High-resolution ultrasound imaging of tiny kidney blood vessels to improve CKD staging
Renal Microvessel Imaging for Characterization of Chronic Kidney Disease
This project uses a new super-resolution ultrasound to image tiny blood vessels and measure blood flow in the kidney for people with or at risk for chronic kidney disease.
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 ID | NIH-11252550 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be helped by a team developing a special super-resolution ultrasound (SRUI) that can see very small kidney cortex vessels (~50 microns) and measure their blood flow. They will refine how images are gathered and processed using lab phantoms and early patient tests. The team will validate the ultrasound findings in pigs with and without kidney disease by comparing to contrast CT, micro-CT, and tissue histology. Finally, they will scan about 50 healthy volunteers to establish normal ranges for the new imaging measurements.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates include adults with known or suspected chronic kidney disease or healthy volunteers who can travel to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN for ultrasound scans.
Not a fit: People with end-stage kidney failure on dialysis or those whose body habitus or implanted devices prevent clear ultrasound imaging may not get useful results from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could become a safe, noninvasive way to stage and monitor chronic kidney disease by showing microvessel structure and perfusion.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work shows microvascular changes matter in CKD and early super-resolution ultrasound work is promising, but this specific SRUI approach is relatively new and still being validated.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- Mayo Clinic Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Shigao — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Chen, Shigao
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.