Ultrasound method to measure artery stiffness and link it to brain health
Measuring arterial material properties using wave-based approaches with ultrasound and computational models
Using a special high-frequency ultrasound approach, researchers will measure how stiff neck arteries are to help people at risk for brain injury from vascular problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11292400 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would get a short, noninvasive ultrasound exam of your carotid (neck) artery that uses tiny focused pushes to make high-frequency waves in the artery wall. Fast ultrasound imaging plus computer models are used to measure the artery's viscoelastic (stretchy and dampening) properties. The researchers will compare those artery measurements with brain MRI findings like white matter changes, small infarcts, or brain shrinkage. The aim is to develop a practical neck ultrasound test that could warn about vascular effects on the brain before symptoms appear.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults with vascular risk factors (high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol), known carotid artery disease, or those undergoing brain MRI for cognitive or vascular concerns.
Not a fit: People without vascular risk factors, without carotid disease, or whose brain problems are due to nonvascular causes may not receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give doctors a simple, noninvasive way to identify people whose artery stiffness may be harming their brain and enable earlier steps to protect thinking and memory.
How similar studies have performed: Related ultrasound elastography methods have shown promise for measuring vessel stiffness, but this specific high-frequency ADUV technique and its direct links to brain MRI markers are relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- Mayo Clinic Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Urban, Matthew William — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Urban, Matthew William
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.