Enabling non-invasive imaging to characterize tissue structure in cancer with advanced MRI
Official title: Enabling clinical tissue microstructure imaging as a diagnostic tool in wide-bore 3T MRI
Funded at Ge Medical Systems Information Technologies, INC · NIH-11393073 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to use a advanced MRI technique to image tissue microstructure non-invasively so doctors can better diagnose and guide treatment for cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ge Medical Systems Information Technologies, INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Niskayuna, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $929,680 |
| NIH project number | 5U01EB034313-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11393073 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with suspected or known cancers where biopsy is currently used for diagnosis or prognosis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without cancer or whose tumors are not amenable to the imaging approach may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project seeks to improve how we image the tiny tissue structures inside tumors using a special diffusion MRI method. By applying novel diffusion encoding, the study hopes to measure epithelial, stromal, and lumen fractions in tumors, which relate to cancer grades. The work focuses on wide-bore 3T MRI and aims to reduce unnecessary biopsies while improving biopsy targeting. It is designed to be compatible with clinical workflow and seeks to translate imaging findings into more precise patient care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, doctors could diagnose and monitor cancers more accurately without frequent biopsies, leading to better targeted treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous diffusion MRI approaches have shown mixed results at whole-body MRI; this study attempts to overcome gradient limitations to achieve higher accuracy.
Where this research is happening
-
Ge Medical Systems Information Technologies, INC
Niskayuna, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Foo, Thomas K — Ge Medical Systems Information Technologies, INC
- Study coordinator: Foo, Thomas K
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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.