MRI mapping of tiny brain fluid spaces to help detect and monitor Alzheimer's

Development of perivascular space mapping toolset as a diagnostic aid for Alzheimer's disease

NIH-funded research Neuroscope INC. · NIH-11143789

This project builds MRI-based tools to map small fluid-filled channels in the brain to help people with or at risk for Alzheimer's get clearer diagnoses and safer treatment monitoring.

Quick facts

Grant typeSbir 2 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionNeuroscope INC. NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Scarsdale, UNITED STATES)
Project IDNIH-11143789 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This work creates software that reads routine clinical MRI scans to map perivascular spaces (the small channels that help clear waste from the brain). The team combines existing MRI data and imaging methods to produce non-invasive, in-vivo maps linked to Alzheimer’s-related changes. Because some amyloid-clearing treatments can cause brain swelling or bleeding in people with vascular amyloid, these maps could help doctors monitor for those risks. The goal is to turn research imaging methods into a clinical tool clinics can use for diagnosis and treatment decisions.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates include people with Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment, those being considered for amyloid-targeting therapies, or patients with suspected cerebral amyloid angiopathy.

Not a fit: People without access to MRI, those with dementias not related to perivascular clearance, or patients with MRI-incompatible implants or severe claustrophobia may not benefit directly.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the tool could help clinicians detect Alzheimer-related clearance problems earlier, guide use of amyloid-targeting therapies, and reduce treatment-related imaging abnormalities like ARIA.

How similar studies have performed: Prior MRI studies have linked perivascular space changes to Alzheimer's and cerebral amyloid angiopathy, but clinically ready automated PVS mapping tools remain limited and this development is relatively novel.

Where this research is happening

Scarsdale, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Alzheimer disease dementiaAlzheimer syndromeAlzheimer's Disease
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.