# Noninvasive challenge-free widely-accessible oxygen extraction fraction mapping

> **NIH NIH R41** · MEDIMAGEMETRIC, LLC · 2021 · $256,580

## Abstract

The objective of this proposed research is to develop a noninvasive, challenge-free and widely accessible,
imaging method to map oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) determined by deoxyheme-iron from postprocessing
multiecho gradient echo (mGRE) data. There is no clinically-available tool to map OEF that is directly
associated with brain oxygen metabolism and highly indicative of cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative
disorders. We propose to include the often-discarded mGRE phase signal, which contains the magnetic field
generated by deoxyheme iron, for increased sensitivity in estimating OEF through QSM processing. Our
project will result in an easily and widely usable tool for quantitative OEF mapping, which can be routinely used
on all the extensively-distributed MRI scanners to study brain functions and neurological diseases. In this
STTR phase 1 project, we will establish a rapid and robust OEF method for routine clinical use. We will
achieve this through 2 specific aims. Aim 1. Develop a rapid and robust OEF mapping from mGRE data. Aim 2.
Validate the developed OEF mapping on existing data with 15O PET OEF reference.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10325196
- **Project number:** 1R41NS122675-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** MEDIMAGEMETRIC, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Gary Dorfman
- **Activity code:** R41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $256,580
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-07-15 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10325196

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10325196, Noninvasive challenge-free widely-accessible oxygen extraction fraction mapping (1R41NS122675-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10325196. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*