# NMR-Based Rapid Fluid Assessment: Device Design and Signal Processing

> **NIH NIH R01** · MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · 2022 · $581,837

## Abstract

NMR-Based Rapid Fluid Assessment: Device Design and Signal Processing
PROJECT SUMMARY
Our goal is to develop a portable, non-invasive, measurement of volume status to improve quality
of life and reduce morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. Maintenance of euvolemic
status and proper fluid balance are critical for health and improved outcomes for renal,
cardiovascular, and many other disease types as well as in healthy populations prone to
dehydration such as athletes and soldiers. Our laboratory has previously constructed a portable
single sided magnetic resonance (MR) sensors that is capable of resolving individual fluid
compartments (subcutaneous, intramuscular, etc.) within tissue. This sensor was used in a pilot
clinical trial with end stage kidney disease patients. Quantitative MRI results on these patients
demonstrated that the first sign of fluid overload among hemodialysis patients is an expanded
skeletal muscle extracellular fluid (ECF) space. The early stage nature of the technology was
evident in that study as the portable sensor could not unambiguously differentiate skeletal muscle
tissue from subcutaneous tissue.
 The proposed research includes the design of a new portable low-field MR sensor and
improved signal processing that will allow it to capture the same quantitative assessment of
volume status currently achievable with quantitative MRI (qMRI). We measure local fluid
distribution in the target in vivo tissue compartment. In the case of fluid volume status, our
hypothesis is that a localized skeletal muscle measurement is representative of systemic fluid
distribution based on results from a prior study1. The optimized sensor will have the sensitive
region of the magnetic field designed to target the skeletal muscle. The existing and newly
designed portable MR sensors will be used to measure intramuscular fluid distribution in end stage
kidney disease patients undergoing dialysis treatment as well as in healthy athletes experiencing
exercise induced fluid loss. The sensor measurement will allow for quantification of volume
overload (hypervolemia) or depletion (hypovolemia) and allow for its use in clinical decision
making. Dialysis patients and athletes are the target population for the following proposal. The
rapid reduction in fluid volume during a dialysis session and exercise respectively provides the
ideal clinical context for performing repeated fluid status measurements.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10441674
- **Project number:** 1R01EB031813-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael J Cima
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $581,837
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-05-05 → 2026-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10441674

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10441674, NMR-Based Rapid Fluid Assessment: Device Design and Signal Processing (1R01EB031813-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10441674. Licensed CC0.

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