Improving Hemodialysis Access Care with Ultrasound
Role of Intravenous ultrasound (IVUS) in arteriovenous hemodialysis access dysfunction
This project explores how a special ultrasound technique can help doctors better understand and treat problems with hemodialysis access for people with kidney disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11190925 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Many people with end-stage kidney disease rely on a special connection, called an AV access, for their hemodialysis treatments. Sometimes, these connections can develop blockages, or stenoses, which make dialysis difficult. While current methods like angiography help find these blockages, they don't always give a complete picture or predict how well treatments will work. This project aims to use a 3-D ultrasound method, called IVUS, directly inside the blood vessel to get a more accurate view of these blockages. This could lead to better decisions about when and how to treat them, potentially reducing repeat procedures.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are patients with end-stage kidney disease who are on hemodialysis and experiencing issues with their arteriovenous access.
Not a fit: Patients who are not on hemodialysis or do not have problems with their arteriovenous access would not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to more accurate diagnosis and more effective treatment plans for hemodialysis access problems, potentially reducing the need for repeated interventions.
How similar studies have performed: While angiography is the standard diagnostic method, this project proposes using IVUS to overcome its known limitations in characterizing AV access stenosis, suggesting a novel application or significant improvement.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston Medical Center — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chitalia, Vipul C — Boston Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Chitalia, Vipul C
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.