Finding hidden small strokes and white matter damage on routine brain scans with AI
Covert Cerebrovascular Disease Detected by Artificial Intelligence (C2D2AI): Pragmatic Neuroimaging Biomarkers for Future Stroke and Dementia Risk
Using artificial intelligence to spot unnoticed brain blood-vessel damage on routine CT or MRI scans to help people at risk for stroke and dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tufts Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11285315 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project will apply AI tools to routine clinical CT and MRI brain scans to find covert brain infarcts and white matter disease that are often missed or unreported. The team will link those AI-detected imaging findings to electronic health records to see which patients later develop stroke or dementia. They will create practical imaging markers that can work with real-world scans and reporting systems across hospitals. The goal is to make these hidden risks visible so doctors and patients can consider earlier prevention steps.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who have had routine clinical brain CT or MRI scans—especially those with vascular risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, or prior heart disease—would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: People without any brain imaging, or those whose scans are clearly normal and who lack vascular risk factors, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could let clinicians detect hidden cerebrovascular damage earlier and target people for prevention to reduce future stroke and dementia risk.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies show covert infarcts and white matter disease predict stroke and dementia and some AI tools can detect imaging lesions, but applying AI broadly to routine clinical CT/MRI across health systems is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Tufts Medical Center — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kent, David M — Tufts Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Kent, David M
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 below.