W. Thomas Dixon, Ph.D.
1945 – 2022
William Thomas (Tom) Dixon, a leader in the field of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, died on August 1, 2022. Tom received a Bachelor’s degree from University of Minnesota and a PhD from the University of California at San Diego. Tom was a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Jacob Schaefer III, where he invented a method of reducing the complexity of the spectra, publishing two solo papers on spinning-sideband-free NMR spectra. Tom was hired by the Radiology Department of Washington University Medical School to start their research program in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in 1983. He developed a method to create images that show water only, fat only, and the difference between water and fat intensity: Dixon, W. T. (1984). Simple proton spectroscopic imaging, Radiology 153, 189-194. This invention, now known as the “Dixon Technique,” is still very widely used in radiology. As of August 2022, the paper had been cited more than 2700 times; many offshoots of the original pulse sequence have been developed.
In 1986, Tom moved to Emory University to lead the Frederic Philips Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. He developed techniques to image flowing blood and to separate diffusion and perfusion in MRI images. In 2000, Tom moved to the General Electric Global Research Center in Niskayuna, New York, where he developed new pulse sequences to enhance the utility of magnetic resonance contrast agents. He returned to Emory University in 2012. Tom’s career was dedicated to applying knowledge of magnetic resonance to significant, unsolved medical problems. Tom was elected a Fellow of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine in 2007 and received the gold medal from this society in 2013. He was a co-author on 11 patents.
Tom’s colleagues at Emory remember him for his creative discussions, humility despite his intellect, and his legendary appetite! Even after retirement, Tom was regularly in his office and could be found discussing experiments with colleagues, attending seminars, and writing new pulse sequences late into the night. Generosity of spirit, dry humor, and humility were his trademarks.
Tom is survived by his wife, Dabney White Dixon (a professor at Georgia State University) and his son, William Robert Dixon, of Dummerston, Vermont.
There will be a memorial service at 11 AM on Saturday, October 1, 2022, at North Decatur Presbyterian Church, 611 Medlock Rd, Decatur, GA 30033. The service will be broadcast on the church’s Facebook page.
Tom will also be remembered in a Zoom event on October 22, 2022, at 4:00 PM EDT. Those wishing to speak or attend should email tomdixonmri@gmail.com for directions.