# Co-Clinical Quantitative Imaging of Small Cell Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer Using Hyperpolarized 13C MRI

> **NIH NIH U24** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2020 · $670,224

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
The goal of this Oncology Co-Clinical Imaging Research Program (CIRP) proposal is to overcome the
translational barrier, as stated in PAR-18-184, to develop co-clinical imaging research resources that will
encourage a consensus on how quantitative imaging methods are optimized to improve the quality of imaging
results for co-clinical trials. This will be accomplished by using novel quantitative metabolic preclinical
hyperpolarized (HP) 13C magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess therapeutic response of small cell
neuroendocrine (SCNC) prostate cancer (PCa). The murine imaging study will be conducted in parallel to a
clinical trial (NCI R01 CA215694), aiming to assess response of SCNC to carboplatin in men with metastatic
PCa, led by Drs. John Kurhanewicz and Rahul Aggarwal at UCSF. SCNC is an increasingly prevalent, lethal
subtype of PCa that arises as an adaptive response to the application of androgen deprivation therapy and
second-generation potent androgen pathway inhibitors. The selection of the most appropriate treatment of
patients with metastatic SCNC is hindered by the fact that neither blood tests or current imaging modalities can
reliably identify therapeutic efficacy in these metastatic tumors which are also often not amenable to biopsy. The
study design of this U24 project incorporates the four key elements of CIRP: 1) The preclinical development and
optimization of quantitative HP 13C MRI acquisition and data analysis methods that address the lack in rigor and
reproducibility of existing preclinical and clinical approaches (aim 1); 2) The use of appropriate patient-derived
xenograft (PDX) models that reflect the genetic, metabolic and micro-environmental heterogeneity of SCNC
metastases in patients; 3) The application of the optimized preclinical dynamic HP 13C MRI protocols and data
modeling approaches to study the response of metastatic bone and liver disease in the PDX models to
chemotherapy, paralleling the funded study in patients (aim 2); and 4) The establishment of an online resource
of quantitative HP 13C MRI imaging protocols, data analyses, modeling tools, correlative biology data for wider
dissemination, validation and establishment of consensus by the scientific community (aim 3).
To accomplish this important translational quantitative imaging project, we have assembled an exceptional team
of basic science and clinical investigators with complimentary expertise in preclinical and clinical cancer
research, realistic PDX models, HP 13C MRI, informatics, and in leading imaging and therapeutic clinical trials.
This research project will also capitalize on the extensive resources provided by the NIH funded P41
Hyperpolarized Magnetic Resonance Technology Resource Center, the large number of preclinical and clinical
DNP polarizers and 13C-enabled MRI scanners, and imaging informatics infrastructure which exist at UCSF.
Although this proposal will focus on current standard of care treatment, the ne...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10057724
- **Project number:** 1U24CA253377-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** John Kurhanewicz
- **Activity code:** U24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $670,224
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-07 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10057724

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10057724, Co-Clinical Quantitative Imaging of Small Cell Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer Using Hyperpolarized 13C MRI (1U24CA253377-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10057724. Licensed CC0.

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