Better liver imaging for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Official title: Comprehensive noninvasive assessment of liver histopathology in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) via magnetic resonance imaging, cytometry and elastography (MR-ICE)
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11135407 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research is creating new MRI techniques to check for liver inflammation and damage in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease without needing a biopsy.
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 | May 1, 2014 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $357,750 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EB017197-12 |
| Project ID | NIH-11135407 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for future studies related to this research would be adults aged 21 and older who have been diagnosed with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
✕Less likely to help
Patients without nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or those under 21 years old would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Many people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) need liver biopsies to tell if they have a more serious condition called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which involves inflammation and cell injury. Biopsies are invasive, so we are working to develop safe and reliable MRI methods that can do the same job. Our goal is to create a new imaging protocol, called MR-ICE, that can accurately show the full picture of liver disease progression, including inflammation and cell damage. This will help doctors understand your liver health better and track how treatments are working over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could provide a non-invasive way to diagnose and monitor liver inflammation and damage in NAFLD, potentially replacing painful liver biopsies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise with magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) as a biomarker for inflammation, and this work aims to build upon and validate those findings while adding new capabilities.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yin, Meng — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Yin, Meng
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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NAFLD in PCOS: Do androgens drive liver injury and fatty liver progression?
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The impact of androgens on liver health in women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
This study is looking at how high levels of certain hormones in women with PCOS might harm their liver and lead to fatty liver disease, and it hopes to find ways to help improve liver health for those affected.
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Toxic fats, vitamin B12 loss, and AHR may drive fatty liver disease
This grant looks at how certain environmental chemicals may trigger liver damage linked to fatty liver disease and how a vitamin found in the blood could be affected.
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This grant explores how to identify and help pregnant and postpartum women who are at risk for fatty liver disease to prevent liver problems later.
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Clinically meaningful research on fatty liver disease in adults and children
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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.