Whole-brain metabolic MRI to guide brain tumor radiation
Official title: Improved whole-brain spectroscopic MRI for radiation therapy planning
Funded at Emory University · NIH-11306688 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses a special whole-brain MRI that maps tumor chemistry to help doctors target radiation more precisely for adults with brain tumors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | May 5, 2022 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $621,200 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CA264039-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11306688 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with newly diagnosed or recurrent high-grade gliomas (for example glioblastoma) who are scheduled for radiation therapy and can undergo MRI would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without infiltrative brain tumors, those who cannot have MRI, or patients treated at nonparticipating centers are unlikely to receive direct benefit.
What this research studies
You would get a spectroscopic MRI (sMRI) that maps metabolites across the whole brain so doctors can see tumor infiltration that standard MRI may miss. Those metabolic maps are used to plan radiation so areas that look like hidden tumor can receive higher doses. The team previously completed a three-site pilot showing the approach is feasible and safe, and now is expanding the technique through ECOG-ACRIN/ACR sites. If your treatment center participates, your sMRI would be integrated into your radiation planning.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could allow radiation to better cover infiltrating tumor, delay recurrence, and potentially extend survival.
How similar studies have gone: A prior three-site sMRI-guided radiation pilot showed feasibility, safety, and a promising median overall survival of 23 months versus about 16 months with standard care.
Where this research is happening
-
Emory University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shim, Hyunsuk — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Shim, Hyunsuk
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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.