Laboratory for Structural NMR Imaging - Grants

Current Funded Research

NMR Imaging and Stereologic Analysis of Trabecular Bone, 2006-2010
NIH Type: RO1 AR041443 - F.W. Wehrli, PI

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.

Structural MRI of Trabecular Bone for Therapy Response Monitoring, 2005-2010
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.

Bone Water and Mineralization Measured by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, 2003 - 2012
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.

Osteoporosis treatment response assessed by micromechanical modeling of MRI data, 2007 - 2011
NIH Type: RO1 AR055647 - F.W. Wehrli, PI

To test the hypothesis that treatment-induced changes in the bone’s mechanical parameters, estimated from µ-FE calculations on the basis of in vivo µ -MRI, represent a quantitative measure of treatment response.

MRI susceptometry for measuring hemoglobin saturation in vivo, 2008 - 2010
NIH Type: R21 HL088182 - F.W. Wehrli, PI

Propose the development, implementation and validation of a new method for measuring blood oxygen saturation.

Changes in Skeletal Microarchitecture Following Renal Transplantation, 2007 - 2012
NIH Type: RO1 DK075648 - Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, M. Leonard, PI;
F.W. Wehrli, Subcontract PI

Will examine trabecular bone volume and micro-architecture using MRI.

Tensor Scale-Based Analysis of Trabecular Bone Images, 2009 - 2013
NIH Type: RO1 AR054439 - University of Iowa, P. Saha, PI; F.W. Wehrli, Subcontract PI

To apply t-scale based analysis methods to longitudinal and cross-sectional imaging studies for assessing bone quality.

Novel Radial MRI Methods For Fast, Motion Compensated DCE-MRI, 2009-2012
NIH Type: RO1-CA125226 - H.K. Song, PI

To develop novel strategies for improved quantification of tumor contrast kinetics in 3D DCE-MRI.

Improved Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI For Tumor Vascular Characterization, 2008-2011
ACS Type: RSG-08-118-01-CCE - H.K. Song, PI

To develop, implement, and validate novel methods for DCE-MRI of tumors.

Assessment of Functional Tumor Response to Avastin-Based Therapy Using a Novel Volumetric Radial DCE-MRI Assay, 2008-2010
Type: ITMAT/TBIC - H.K. Song, PI

To identify early anti-angiogenic treatment effects in patients with advanced ovarian cancer undergoing anti-VEGF therapy.

A Resource for Magnetic Resonance and Optical Imaging, 2005-2010
Sub-core: Temporally selective radial Filters for k-space weighted imaging
NIH Type: NIH P41-RR02305 - PI: R. Reddy; Subcore PI: H.K. Song

To develop innovative MR and optical technologies for biomedical research.