment for multiple brain metastases versus planner's experience," 65th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Houston, TX, July 23-27, 2023.
  12. Pursamimi, M. Ghorbani, M. Khosravi, G. Mehri-Kakavand, W. Parwaie, S. M. Hosseini, A. M. Sharifi, M Tavakoli, "Dosimetric evaluation of field-in-field, three-field and four-field treatment planning techniques for radiotherapy of gastroesophageal junction cancer between men and women," 65th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Houston, TX, July 23-27, 2023.
  13. Tavakoli, S. A. Ashmeg, S. J. Wadi-Ramahi, R. J. Lalonde,"Dosimetric parameters and dose objectives for multi-lesion brain metastases treated with single isocenter linac-based stereotactic radiosurgery and radiotherapy," 65th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Houston, TX, July 23-27, 2023.
  14. Khajetash, M. Tavakoli, S. R. Mahdavi, A. Nikoofar, "Predicting radiotherapy-induced xerostomia in head and neck cancer patients using radiomics model," 65th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Houston, TX, July 23-27, 2023.
  15. Tavakoli, B. Khajetash, S. R. Mahdavi, A. Nikoofar, "Application of radiomics and machine learning methods in head and neck cancers to predict early xerostomia," 65th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Houston, TX, July 23-27, 2023.
  16. J. Taylor, R. J. Lalonde, S. J. Wadi-Ramahi, S. Patel, S. Affleck, R. DiCicco, Z. Siddiqui, M. S. Huq, "Failure mode and effects analysis on radiotherapy process for patient using a radiofrequency tumor treating field device," 65th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Houston, TX, July 23-27, 2023.
  17. Debevec, M. J. Taylor, C. Poduska, J. Chen, J. D. Fontenot, P. Mavroidis, S. Stathakis, "Single fraction spine SBRT pre-treatment and post-treatment dose verification comparison between Philips Pinnacle and Elekta Monaco using Mobius3D," 65th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Houston, TX, July 23-27, 2023.
  18. Debevec, M. J. Taylor, C. Poduska, J. Chen, J. D. Fontenot, P. Mavroidis, S. Stathakis, "Single fraction spine SBRT delivered dose comparison between Philips Pinnacle and Elekta Monaco using a MapCHECK3 diode array," 65th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Houston, TX, July 23-27, 2023.
  19. J. Taylor, S. J. Wadi-Ramahi, R. J. Lalonde, "Dosimetric impact of a radiofrequency tumor treating field device in radiotherapy," 65th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Houston, TX, July 23-27, 2023.
  20. Tavakoli, S. Abbasi, H. H. R. Boveiri, M. Mosleh-Shirazi, A. Mehdizadeh, "MR-CT image registration by using unsupervised deep learning model," 64thAnnual Meeting of the AAPM, Washington, DC, July 10-14, 2022.
  21. M. Tavakoli, H. Ghaempanah, M. Deevband, A. Alvar, M. Najafi, "A comparison study for electronic portal image enhancement between different image processing algorithms," 64th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Washington, DC, July 10-14, 2022.
  22. M. Tavakoli, A. Saoudi, D. Dimitriadou, J. Chang, R. Lalonde, M. Huq, "Risk assessment of the acceptance test process for the new PET-guided linear accelerator," 64th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Washington, DC, July 10-14, 2022.
  23. M. diMayorca, T. Wilhite, M. Tavakoli, K. Nie, "Dosiomics in the prediction of local recurrences of non-small cell lung cancers treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy," 64th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Washington, DC, July 10-14, 2022.
  24. M. diMayorca, M. Tavakoli, S. Wadi-Ramahi, P. Andreo, M. Huq, "Comparison of absorbed dose determination using the updated IAEA TRS398 CoP with TRS398 CoP and AAPM TG51 addendum protocol," 64th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Washington, DC, July 10-14, 2022.
  25. N. Mail, F. Li, M. diMayorca, D. Clump, R. Lalonde, M. Huq, "Alignment accuracy RS patients treated on True Beam STx: Assessment of online and offline 6D couch shifts," 64th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Washington, DC, July 10-14, 2022.
  26. N. Mail, F. Li, M. diMayorca, R. Lalonde, M. Huq, "Does off-centering of treatment isocenter impact on CBCT image quality for brain-met patients?" 64th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Washington, DC, July 10-14, 2022.
  27. H. Ghaempanah, M. Tavakoli, M. R. Deevband, A. A. Alvar, M. Najafi, P. Kelley, "Electronic portal image enhancement based on nonuniformity correction in wavelet domain," Med Phys 49, p4599-4612, 2022.
  28. S. Abbasi, M. Tavakoli, H. R. Boveiri, M. A. M. Shirazi, A. R. Mehdizadeh, "Medical image registration using unsupervised deep neural network: A scoping literature review," Biomedical Signal Processing and Control 73, 103444, 2022.
  29. M. Tavakoli, "Automated optic disk detection in color fundus images using a combination of deep learning and local histogram matching," SPIE Medical Imaging Conference, San Diego, CA, February 20-24, 2022.
  30. F. Li, J. Park, R. Lalonde, S. Y. Jang, M. diMayorca, J. Flickinger, A. Keller, M. S. Huq, "Is Halcyon feasible for single thoracic or lumbar vertebral segment SBRT?" J Appl Clin Med Phys 23, e13458, 2021.
  31. M. Tavakoli, A. R. Mehdizadeh, R. P. Shahri, T. Ellis, J. Dehmeshki, "Automated microaneurysms detections in retinal images using radon transform and supervised learning: Application to mass screening of diabetic retinopathy," IEEE Access 9, p67302-67314, 2021.
  32. M. diMayorca, S. Wadi-Ramahi, R. Lalonde, T. Wilhite, S. Ellsworth, A. Hays, M. S. Huq, "Failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) of multi-site, multi-institutional deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) treatments," 63rd Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Virtual, July 25-29, 2021.
  33. N. Islam, S. Wadi-Ramahi, R. Lalonde, M. S. Huq, "A systematic approach to balancing radiotherapy risk management and infection control during a pandemic," 63rd Annual Meeting of the AAPM, Virtual, July 25-29, 2021.
  34. N. Islam, S. Wadi-Ramahi, R. Lalonde, M. S. Huq, "A framework for the application of FMEA to radiotherapy workflow during a pandemic," Fall Meeting of the Penn-Ohio Chapter of the AAPM, 2020.
  35. M. diMayorca, Y. Zhang, L. Shi, X. Sun, S. Jabbour, Y. Zhang, N. Yue, K. Nie, "Multi time-point radiomics data for pathological complete response (pCR) prediction after neo-adjuvant chemoradiation for locally advanced rectal cancer," Fall Meeting of the Penn-Ohio Chapter of the AAPM, 2020.
  36. N. Islam, R. Lalonde, S. Y. Jang, M. S. Huq,"A risk bias weighted approach to FMEA for an adaptive radiation therapy workflow," Virtual Joint AAPM|COMP Meeting, July 12-16, 2020.
  37. N. M. Islam, J. Kilian-Meneghin, S. deBoer, M. B. Podgorsak, "A collision prediction framework for noncoplanar radiotherapy planning and delivery," J Appl Clin Med Phys 21, p92-106, 2020.

Recent Resident Awards

  1. 2nd Place, MedPhys Slam, Penn-Ohio-West Virginia Chapter of the AAPM, 2024
  2. AIPM Excellence in Medical Physics Award, 2022
  3. Finalist, MedPhys Slam, 64th Annual Meeting of the AAPM, 2022
  4. Top 10 Abstract, SPIE Medical Imaging Conference, 2022
  5. Travel Grant Award, SPIE Medical Imaging Conference, 2022
  6. Finalist, MedPhys Slam, 63rd Annual Meeting of the AAPM, 2021
  7. 1st Place, Young Investigator Symposium, Penn-Ohio Chapter of the AAPM, 2020
  8. 2nd Place, Young Investigator Symposium, Penn-Ohio Chapter of the AAPM, 2020
  9. Finalist, MedPhys Slam, 62nd Annual Meeting of the AAPM, 2020
  10. Travel Grant Award, Penn-Ohio AAPM Chapter, 2020