MRI fingerprinting to better identify types of kidney tumors
Official title: Development of Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting in Kidney for Evaluation of Renal Cell Carcinoma
Funded at Case Western Reserve University · NIH-11171640 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests a new MRI technique to noninvasively tell apart benign or low-grade kidney masses from aggressive kidney cancers in people with renal tumors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Case Western Reserve University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $527,404 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA266702-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11171640 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with an incidentally found or indeterminate kidney mass who are considering biopsy, surgery, or active surveillance.
✕Less likely to help
People with advanced metastatic kidney cancer, an immediate clinical need for surgery, or no kidney mass would not benefit from this imaging approach.
What this research studies
The team is developing a new MRI method called magnetic resonance fingerprinting to capture detailed tissue signatures of kidney masses. They will scan patients who have an incidentally found or indeterminate renal tumor and compare the MRI fingerprints to biopsy or surgical pathology and clinical follow-up. The goal is to create quantitative imaging markers that separate benign or low-grade tumors from aggressive cancers without needing a biopsy. If successful, this could guide decisions about active surveillance versus immediate surgery and reduce unnecessary procedures.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reduce unnecessary biopsies and surgeries by helping doctors identify which kidney masses are harmless or slow-growing versus aggressive.
How similar studies have gone: MRI fingerprinting is an emerging technology with promising early results in other organs, but applying it to distinguish kidney tumor grades is relatively new and not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
-
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Yong — Case Western Reserve University
- Study coordinator: Chen, Yong
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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.