Appointments:
Associate Professor of Radiology, Dalhousie University
Staff Radiologist, IWK Health Centre
Affiliations:
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Dalhousie University & Department of Diagnostic Imaging, IWK Health Centre
Research interests:
Imaging of pediatric brain and body tumors: Correlation between molecular subgroups and imaging features in pediatric tumors.
Currently, I am working on two main projects: 1) Imaging of Neuroblastoma. The International-Neuroblastoma-Risk-Group-Staging System (INRGSS) is the latest staging system used for pediatric neuroblastomas. INRGSS depends mainly on the presence or absence of image-defined risk factors (which are findings that determine the extension of the tumor and whether the tumor is amenable by surgery) on pre-treatment imaging. Despite the wide use of IDRFS, no radiological study has validated the reproducibility of IDFRs on CT across radiologists. I aim to determine the intra and interreader agreements of IDRFs on CT between pediatric radiologists with varying levels of career experiences and to find whether the use of gadolinium contrast materials, which are caution in kids, is mandatory to assess these IDRFs. 2) pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs). The diagnosis of pLGGs requires neuroimaging with subsequent histologic and molecular classification using surgical biopsy or tumor resection. Being able to determine with a high degree of confidence the molecular subtype of a pLGGs prior to surgical intervention may prove useful in guiding surgical techniques and prompting therapeutic preparation. In my research, I aim to find whether radiologists could predict these molecular subgroups either using conventional reading approach or via artificial intelligence to guide clinical management.
Hometown: Kinshasa, Democratic republic of Congo
What brought you to your current institution?
After training in both pediatric neuroradiology and pediatric general radiology at the Hospital for sick children, University of Toronto, I was more exposed to high level research related to pediatric tumors. This prompted me to look for a job that could provide the opportunity to practice both pediatric neuroradiology and body imaging subspecialities with secured research time and opportunities. I was lucky to find this set of opportunities at Dalhousie University/IWK heath Centre where there is a great team of dedicated researchers who constitute a significant source of inspiration and support to me.
Learn More about my research
Involvement with BHCRI to date:
BHCRI Associate member since 2022
Contact:
daddy.mata-mbemba@iwk.nshealth.ca
Twitter handle: @matadaddy
Recent News:
Dr. Mata-Mbemba will be presenting “Predicting Model of Molecular Subtypes of Pediatric Low-grade Gliomas without Neurofibromatosis-1 with Neuroradiology: Multicentric Study” (CID:4000008) on April 13, 2024 from 1:50-2:00 PM during Scientific Session II-C: Neuro II at the Society of pediatric Radiology Annual Meeting (April 13-15, 2024) at the InterContinental Miami in Florida.