Predicting liver complications in advanced NASH
Predicting outcomes in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis with advanced fibrosis
This project uses advanced MRI scans and other clinical tests to build a score that predicts which people with advanced NASH are most likely to develop serious liver problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Commonwealth University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richmond, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11162354 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have advanced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the team will collect MRI-based measures of metabolism, gadoxetate uptake and clearance (which reflect liver perfusion and function), and spleen stiffness as a marker of portal hypertension. They will combine these imaging measures with other clinical and laboratory data to create a single, dynamic probability score for liver-associated clinical events like ascites, encephalopathy, or bleeding. The score is designed to change over time so doctors can see if a patient's risk is increasing or decreasing. The project aims to improve on existing blood tests and stiffness measures by integrating multiple organ-level features into a more sensitive prediction tool.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis would be the ideal candidates for this work.
Not a fit: People without NASH, those with only mild liver scarring, or patients who cannot undergo MRI or contrast imaging are less likely to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help identify people with advanced NASH who need earlier treatment or closer monitoring and could track whether treatments are working.
How similar studies have performed: Other studies have used fibrosis scores and liver stiffness to estimate risk but this integrated MRI-based approach is relatively new and has not yet been widely proven.
Where this research is happening
Richmond, United States
- Virginia Commonwealth University — Richmond, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sanyal, Arun J — Virginia Commonwealth University
- Study coordinator: Sanyal, Arun J
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.