• Publications
• Experience
• About

Professional Focus

Dr Pouliot is interim Director of the Physics Division, Vice Chair and Professor of Radiation Oncology with the UCSF with a joint appointment with the Graduate Bioengineering UC-Berkeley UCSF program.

His current main thrusts of research interest are on the development and the clinical integration of Dose-Guided Radiation Therapy with Megavoltage Cone-Beam CT for patient verification, organ motion and tumor evolution studies during cancer irradiation, and on an Inverse Planning (IPSA) for the dose distribution optimization of image-guided High Dose-Rate and Permanent Prostate Implant Brachytherapy.

Author and co-author of more than 140 peer-reviewed publications, Dr Pouliot was voted among the Top 25 Innovators in U.S., Health Imaging and IT, in June 2006 for his pioneering research on MegaVoltage Cone Beam CT imaging.

Education

1981	Université Laval, Québec, Canada	BS	Physics
1983	Université Laval, Québec, Canada	MS	Experimental Physics
1986	Université Laval, Québec, Canada	PhD	Nuclear Physics
1989	Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA	Postdoc	Heavy-Ion Physics

Professional Experience

2008-present	UCSF	Interim Head of Physics & Vice Chair	Radiation Oncology
2004-present	UCSF	Professor	Radiation Oncology
2001-present	Joint UCSF/UC-Berkeley Bioengineering Department	Faculty Member
1999-2004	UCSF	Associate Professor	Radiation Oncology
1993-1999	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec	Head of Medical Physics Research Group
1993-1999	Laval University, Québec	Associate Professor
1993-1999	Hotel-Dieu de Québec	Medical Physicist	Radiation Oncology
1991-1993	Université Laval, Québec	Research Associate	Physics
1990-1991	Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) at GANIL, France	Invited Scientist
1986-1989	Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley	Postdoctoral Fellow

Awards & Honors

1981-1983	Master Scholarship, Formation de chercheurs et avancement de la recherche (FCAR)
1983-1986	Doctoral scholarships, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and FCAR
1986-1989	Postdoctoral fellowship, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
2006	Voted among the Top 25 Innovators in U.S., Health Imaging and IT, June 2006.

Publications - Partial Listing since 2000 (Out of 116)

Taschereau, R., Roy, J., and Pouliot, J. Seed misplacement and stabilizing needles in transperineal permanent prostate implants. Radiother. Oncol. 55, 59-63 2000.

Lavertu, S., Pouliot, J., and Girouard, L. M. Observation Study of Electronic Portal Images for off-Line Verification. Radiother. Oncol. 54, 47-55, 2000.

Chretien, M., Coté, C., Blais, R., Brouard, L., Roy-Lacroix, L., Larochelle, M., Roy, R., and Pouliot, J. A Variable Speed Translating Couch Technique for Total Body Irradiation. Med. Phys. 27 (5) 1127-1130, 2000.

Tubic, D., Zaccarin, A., Beaulieu, L. and Pouliot, J. Automatic seed detection and 3D reconstruction II: Reconstruction of permanent Prostate Implants using Simulated Annealing. Med. Phys. 28(1) 2265-2271, 2001.

Lessard E. and Pouliot J. Inverse Planning Anatomy-based dose optimization for HDR-Brachytherapy of the prostate using fast simulated annealing algorithm and dedicated objective function. Med. Phys. 28 (5), 773-779, 2001.

Taschereau, R., Roy, R. and Pouliot, J. RBE Enhancement of a 125I brachytherapy seed with characteristic X-Rays from its constitutive materials. Med. Phys. 29 (7).,pp.1397-1402, 2002.

Beaulieu, L., Aubin, S., Vigneault, E., Taschereau, R. and Pouliot, J. Dosimetric Impact of the variation of the prostate volume and shape between pre-treatment planning and treatment procedure. Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys 53/1 pp. 215-221, 2002.

Lessard, E., Hsu I-C. and Pouliot J. Inverse Planning For Interstitial Gynecological Template Brachytherapy: Truly Anatomy Based Planning. Int. J. Rad. Onco. Biol. Phys. 54 (4) pp1243-1251, 2002.

Pouliot J., Aubin M., Langen K., Liu Y.M. Pickett B. and Roach III, M. (Non)-migration of radio-opaque markers used for on-line localization of the prostate with EPID. Int.J.Rad.Onco.Biol.Phys. 56(3); 862-866, 2003.

Charra-Brunaud C., Hsu I.C. Weinberg V. and Pouliot J. The Interaction Between Number of Implant Catheters and Dose Volume Histograms in Prostate High Dose Rate Brachytherapy Using a Computer Model. Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 56 (2) 586-591, 2003.

Langen K., Pouliot J., Anezinos C., Aubin M., Gottschalk G., Shinohara K., Verhey L., Weinberg V., Roach III M. Evaluation of the BAT system for prostate daily localization. Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 57 (3), 635; 2003.

Shinohara, K., Pickett, B. and Pouliot J. A Phantom Study using the BARD (STM125I) Brachytherapy Iodine Seed for the Treatment of Prostate cancer in Japan. Japanese J. Surg. Urol 16(1) : 33-41, 2003.

Aubin S., Beaulieu L., Pouliot S., Pouliot J., Roy R., Girouard L.M., Martel-Brisson N., Vigneault E. and Laverdiere J. Robustness and precision of an automatic marker detection algorithm for on-line prostate daily targeting using a standard V-EPID. Med. Phys. 30 (7), 1825-1832, 2003.

Taschereau R., Roy R. and Pouliot J. A Comparison of Methods to Calculate Biological Effectiveness (RBE) from Monte Carlo Simulations. Med. Dosi. 28 (1): 21-26, 2003.

Beaulieu L., Archambault L., Aubin S., Oral, E. Taschereau R. and Pouliot J. The robustness of dose distributions to displacement and migration of 125I permanent seed implants over a wide range of seed number, activity, and designs Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 58 (4), 1298-1308; 2004.

Pouliot, J., Kim, Y., Lessard E., Hsu, I-C. Vigneron D. and Kurhanewicz, J. Inverse Planning For HDR Prostate Brachytherapy Use to Boost Dominant Intra-Prostatic Lesion Defined by Magnetic-Resonance Spectroscopy Imaging. Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys.59 (4); 1196-1207, 2004.

Liu, Y-M., Ling S., Langen K.M., Shinohara K., Weinberg V., Pouliot J., Roach M., Prostate Movement during Simulation due to Retrograde Urethrogam Compared with “Natural” Prostate Movement, Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 60(2) 470-475; 2004.

Millender L.A., Aubin M., Pouliot J., Shinohara K. and Roach M. Daily Electronic Portal Imaging for Morbidity Obese Men Undergoing Radiotherapy for Localized Prostate Cancer. Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 59 (1), 6-10; 2004.

Hsu I-C., Lessard E., Weinberg V., Pouliot J., Comparison of Inverse Planning Simulated Annealing and Geometrical Optimization for Prostate High Dose Rate Brachytherapy, Brachytherapy, 3(3) 147-152; 2004.

Kim Y.B., Hsu I-C., Lessard E., Vujic J., and Pouliot J. Prostate Volume Change and Dosimetric Impact of Edema Between HDR Brachytherapy Fractions Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 59 (4), 1208-1216; 2004.

Taschereau R. Stauffer P., Hsu I-C, Schlorff J.L., Milligan A.J. and Pouliot J. Radiation Dosimetry of a Conformal Heat-Brachytherapy Applicator. Technology in Cancer Research and Treatment, ISSN 1533-0346, Volume 3, (4); 347-358, 2004.

Menard C., Susil R., Choyke P., Gustafson G., Kammerer W., Ning H., Miller R., Ullman K., Sears-Course N., Smith S., Lessard E., Pouliot J., Wright V., McVeigh E., Coleman N. and Camphausen K. MRI-Guided HDR Prostate Brachytherapy in a Standard 1.5T Scanner. Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 59(5) 1414-1423; 2004.

Pickett, B  and Pouliot, J., The Effect of the radial function on I-125 seeds used for Permanent Prostate Implantation, Med. Dosimetry 29(3) 204-209; 2004.

Kim Y., Hsu I-C., Lessard E., Vujic J., and Pouliot J., Dose uncertainty due to computed tomography CT slice thickness in CT-based high dose rate brachytherapy of the prostate cancer, Med. Phys. 31 (9); 2543-2548, 2004.

Pouliot J., Bani-Hashemi A., Chen J., Svatos M., Ghelmansarai F., Mitschke M., Aubin M., Xia P., Morin O., Bucci K., Roach III M., Hernandez P., Zheng Z., Hristov D. and Verhey L., D. Low-Dose Megavoltage Cone-Beam CT for Radiation Therapy. Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 61(2); 238-246, 2005.

DeWitt K.D., Hsu I-C., Weinberg V.K., Lessard E., and Pouliot J, 3-D Inverse Treatment Planning for the Tandem and Ovoid Applicator in Cervical Cancer, Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 63(4); 1270-1274, 2005.

Mamoudieh A., Tremblay C., Beaulieu L., Lachance B., Harel F., Lessard E., Pouliot J. and Vigneault E, Anatomy-Based Inverse Planning dose optimization in HDR prostate implant:  A toxicity study, Radiother. Oncol, 75; 318-324, 2005.

Pouliot J., Bani-Hashemi A., Chen J., Svatos M., Ghelmansarai F., Mitschke M., Aubin M., Xia P., Morin O., Bucci K., Roach III M., Hernandez P., Zheng Z., Hristov D. and Verhey L., D., Low-Dose Megavoltage Cone-Beam CT for Radiation Therapy,  Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 61(2); 238-246, 2005.

Citrin D., Ning H., Guion P. Li G., Susil R.C. Miller R.W., Lessard E., Pouliot J., Huchen X., Capala J., Coleman C.N. Camphausen K., and Ménard C., Inverse treatment planning based on MRI for HDR prostate brachytherapy, Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 61 (4); 1267-1275, 2005.

Kim Y., Noworolski S.M., Pouliot J., Hsu I.C. and Kurhanewicz J., Endorectal and rigid coils for prostate MRI: Impact on prostate distortion and rigid image registration, Med. Phys. 32(12); 3569-3578, 2005.

Pickett B., Kurhanewicz J., Pouliot J., Shinohara K. and Roach, III M., Three-Dimensional Conformal External Beam Radiotherapy (3DCRT) Compared to Permanent Prostate Implant (PPI) in Low Risk Prostate Cancer Based on Endorectal Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Imaging and PSA. Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 65(1); 65-72, 2006.

Morin O., Gillis A., Chen J., Aubin M., Bucci M. K. and Pouliot J., Megavoltage Cone-Beam CT: System Description And IGRT Clinical Applications, China Oncology, 16(6), 513-524; 2006.

Morin O., Gillis A., Chen J., Aubin M., Bucci M. K. and Pouliot J., Megavoltage Cone-Beam CT: System Description And IGRT Clinical Applications, Special issue on image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), Med. Dosi. 31(1), 51-61; 2006.

Sumida I, Shiomi H, Yoshioka Y,  Inoue T, Lessard E., Hsu I-C. and Pouliot J., Optimization of Dose Distribution For HDR Brachytherapy of the Prostate Using Attraction-Repulsion Model, Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys., 64(2), 643-649; 2006.

Alterovitz R., Goldberg K., Pouliot J., Hsu I.C., Kim Y., Noworolski S.M., and Kurhanewicz J., Registration of MR prostate images with biomechanical modeling and nonlinear parameter estimation, Med. Phys. 33(2), 446-454; 2006.

Chen J., Chuang C.F., Morin O., Aubin M. and Pouliot J., Calibration of an amorphous-silicon flat panel portal imager for exit-beam dosimetry. Med. Phys. 33(3); 584-594, 2006.

Willoughby T.R., Kupelian P.R., Pouliot J., Shinohara K., Aubin M., Roach M., Skrumeda L., Balter J.M., Litzenberg D.L., Hadley S.W., Wei J.T. and Sandler H.M., Target Localization And Real-Time Tracking Using The Calypso™ System In Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer. Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 65(2), 528-534; 2006.

Pouliot J., Aubin M., Aubry J.F.,  Chen J. et Morin O. Megavoltage cone-beam CT: Récents développements et applications cliniques pour l’IMRT. Invited paper, Cancer et Radiothérapie, France, 10, 258-268 ; 2006.

Lessard, E. Kwa S.L.S., Pickett B., Roach III, M., and Pouliot J., Class Solution for Inversly Planned Permanent Prostate Implants to Mimic An Experienced Dosimetrist for Pre And Real-Time Treatment Planning, Med. Phys., 33(8), 2773-2779; 2006.

Hansen E.K., Larson D.A., Morin O., Aubin M., Xia P., Descovich M. and Pouliot J., Image Guided Radiotherapy using Megavoltage Cone-Beam CT for Treatment of Paraspinous Tumors in the Presence of Orthopedic Hardware, Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 66(2), 323-326; 2006.

Aubin M., Morin O., Chen J., Gillis A., Pickett B., Aubry J.F., Akazawa C., Speight J., Roach III M. and Pouliot J., The Use of Megavoltage Cone-Beam CT To Complement CT for Target Definition In Pelvic Radiotherapy In the Presence of Hip Replacement, Br J Radiol. 79: 918-921, 2006.

Chen J., Morin O., Aubin M., Bucci M.K., Chuang C.F. and Pouliot J. Dose-Guided Radiation Therapy with Megavoltage Cone-Beam CT, Invited Paper (J.P.), Br J Radiol  79: S87-S98, 2006.

Alterovitz R., Lessard E., Pouliot J., Hsu I-C., O'Brien J. and Goldberg K., Optimization of HDR brachytherapy dose distributions using linear programming with penalty costs, Med. Phys. 33(11), 4012-4019; 2006.

Martin A.G. Roy J., Beaulieu L., Pouliot J., Harel F. and Vigneault E., Permanent Prostate Implant Using High Activity Seeds and Inverse Planning with fast simulated annealing algorithm: A 12 year Canadian Experience, Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 67(2), 334-341; 2007.

Schiffner D.C., Gottschalk A.R., Lometti M., Aubin M., Pouliot J., Speight J., Hsu I.C., Shinohara K., Roach III M. Daily Electronic Portal Imaging of Implanted Gold Seed Fiducials in Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy After Radical Prostatectomy, Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 67(2), 610-619; 2007.

Moyers M., Pouliot J. and Orton C., Proton therapy is the best radiation treatment modality for prostate cancer, Point/Counterpoint, Invited paper, Med. Phys. 34(2), 375-378; 2007.

Lee B., M.D., Shinohara K., Weinberg V., Gottschalk A.,  Pouliot J., Roach III M., Hsu I-C., High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy Salvage for Local Prostate Recurrence After Radiotherapy: The UCSF Experience, Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 67(4) 1106-1112; 2007.

Morin O., Chen J., Gillis A., Aubin M., Aubry J.F., Bose S., Chen H., Descovich, M., Xia P. and Pouliot J., Dose Calculation using Megavoltage Cone-Beam CT, Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 67(4),1202-1210; 2007.

Morin O., Gillis A., Descovich M., Chen J.,  Aubin M., Aubry J.F.,  Chen J., Xia P. and Pouliot  J., Patient Dose Considerations for Routine Megavoltage Cone-Beam CT Imaging, Med. Phys. 34(5), 1819-1827; 2007.

Litzenberg D.W., Willoughby T.R., Balter J.M., Sandler H.M., Wei J., , Kupelian P.A., Cunningham A.J.,  Bock A., Aubin, M., Roach III M., Shinohara K. and Pouliot J., Positional Stability of Electromagnetic Transponders Used for Prostate Localization and Continuous, Real-time Tracking, Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 68(4),1199-1206; 2007.

Chen A.M., Chang S., Pouliot J., Sneed P.K., Prados M.D., Lamborn K.R., Malec M.K., McDermott M.K., Berger M.S. and Larson D.S.,  Phase I Trial of Gross Total Resection, Permanent Iodine-125 Brachytherapy, and Hyperfractionated Radiotherapy for Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma Multiforme, Int. J. of Radiation Oncology, Biol, Phys. 69(3):825-30; 2007.

Kim, Y., Hsu, I. and Pouliot, J., Cranio-Caudal Catheter Displacement Between Fractions in CT-Based HDR Brachytherapy of Prostate Cancer, Journ. of Applied Clinical Med. Phys. 8 (4): 1-13; 2007.

Lometti M., Thurston D., Aubin M., Verhey L., Lockhart J.M., R. Bland, M. Roach and J. Pouliot, Are lateral electronic portal images adequate for accurate on-line daily targeting of the prostate? Results of a Prospective Study, Med. Dosi. 33 (1): 22-29; 2008.

Langen K., Meeks S.L. and Pouliot J., Quality Assurance of Onboard MV CT Imaging and Target Localization Systems for On- and Off-line Image Guided Radiation Therapy, Int. J. Radiation Oncology, Biol, Phys. 71(1), S62-S65, 2008.

Kim, Y., Hsu, I., Lessard, E., Kurhanewicz J. Noworolski S.M. and Pouliot, J., Class solution in inverse planned HDR prostate brachytherapy for dose escalation of DIL defined by combined MRI/MRSI, Radiotherapy and Oncology, 88(1):148-155; 2008.

Aubry J.F., Beaulieu L. and Pouliot J., Correction of megavoltage cone-beam CT images for dose calculation in the head and neck region, Med. Phys. 35(3): 900-907; 2008.

Kubicky C.D. Yeh B., Lessard E., Joe B.N., Speight J., Pouliot J., and Hsu I.C., Inverse Planning for the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-Based Intracavitary Brachytherapy for Cervical Cancer: A Feasibility Study, Brachyherapy 7, 242-247; 2008.

Descovich M., Morin O., Aubry J.F., Aubin M., Chen J., Bani-Hahemi A. and Pouliot J. Characteristics of Megavolatage Cone-Beam Digital Tomosynthesis, Med. Phys. 35(4): 1310-1318; 2008.

Villeneuve M., Leclerc G., Lessard E., Pouliot J. and Beaulieu L., Relationship between isotope half-life and prostatic edema for optimal prostate dose coverage in permanent seed implants, Med. Phys. 35(5): 1970-1977; 2008.

Maltz J., Gangadharan B., Vidal M., Paidi A., Bose, S., Faddegon B., Aubin M., Morin O., Pouliot J., Zheng Z., Svatos M. and Bani-Hashemi A., Focused beam-stop array for the measurement of scatter in megavoltage portal and cone beam CT imaging, Med. Phys. 35(6): 2452-2462; 2008.

Sahgal A., Jabbari S., Chen J., Pickett B., Roach III M., Hsu I. and Pouliot J.,  A Comparison of Dosimetric and Biological Effective Dose Parameters for the Prostate and Urethra using Cs-131 and I-125 for Prostate Brachytherapy, Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 72(1): 247-254; 2008.

Huang, K., Sneed, P.K., Kunwar, S., Berger, M., D.A. Larson, D., Pouliot, J. and Mcdermott, M.W., Surgical Resection And Permanent Iodine-125 Brachytherapy for Brain Metastasis, J. Neuroonco., August 2008. In press.

Aubry J.F. and Pouliot J., Imaging Changes in radiation Therapy: Does it matter? Imaging Decisions, 2008, in press.

Aubry J.F., Cheung J., Gottschalk A., Morin O., Beaulieu L. and Pouliot J., Correction of Megavoltage Cone-beam CT Images of the Pelvic Region Based on Phantom Measurements for Dose Calculation Purposes, J. Appl. Clin. Med. Phys. March 2008, in press.

Alterovitz R., Goldberg K., Pouliot J. and Hsu I.C., Sensorless Motion Planning for Medical Needle Insertion in Deformable Tissue, submitted to IEEE transactions on Info Tech in BioMed, Accepted for publication, August 2008.