UPHS Radiology Department Official Web Site -- LSNI Grants

NMR Imaging and Stereologic Analysis of Trabecular Bone
Agency: NIH Type: RO1 AR041443 - F.W. Wehrli, P.I.

The chief clinical manifestation of osteoporosis is the occurrence of fractures. There is now strong evidence that the loss of bone mass is accompanied by a decline in the trabecular bone network’s structural integrity. Complementing antiresorptive treatment, new therapies have recently become available to treat the devastating consequences of severe bone loss with bone-forming (i.e. anabolic) drugs. We propose to significantly enhance our previously developed MRI-based virtual bone biopsy technology to quantify the structural and mechanical consequences of two fundamentally different forms of drug treatment in patients with metabolic bone disease. We advance the hypothesis that in vivo micro-MRI will be able to distinguish the structural and mechanical manifestations of short-term treatment and that the method will provide new insight into the structural manifestations of trabecular bone exposed to antiresorptive and anabolic therapy.

MRI-Based Virtual Bone Biopsy
Agency: NIH Type: RO1 AR049553 - F.W. Wehrli, P.I.

The poor correlation between fracture prevalence and bone mineral density has spurred the search for other parameters affecting the bone’s mechanical competence. The overall hypothesis of this proposal is that the µ-MRI-based in vivo virtual bone biopsy provides detailed quantitative insight into the architectural implications of bone loss and that it discriminates patients with vertebral fractures from their gender and bone mineral density matched peers.

Structure-Function Assessment of Carotid Disease by MR
Agency: NIH Type: RO1 HL68908 - F.W. Wehrli, P.I.

While the degree of arterial stenosis is a major risk factor, there are strong indications that factors unrelated to the size of the vascular constriction play a role in causing neurologic symptoms. These include the extent of collateralization and the morphology and composition of the atherosclerotic plaque itself. Further, since most strokes are believed to be embolic in nature, reduced perfusion prevents clearance of microemboli forming distal to an unstable lesion. the central hypothesis of this project is that in addition to plaque composition, hypoperfusion is an independent predictor of symptoms.

NMR Imaging and Stereologic Analysis of Trabecular Bone
Agency: NIH Type: R01 AR41443 - F.W. Wehrli, P.I.

The hypothesis tested is that high-resolution MRI in conjunction with stereologic procedures can provide information on cancellous bone structure and thus bone quality and that the structural information is predictive of the bone's elastic modulus and strength. Further, it has been postulated that structural parameters are predictive of skeletal competence in vivo in patients with osteoporosis.

Training in Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Agency: NIH Type: 9T32EB000814 - F.W. Wehrli, P.I.

MRI has been evolving from a qualitative diagnostic modality to a quantitative technique for assessing morphology, physiology and function in patients during treatment. this project aims to train basic science students at the pre- and post-doctoral level in quantitative magnetic resonance methodology.

Program Director

Felix W. Wehrli, Ph.D.
Department of Radiology

Preceptors

John Detre, M.D.
Department of Neurology
http://www.med.upenn.edu/ins/faculty/detre.htm

Charles Epstein, Ph.D.
Department of Mathematics
http://www.math.upenn.edu/~cle/

James Gee, Ph.D.
Department of Radiology
http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/radiology/depa/lsni/pdf/JamesGee.doc

Jerry Glickson, Ph.D.
Department of Radiology
http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/radiology/depa/researchLMI.shtml

Peter M. Joseph, Ph.D.
Department of Radiology
http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/radiology/depa/lsni/pdf/JosephMRIBiosketch.pdf

Elias Melhem, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Radiology

Ravinder Reddy, Ph.D.
Department of Radiology
http://www.mmrrcc.upenn.edu/LMMRI/lmmri_home.html

Mitchell Schnall, M.D., Ph. D.
Department of Radiology
http://www.mmrrcc.upenn.edu/people/schnall/schnall.html

Louis Soslowsy, Ph.D.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery
http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/orl/people/soslowsky/index.shtml

CLTR: Effect of Estrogen in Preserving Trabecular Architecture in Early Postmenopausal Women as Determined by MR Imaging
Agency: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Type: EST274A - F.W. Wehrli, PI

To evaluate the effect of estrogen in preserving the architecture of trabecular bone in patients treated with the study compound.

MRI Quantitation of Tissue Iron in Hematologic Disorders
Type: R01-DK066129 Agency: NIH - H.K. Song, PI

To implement, validate and apply to patients with thalassemia an MRI-based quantitative tissue iron mapping technique focusing on the liver and heart to evaluate the hypothesis that tissue iron levels can be measured accurately and reproducibly.

Retrospective Motion Correction Algorithms for In Vivo Micro-MRI
Type: BES-0302251 Agency: NSF - H.K. Song, PI

To develop improved motion correction techniques for in vivo MR micro-imaging.

Bone Water and Mineralization Measured by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Agency: NIH Type: RO1 AR050068 - F.W. Wehrli, PI

To provide a noninvasive method for probing the intrinsic properties of bone in lab animals and ultimately in humans.

NMR Q-Space Imaging of Tissue Microarchitecture
Agency: NIH Type: R21 EB00395 - F.W. Wehrli, PI

Ultra high-resolution displacement imaging in conjunction with simulations of diffusion diffraction from histologic images will provide new insight into tissue architecture.

Structural MRI of Trabecular Bone for Therapy Response Monitoring
Agency: NIH Type: RO1 AR053156 - F.W. Wehrli, PI

To develop novel micro-MRI-based technology suitable to quantify the structural and mechanical consequences of various forms of treatment of patients with metabolic bone disease.

Feasibility of Assessing Bone Architecture by iDQC MRI
Agency: NIH Type: R21 - AR052020 F.W.Wehrli, PI

In this pilot study we will evaluate the potential of intermolecular double-quantum coherences (iDQC), as a means to obtain structural information without the need to actually resolve individual trabeculae. The hypothesis to be evaluated is that spatially-resolved iDQC MRI can provide quantitative information on TB spacing and structural anisotropy, both key parameters determining the mechanical competence of trabecular bone.

Quantitative Techniques for MR and CT Microimaging
Agency: NIH Type: K25 EB001427 – A. C. Wright, P.I.

This project will develop new hardware and methodology for quantitative analysis of the micro-architecture of specific biological tissues under normal and pathologic conditions.