# Synergistic advancements in MR thermometry and predictive thermal modeling towards improved characterization of human brain temperature

> **NIH NIH R01** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $624,928

## Abstract

Project Summary
Brain temperature regulation is crucial for neurologic function and recovery after ischemia and injury. Local
brain temperature increases as small as 1-2°C significantly contribute to the extent of ischemia-induced brain
damage, and dissociation of brain and body temperatures is a strong predictor of poor prognosis. While brain
temperature is well-recognized as an important clinical parameter for neuroprotection, current brain
thermometry has been limited to invasive temperature probes surgically implanted at a single location, making
it impractical in most patient cohorts. Several magnetic resonance (MR)-based thermometry methods have
been proposed and demonstrated in research environments; however, most are still limited to relative
estimations of temperature and are highly vulnerable to tissue heterogeneity-related errors. Body or systemic
temperature measurements are the most common surrogate, leaving brain temperature largely
uncharacterized in the clinical setting. To address these gaps in our understanding of brain temperature
regulation, biophysical models based on empirical data and simplified physical frameworks have been
developed. Recent models have made important progress in capturing brain anatomy and vasculature, but
crucial details with fundamental adherence to first principles of fluid and thermal energy transport have yet to
be formulated and implemented. Treatment of blood flow even in the most sophisticated models is ad hoc and
does not satisfy basic principles of momentum and energy conservation. The overall goal of this
Bioengineering Research Grant R01 proposal is to develop a new approach for in vivo MR chemical shift
thermometry that is complemented by a novel biophysical model of brain thermoregulation. In Aim 1 we will
implement corrections to MR-derived temperature calculations that will be validated and optimized in an animal
model and healthy human volunteers. Aim 2 will develop a 3D simulated model for subject-specific predictions
and quantification of brain temperature. Finally, in vivo brain thermometry will be acquired in a cohort of
patients with cerebrovascular disease, and injury will be incorporated into the simulated biophysical model to
facilitate subject-specific brain temperature characterization in Aim 3. We anticipate these studies will enable
important advances in non-invasive MR brain thermometry, facilitate evaluation of brain temperature as a
prognostic biomarker, and expand our understanding of brain thermoregulation and neuroprotection for
improved patient outcomes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10933653
- **Project number:** 1R01NS138044-01
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Candace C. Fleischer
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $624,928
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-17 → 2029-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10933653

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10933653, Synergistic advancements in MR thermometry and predictive thermal modeling towards improved characterization of human brain temperature (1R01NS138044-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10933653. Licensed CC0.

---

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