AI tool to get detailed aorta blood-flow maps from routine chest MRIs
Official title: Anatomic Imaging Derived 4D Hemodynamics using Deep Learning
Funded at Third Coast Dynamics, INC. · NIH-11328615 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses artificial intelligence to create detailed 4D pictures of aortic blood flow from standard chest MRI scans for people with thoracic aortic aneurysms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Third Coast Dynamics, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Evanston, United States) |
| Project start | September 16, 2024 |
| Project end | September 15, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $812,881 |
| NIH project number | 4R42HL174259-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11328615 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have or are being monitored for thoracic aortic aneurysm or other aortic disease and who undergo routine chest MRI scans are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who cannot have MRI scans, whose care requires invasive testing, or who need centers that already perform specialized 4D flow MRI for clinical decision-making may not benefit immediately.
What this research studies
This project builds a cloud-based AI platform (TCDflow) that turns ordinary chest MRI pictures into 4D hemodynamic maps of the aorta. The developers trained the model on thousands of existing 4D flow MRIs so it can learn how blood moves without needing a special 4D flow scan. The aim is to cut out extra scan types and long post-processing so your usual MRI could give the same blood-flow information faster and more widely.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make advanced blood-flow measurements widely available without special scans, improving monitoring and risk prediction for people with aortic aneurysms.
How similar studies have gone: There is strong evidence that 4D flow biomarkers and AI tools can be useful in imaging, but using routine anatomic MRIs to fully recreate 4D flow is a newer, still-validating approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Third Coast Dynamics, INC.
Evanston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Allen, Bradley David — Third Coast Dynamics, INC.
- Study coordinator: Allen, Bradley David
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.