Richard Thompson, Ph.D.

Senior Director, Diagnostic Imaging

Richard Thompson, Ph.D., is Senior Director, Diagnostic Imaging at Canon Medical Research USA, Inc. (CMRU) and leads the strategic definition and execution of programs that deliver advanced solutions in CT, PET, and MRI for Canon Medical Systems.


He has worked in medical imaging for 20 years. He received his formal training and Ph.D. in Experimental Particle Physics from the University of Pittsburgh in 2000. Following graduation, he spent 7 years at General Electric Corporate Research working in a variety of problems in medical imaging in X‑ray, CT and PET. While at GE, he developed analytic tools and methods to evaluate emerging detector and system technologies in CT and PET through predictive simulation and modelling. Richard moved to Philips Healthcare in 2007 in CT R&D, eventually leading the CT Physics team there who was responsible for image reconstruction algorithms and image quality stewardship.

Richard joined CMRU in 2014 as the Director of CT leading the teams that develop advanced reconstruction algorithms and software, and exploratory CT detection and system design research. In this time, the CMRU CT teams made important contributions to machine learning reconstruction through AiCE Integrated Intelligence reconstruction. Richard also has been leading a key multi-party development program to develop new detection and system technology for Canon CT.

In 2020 Richard became Sr. Director of Diagnostic Imaging at CMRU, leading advanced development in CT, PET, and MRI. In this role, Richard works closely with the CMRU teams and Canon Medical Systems headquarters in Japan to ensure that technology developed at CMRU is aligned with business needs and creates new opportunities.