# Noninvasive Spinal Cord Perfusion Techniques with MRI

> **NIH NIH R01** · MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN · 2022 · $336,875

## Abstract

This proposal aims to establish perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spinal cord as a
translational tool and predictive biomarker of secondary damage after acute spinal cord injury (SCI). In SCI,
minimizing damage that occurs beyond the initial insult (i.e. secondary injury) is considered a primary
therapeutic target. Current clinical recommendations for acute SCI care advocate restoration of spinal cord
perfusion to reduce secondary injury and provide the greatest chance for improved neurological outcome.
However, spinal cord perfusion status is not routinely monitored in SCI patients, and the lack of noninvasive
tools considerably impedes personalized care in SCI. Remarkably, while perfusion magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) of the brain has been reported in 100s of studies, there is almost a complete void of perfusion
MRI studies applied to the spinal cord despite its high potential to improve patient outcomes. We previously
showed that diffusion MRI of the rodent spinal cord, with contrast uniquely sensitized to axonal injury, could
predict injury severity and neurological outcomes with high accuracy. With our recent advances in high
resolution diffusion MRI, the location and extent of injury within the cord was visualized with detail in individual
subjects. Thus, our central hypothesis is that while diffusion MRI detects irreversible injury acutely after SCI,
perfusion MRI deficits reflect tissue at risk of secondary injury in the absence of an intervention. Our
preliminary studies demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining high resolution perfusion MRI of the thoracic spinal
cord. We propose to use in vivo MRI in a rat model of contusion SCI to (Aim 1) enhance and tailor perfusion
MRI to the spinal cord for accurate, efficient, and high-resolution interrogation of perfusion status, (Aim 2)
characterize perfusion and diffusion deficits after acute spinal cord traumatic injury in the rat to distinguish
between reversible and non-reversible injury, and (Aim 3) demonstrate the utility of perfusion MRI to
noninvasively monitor clinically-recommended interventions. Overall, these studies will provide a strong
technical and scientific foundation to promote translational use of advanced MRI for personalized care of SCI
patients. These translational studies aim to realize the full clinical utility of noninvasive imaging to maximize
outcomes from such as devastating injury and its detrimental impact on quality-of-life.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10317082
- **Project number:** 5R01NS109090-04
- **Recipient organization:** MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
- **Principal Investigator:** MATTHEW D BUDDE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $336,875
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-12-01 → 2023-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10317082

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10317082, Noninvasive Spinal Cord Perfusion Techniques with MRI (5R01NS109090-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10317082. Licensed CC0.

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