Diffuse optical brain imaging to monitor ECMO patients at bedside
Official title: Diffuse optical tomography for bedside neuroimaging of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation impact on brain health
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11465648 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-friendly look at using a safe, portable brain-imaging method to monitor children and adults on ECMO for brain health right at the bedside.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $759,584 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL189398-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11465648 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adults on ECMO, particularly those with cardiac or pulmonary failure, who can be monitored with bedside HD-DOT.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not on ECMO or those for whom bedside brain imaging is contraindicated may not benefit.
What this research studies
This grant focuses on using high-density diffuse optical tomography (HD-DOT) to noninvasively monitor brain function and oxygenation in people on ECMO. The goal is to understand when neurological injury might occur during ECMO treatment by measuring brain activity near the bedside. The approach emphasizes safety, portability, and continuous monitoring to give clinicians timely information. The research will involve developing and applying HD-DOT methods during the ECMO course to capture functional connectivity and oxygenation patterns.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients on ECMO could receive safer, more informed brain monitoring and earlier detection of neurological injury.
How similar studies have gone: HD-DOT has shown promise in safe, portable brain imaging, but its use in ECMO patients is being explored and is not yet standard of care.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Eggebrecht, Adam Thomas — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Eggebrecht, Adam Thomas
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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.