More accurate MRI for detecting brain injury and planning surgery
Improving the sensitivity and specificity of diffusion MRI
['FUNDING_R01'] · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · NIH-11293436
This project is making MRI scans better at showing brain wiring and tiny tissue damage to help adults with acquired brain injury or stroke.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (Nashville, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11293436 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers are improving diffusion MRI—an MRI method that traces brain fiber pathways—by developing better analysis algorithms and software to capture fiber-specific signals inside each voxel. They will validate these methods using imaging data, simulations, and benchmark examples to measure how often the methods correctly detect or miss tissue changes. The team will build on and share open-source tools so other clinicians and researchers can use the improvements. The aim is to reduce errors from current simplifications and make clinical imaging more reliable for stroke detection and surgical planning.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults (21+) with acquired brain injury or stroke who can undergo MRI scans or are willing to share existing brain MRI images for research.
Not a fit: People under 21, individuals without brain injury or stroke, or patients needing immediate emergency treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this methods-focused project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could give doctors clearer, more reliable MRI images of damaged brain tissue and connections, improving diagnosis and treatment planning.
How similar studies have performed: Diffusion MRI is widely used clinically, but many of the specific algorithmic advances proposed are novel and require further validation in real-world data.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, UNITED STATES
- VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY — Nashville, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: ANDERSON, ADAM W — VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: ANDERSON, ADAM W
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.
Conditions: Acquired brain injury