Measuring how the heart uses oxygen in patients with heart damage without using contrast agents
Official title: MR Quantification of Myocardial Oxygen Utilization in Chronic Myocardial Infarction without Contrast
Funded at Illinois Institute of Technology · NIH-10581563 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new, safer MRI method to see how well the heart uses oxygen in people who have had a heart attack, helping doctors make better treatment choices without the need for invasive procedures.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Illinois Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2019 |
| Project end | January 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $166,141 |
| NIH project number | 5K25HL141634-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-10581563 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who have suffered from a myocardial infarction and are being evaluated for coronary artery disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have a history of heart attacks or significant coronary artery disease may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to develop a new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technique that quantifies how the heart utilizes oxygen in patients who have experienced a myocardial infarction, or heart attack. By using a non-invasive approach, this method seeks to provide a safer and more effective imaging test compared to traditional methods that often require contrast agents and expose patients to radiation. The study focuses on improving the assessment of heart function and viability, which could lead to better treatment decisions for patients with coronary artery disease. The research is particularly relevant for those who may not benefit from current invasive procedures.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to safer and more accurate assessments of heart health, ultimately improving treatment outcomes for patients with heart disease.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of using MRI for cardiac assessment is established, the specific method of quantifying oxygen utilization without contrast is novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kawaji, Keigo — Illinois Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Kawaji, Keigo
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Anti-inflammatory signaling of a key protein in heart attack recovery
A study in people who have had a heart attack is exploring how a macrophage protein called Tristetraprolin may reduce inflammation and help protect heart tissue.
-
Targeting RIPK3 to reduce heart damage after a heart attack
This grant studies a specific cell-death pathway (RIPK3) to protect the heart after a heart attack, with the goal of reducing damage and improving recovery.
-
mRNA lipid nanoparticles to help heart attack patients grow healthier blood vessels
A heart-attack study tests a new treatment that uses messenger RNA delivery with tiny fat bubbles to promote normal blood vessel growth in damaged heart tissue.
-
Targeted nanotherapy to calm inflammation, grow new blood vessels, and prevent scarring after a heart attack
A new treatment approach uses engineered secretions from immune cells delivered early after a heart attack to reduce inflammation, promote blood vessel growth, and limit scarring to protect heart function.
-
Why heart attacks and strokes affect people differently across places and races
This project follows adults across the U.S. to see how lifelong social and neighborhood factors shape heart attacks, heart failure, and recovery, with attention to Black adults and regions with high disease rates.
-
Real-time multi-lead ECG from wearables to help detect heart attacks early
A new AI-based approach uses everyday wearable sensors to turn simple PPG signals into multi-lead ECG data to monitor for heart attacks in real time, even outside the clinic.
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.