# Advanced Diffusion MRI Applied in Hypoxic-ischemic Neonates

> **NIH NIH F31** · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · 2020 · $42,334

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Neuroinflammation caused by infection, oxidative stress or perinatal asphyxia leads to hypoxic ischemic
encephalopathy (HIE) in term infants and white and gray matter (WM, GM) injury in preterm infants with
potentially irreparable tissue damage, incurring life-long neurological burdens such as cerebral palsy. Habilitative
therapies are often delayed until infants fail developmental milestones. A consensus panel recommended
combined early neuroimaging and developmental testing for earlier referrals to therapy, potentially mitigating
these risks. Therefore, it is essential the field explores methods for more sensitive and accurate quantification of
brain injury in the developing neonatal brain. A practical and non-invasive technique to study microstructural
tissue changes in the brain is diffusion MRI (dMRI). The primary goal of this F31 proposal is to determine,
in term HIE and preterm infants, whether or not quantitative parameters derived from novel advanced
dMRI techniques correlate to disease severity and predict long-term outcome. This will be supported by a
research training plan targeted at didactic and hands-on training in diffusion physics and MRI (mentor: Jensen),
neonatal neurodevelopment (mentor: Jenkins) and radiological assessment (mentor: Chatterjee). Project
feasibility is enhanced through on-going collaborations among the Neuroscience, Neonatology and Radiology
divisions, as well as its status as part of an on-going protocol within Dr. Jenkins’ team with assistance from the
Center for Biomedical Imaging (CBI) at MUSC. AIM 1 and AIM 2 will analyze existing dMRI data using a
technique known as diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) acquired in 50 term HIE and 23 preterm infants. In addition
to DKI, prospective dMRI data will be collected utilizing another technique known as fiber ball imaging (FBI) in
ongoing clinical imaging protocols in 30 term HIE neonates and 23 preterm infants. These dMRI methods will be
compared and combined to predict short-term (0-3 month) and long-term (12 and 18-24 month) developmental
outcomes routinely collected as standard-of-care. A more sophisticated dMRI analysis approach, automated
fiber quantification (AFQ), will be investigated in AIM 3 to create subject specific white matter (WM) tract profiles.
With these research aims, I will fulfill three, interconnected training goals. First, I will train in the physics of
diffusion and how brain water diffusion is imaged with MRI, supported by the quantum mechanics and E&M that
I will study. Second, I will learn about the physiology of neurodevelopment, the pathophysiology of ischemic
injury to the brain parenchyma, and the clinical importance of advanced imaging biomarkers, including dMRI, in
both term HIE and preterm infants. Finally, gaining experience in the statistical methods used in translational
research will provide me with the knowledge to appropriately test hypothesis driven research. With these
research and training opportuni...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9906756
- **Project number:** 5F31NS108623-02
- **Recipient organization:** MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
- **Principal Investigator:** Hunter Moss
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $42,334
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-05-01 → 2022-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9906756

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9906756, Advanced Diffusion MRI Applied in Hypoxic-ischemic Neonates (5F31NS108623-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9906756. Licensed CC0.

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