Jennifer Kwak, MD

Professional Titles

• Nuclear Radiology Fellowship Program Director

Recognitions

• ABR Volunteer Service Award, American Board of Radiology (2023)
• ABR Volunteer Service Award, American Board of Radiology (2019)

Publications

• Choi W, Jia Y, Kwak J, Werner-Wasik M, Dicker AP, Simone NL, Storozynsky E, Jain V, Vinogradskiy Y. Novel Functional Radiomics for Prediction of Cardiac Positron Emission Tomography Avidity in Lung Cancer Radiotherapy. JCO Clin Cancer Inform. 2024 Mar;8:e2300241. PubMed PMID: 38452302
• Qiao Z, Xu J, Gallazzi F, Fisher DR, Gonzalez R, Kwak J, Miao Y. Effect of Ibuprofen as an Albumin Binder on Melanoma-Targeting Properties of (177)Lu-Labeled Ibuprofen-Conjugated Alpha-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone Peptides. Mol Pharm. 2024 Aug 5;21(8):4004-4011. PubMed PMID: 38973113
• American College of Radiology. ACR–ACNM–SNMMI–SPR Practice Parameter for the Performance of Scintigraphy and Uptake Measurements for Benign and Malignant Thyroid Disease. 2024; Available at https://gravitas.acr.org/PPTS/GetDocumentView?docId=60+&releaseId=2. Accessed January 20, 2025
• Sterbis E, Liang R, Trivedi P, Kwak J, Major EC, Karam SD, Morgan RL. Lack of Adherence to Guideline-Based Imaging Before Subsequent Radiation in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Impact on Patient Outcomes. J Nucl Med. 2023 Jan;64(1):75-81. PubMed PMID: 35680415
• Forghani F, Castillo R, Castillo E, PhD BJ, Rusthoven C, Kwak J, Moiseenko V, Grills I, Miften M, Vinogradskiy Y, Guerrero T. Is individual perfusion dose-response different than ventilation dose-response for lung cancer patients treated with radiotherapy?. Br J Radiol. 2023 Mar;96(1143):20220119. PubMed PMID: 36633096
• Palestro CJ, Brandon DC, Dibble EH, Keidar Z, Kwak JJ. FDG PET in Evaluation of Patients With Fever of Unknown Origin: AJR Expert Panel Narrative Review. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2023 Aug;221(2):151-162. PubMed PMID: 36722759
• Szidonya L, Park EA, Kwak JJ, Mallak N. Molecular and Anatomic Imaging of Neuroendocrine Tumors. Surg Oncol Clin N Am. 2022 Oct;31(4):649-671. PubMed PMID: 36243499
• Feuerstein JS, Taylor M, Kwak JJ, Berman BD. Parkinsonism and Positive Dopamine Transporter Imaging in a Patient with a Novel KMT2B Variant. Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2021 Feb;8(2):279-281. PubMed PMID: 33816656
• Forghani F, Patton T, Kwak J, Thomas D, Diot Q, Rusthoven C, Castillo R, Castillo E, Grills I, Guerrero T, Miften M, Vinogradskiy Y. Characterizing spatial differences between SPECT-ventilation and SPECT-perfusion in patients with lung cancer undergoing radiotherapy. Radiother Oncol. 2021 Jul;160:120-124. PubMed PMID: 33964328
• Schmidt MQ, Altoos R, Kwak JJ. (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/ computed tomography in the diagnosis of a rare mycotic aneurysm of the thoracic aorta in a patient with fever of unknown origin. World J Nucl Med. 2021 Jul-Sep;20(3):305-308. PubMed PMID: 34703400
• Vinogradskiy Y, Castillo R, Castillo E, Schubert L, Jones BL, Faught A, Gaspar LE, Kwak J, Bowles DW, Waxweiler T, Dougherty JM, Gao D, Stevens C, Miften M, Kavanagh B, Grills I, Rusthoven CG, Guerrero T. Results of a Multi-institutional Phase 2 Clinical Trial for 4DCT-ventilation Functional Avoidance Thoracic Radiation Therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2021 Nov 9. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34767934
• Vinogradskiy Y, Diot Q, Jones B, Castillo R, Castillo E, Kwak J, Bowles D, Grills I, Myziuk N, Guerrero T, Stevens C, Schefter T, Gaspar LE, Kavanagh B, Miften M, Rusthoven C. Evaluating Positron Emission Tomography-Based Functional Imaging Changes in the Heart After Chemo-Radiation for Patients With Lung Cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2020 Apr 1;106(5):1063-1070. PubMed PMID: 31983558
• Kwak JJ, Kesner AL, Gleisner A, Jensen A, Friedman C, McCarter MD, Koo PJ, Morgan RL, Kounalakis N. Utility of Quantitative SPECT/CT Lymphoscintigraphy in Guiding Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Head and Neck Melanoma. Ann Surg Oncol. 2020 May;27(5):1432-1438. PubMed PMID: 31773513
• Kwak JJ, Altoos R, Jensen A, Altoos B, McDermott MT. Increased risk of radioiodine treatment failure associated with Graves Disease refractory to methimazole. Endocr Pract. 2020; 26(11):1312-1319.
• Pinder-Arabpour A, Jones B, Castillo R, Castillo E, Guerrero T, Goodman K, Schefter T, Kwak J, Miften M, Vinogradskiy Y. Characterizing Spatial Lung Function for Esophageal Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2019 Mar 1;103(3):738-746. PubMed PMID: 30612962
• King BBT, Chapman BC, Gleisner A, Stewart C, Friedman C, Kwak JJ, McCarter MD, Kounalakis N. Postbiopsy Pigmentation is Prognostic in Head and Neck Melanoma. Ann Surg Oncol. 2019 Apr;26(4):1046-1054. PubMed PMID: 30706226
• Giovanella L, Avram AM, Iakovou I, Kwak J, Lawson SA, Lulaj E, Luster M, Piccardo A, Schmidt M, Tulchinsky M, Verburg FA, Wolin E. EANM practice guideline/SNMMI procedure standard for RAIU and thyroid scintigraphy. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2019 Nov;46(12):2514-2525. PubMed PMID: 31392371
• Carmichael H, King BBT, Friedman C, Torphy RJ, Medina T, Gleisner A, McCarter MD, Kwak JJ, Kounalakis N. Frequency and implications of occipital and posterior auricular sentinel lymph nodes in scalp melanoma. J Surg Oncol. 2019 Dec;120(8):1470-1475. PubMed PMID: 31614003
• Vinogradskiy Y, Rusthoven CG, Schubert L, Jones B, Faught A, Castillo R, Castillo E, Gaspar LE, Kwak J, Waxweiler T, Dougherty M, Gao D, Stevens C, Miften M, Kavanagh B, Guerrero T, Grills I. Interim Analysis of a Two-Institution, Prospective Clinical Trial of 4DCT-Ventilation-based Functional Avoidance Radiation Therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2018 Nov 15;102(4):1357-1365. PubMed PMID: 30353873
• Kindred JH, Honce JM, Kwak JJ, Rudroff T. Multiple Sclerosis, Cannabis Use, and Clinical Disability: A Preliminary [(18)F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography Study. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2018;3(1):213-218. PubMed PMID: 30324138
• Morgan R, Perry M, Kwak J, Jensen A, Kamdar M. Positron Emission Tomography-based Analysis Can Accurately Predict Bone Marrow Involvement With Mantle Cell Lymphoma. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2018 Nov;18(11):731-736. PubMed PMID: 30075973
• Kesner A, Laforest R, Otazo R, Jennifer K, Pan T. Medical imaging data in the digital innovation age. Med Phys. 2018 Apr;45(4):e40-e52. PubMed PMID: 29405298
• Trinh BB, Chapman BC, Gleisner A, Kwak JJ, Morgan R, McCarter MD, Gajdos C, Kounalakis N. SPECT/CT Adds Distinct Lymph Node Basins and Influences Radiologic Findings and Surgical Approach for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Head and Neck Melanoma. Ann Surg Oncol. 2018 Jun;25(6):1716-1722. PubMed PMID: 29330718
• Stewart CL, Gleisner A, Kwak J, Chapman B, Pearlman N, Gajdos C, McCarter M, Kounalakis N. Implications of Sentinel Lymph Node Drainage to Multiple Basins in Head and Neck Melanoma. Ann Surg Oncol. 2017 May;24(5):1386-1391. PubMed PMID: 28058553
• Melani C, Major A, Schowinsky J, Roschewski M, Pittaluga S, Jaffe ES, Pack SD, Abdullaev Z, Ahlman MA, Kwak JJ, Morgan R, Rabinovitch R, Pan Z, Haverkos BM, Gutman JA, Pollyea DA, Smith CA, Wilson WH, Kamdar M. PD-1 Blockade in Mediastinal Gray-Zone Lymphoma. N Engl J Med. 2017 Jul 6;377(1):89-91. PubMed PMID: 28679093
• Koo PJ, Kim SJ, Chang S, Kwak JJ. Interim Fluorine-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography to Predict Pathologic Response to Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy and Prognosis in Patients With Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer. Clin Colorectal Cancer. 2016 Dec;15(4):e213-e219. PubMed PMID: 27316919
• Chapman BC, Gleisner A, Kwak JJ, Hosokawa P, Paniccia A, Merkow JS, Koo PJ, Gajdos C, Pearlman NW, McCarter MD, Kounalakis N. SPECT/CT Improves Detection of Metastatic Sentinel Lymph Nodes in Patients with Head and Neck Melanoma. Ann Surg Oncol. 2016 Aug;23(8):2652-7. PubMed PMID: 26983744
• Kesner AL, Chung JH, Lind KE, Kwak JJ, Lynch D, Burckhardt D, Koo PJ. Frequency based gating: An alternative, conformal, approach to 4D PET data utilization. Med Phys. 2016 Mar;43(3):1451-61. PubMed PMID: 26936729
• Chang S, Koo PJ, Kwak JJ, Kim SJ. Changes in Total Lesion Glycolysis Evaluated by Repeated F-18 FDG PET/CT as Prognostic Factor in Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer Patients Treated with Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy. Oncology. 2016;90(2):97-102. PubMed PMID: 26771676
• Schmitt RJ, Kreidler SM, Glueck DH, Amaria RN, Gonzalez R, Lewis K, Bagrosky BM, Kwak JJ, Koo PJ. Correlation between early 18F-FDG PET/CT response to BRAF and MEK inhibition and survival in patients with BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma. Nucl Med Commun. 2016 Feb;37(2):122-8. PubMed PMID: 26440571
• Koo PJ, Kwak JJ, Pokharel S, Choyke PL. Novel Imaging of Prostate Cancer with MRI, MRI/US, and PET. Curr Oncol Rep. 2015 Dec;17(12):56. PubMed PMID: 26462919
• Kim SJ, Pak K, Koo PJ, Kwak JJ, Chang S. The efficacy of (177)Lu-labelled peptide receptor radionuclide therapy in patients with neuroendocrine tumours: a meta-analysis. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2015 Dec;42(13):1964-70. PubMed PMID: 26253273
• Kwak JJ, Tirumani SH, Van den Abbeele AD, Koo PJ, Jacene HA. Cancer immunotherapy: imaging assessment of novel treatment response patterns and immune-related adverse events. Radiographics. 2015 Mar-Apr;35(2):424-37. PubMed PMID: 25763727
• Lio E, Aisner DL, Askin FB, Kwak JJ. Giant pulmonary chondroid hamartoma: imaging and pathology correlation of a rare tumor demonstrated with bone scintigraphy and 18F-FDG PET/CT. Clin Nucl Med. 2015 Jan;40(1):79-81. PubMed PMID: 25275419
• Olson AC, Haugen BR, Walter J, Kwak JJ, Bagrosky BM, Koo PJ. SPECT/CT and I131 therapy of brain metastases from follicular variant papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC). J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014 Oct;99(10):3511-2. PubMed PMID: 25057877
• Kesner AL, Bagrosky BM, Kwak JJ, Koo PJ. Optimal dose for whole-body (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT imaging. J Am Coll Radiol. 2014 Sep;11(9):920-2. PubMed PMID: 25023508
• Ongusaha PP, Kwak JC, Zwible AJ, Macip S, Higashiyama S, Taniguchi N, Fang L, Lee SW. HB-EGF is a potent inducer of tumor growth and angiogenesis. Cancer Res. 2004 Aug 1;64(15):5283-90. PubMed PMID: 15289334
• Ongusaha PP, Ouchi T, Kim KT, Nytko E, Kwak JC, Duda RB, Deng CX, Lee SW. BRCA1 shifts p53-mediated cellular outcomes towards irreversible growth arrest. Oncogene. 2003 Jun 12;22(24):3749-58. PubMed PMID: 12802282
• Kwak JC, Ongusaha PP, Ouchi T, Lee SW. IFI16 as a negative regulator in the regulation of p53 and p21(Waf1). J Biol Chem. 2003 Oct 17;278(42):40899-904. PubMed PMID: 12925527
• Aglipay JA, Lee SW, Okada S, Fujiuchi N, Ohtsuka T, Kwak JC, Wang Y, Johnstone RW, Deng C, Qin J, Ouchi T. A member of the Pyrin family, IFI16, is a novel BRCA1-associated protein involved in the p53-mediated apoptosis pathway. Oncogene. 2003 Dec 4;22(55):8931-8. PubMed PMID: 14654789

Professional Memberships

• Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), Member
• American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS), Member
• American College of Radiology (ACR), Member
• Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), Member
• Colorado Radiological Society, Member
• American College of Nuclear Medicine, Member

Practice Locations

• University of Colorado Hospital

Specialty Information

• Diagnostic, Board Certification (2012)
• Nuclear Medicine, Board Certification (2013)

• Radiology - Nuclear Medicine
• Radiology