Research
Advancing Diffusion MRI through the Design and Engineering of Phantoms
Low Field Magnetic Resonance of ECM in Microphysciological Systems
The majority of research in connective tissue magnetic resonance diagnostic methods is focused on clinical strength HF MR imaging scanners. High-field scanners run into limits, e.g., based on required experimental echo times that effectively decrease relaxometry contrast, distort quantification, and image sensitivity. My approach uses Multi-Dimensional MR spectroscopy methods to provide fingerprints that have the potential to be quantitatively sensitive to both large and small changes in observables at LF. These are traditionally hyposensitive signal components at HF. The MD biomarkers will advance the early detection of inflammation-related diseases indicated by fibrotic pathologies or the accumulation of ECM macromolecules. Our aim is to quantify parameter changes in LF MR based on MD MR methods under well-controlled conditions, facilitating the identification of physiochemical changes in model gel and heterogenous tissues. The knowledge from this study will drive the development of LF MR as a point-of-care diagnostic tool for MSK connective tissues and other tissues that are difficult to detect via HF MR methods.
Long-Term Future Goals
One of the biggest challenges in imaging-based diagnostic methods cost and availability of reliable imaging modalities for the diagnostic screen. Many hospitals in the US and abroad cannot afford the capital expenses associated with HF clinical imaging and its maintenance. I believe that LF MR can provide an affordable point of care diagnostics to lower the cost of imaging for both patience and hospitals of treating important diseases. To advance this I will extend these characterization methods with in the above connective tissues to investigate the transport of therapeutic drugs in connective tissue and to quantify their effectiveness as regeneration medicine. The methods can also be extended to characterize other archetypes of ECM tissue (i.e., myelin content in neurological tissue) for low field biomarkers. One of the difficulties in diagnostic patients is having a baseline comparison for the state or normal tissue for patient. LF MR could assist in establishing that baseline behavior making a report of LF Biomarkers as common as blood pressure. LF field MR instrumentation is modular and can adapted to investigator body specific geometries and serve as a first affordable pass for non-invasive screening without the need to visit specialized medical imaging facilities.