Artificial intelligence powered ultrasound to diagnose eye cancer early
Official title: Artificial Intelligence-powered Advanced Ultrasound for Early Diagnosis of Intraocular Melanoma
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11366800 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Mayo Clinic team is testing an AI-assisted ultrasound method to help doctors tell early choroidal melanoma from a benign nevus in adults, faster and without contrast agents.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | June 2, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $643,606 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA304060-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11366800 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 years or older who are assessed for suspected choroidal melanoma or nevus at participating centers.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with eye conditions unrelated to choroidal melanoma or those not undergoing ultrasound imaging for diagnosis may not benefit.
What this research studies
Choroidal melanoma is a serious eye cancer that can resemble a benign nevus in the early stages. This project uses a new ultrasound technique (qHDMI) to visualize tiny blood vessels in the tumor and turns these features into AI-driven biomarkers. The goal is to create a safer, noninvasive tool that improves early diagnosis and also supports monitoring during treatment. Participants would undergo ultrasound imaging as part of standard care, with AI analysis helping clinicians interpret the results.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could enable earlier, more accurate diagnoses and better monitoring of treatment for patients with choroidal melanoma.
How similar studies have gone: Previous imaging efforts lack a single definitive modality; this study combines AI with a noninvasive ultrasound to create new diagnostic biomarkers, offering potentially novel benefits.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Alizad, Azra — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Alizad, Azra
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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.