MRI scans to detect artery and eye inflammation in giant cell arteritis
Official title: Establishing orbital and cranial vessel wall MRI enhancement as an imaging biomarker in giant cell arteritis
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11231724 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work uses combined orbital and cranial vessel-wall MRI to find artery and eye inflammation in people with giant cell arteritis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $218,546 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR084199-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11231724 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People diagnosed with giant cell arteritis—especially those with current or recent visual symptoms or at risk for ocular involvement—would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without GCA or whose disease is already inactive and well-controlled are unlikely to gain direct benefit from the imaging.
What this research studies
If I join, I'll get a combined orbital and cranial vessel-wall MRI in a single 35-minute scan to look for inflammation in the arteries that supply my eyes and head. The researchers will compare my MRI results with symptoms, blood tests, and how I respond to treatment over time to see whether the scans match disease activity. Their goal is to develop a reliable imaging sign of ocular and cranial inflammation so doctors can make better treatment decisions. The project uses standardized MRI techniques and scheduled follow-up visits to test the imaging across people with GCA.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: It could give doctors an objective way to detect eye and cranial artery inflammation so treatments can be tailored and unnecessary long-term steroid exposure reduced.
How similar studies have gone: Previous vessel-wall MRI studies have shown promise, but adding dedicated orbital imaging to cranial vessel-wall MRI is relatively new and not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rhee, Rennie — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Rhee, Rennie
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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T Cell Immunity in Giant Cell Arteritis
A study at Mayo Clinic Rochester is looking at how specific immune signals go wrong in giant cell arteritis to better understand why it damages the aorta and its vessels.
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Using MRI to improve diagnosis and treatment of giant cell arteritis
This study is testing a new type of MRI that looks closely at the blood vessels in your head to help doctors better understand and treat giant cell arteritis, which can cause vision problems, so you can get the right care without taking extra medications that might not be needed.
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Understanding T cell immunity in a type of blood vessel inflammation
This study is looking at Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) to understand why the immune system goes into overdrive and how that can cause serious problems, with the hope of finding new ways to help people with this condition.
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How optic nerve swelling changes after starting steroids in giant cell arteritis
This study tests how quickly the optic nerve sheath swelling decreases after starting glucocorticoids in people with newly diagnosed giant cell arteritis.
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Precision care for giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica
This long-term observational project will follow adults with giant cell arteritis or polymyalgia rheumatica to see if regular imaging, eye exams, blood tests, and immune cell profiling can better predict aortic complications and steroid side effects over 5–10 years.
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Ultrasound lesions in temporal and axillary arteries and relapse risk in giant cell arteritis.
We will test whether lesions seen on ultrasound of the temporal and axillary arteries can predict relapse in people with giant cell arteritis.
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.