Real-time head motion monitoring for all clinical MR sequences using Universal FIRMM

Project Abstract/Summary The objective of this SBIR Fast Track submission is to provide a method of detecting and reducing patient motion during MRI, with a specific focus on MRI screening for amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA). The recent approval of novel anti-amyloid therapies for Alzheimer’s disease treatment has produced a rapid increase in MRI scans for pre-screening and ARIA surveillance. This new MRI monitoring is expected to account for nearly 5-10 million new MRI scans for proper monitoring across the U.S. and Europe with an annual growth rate of 4% annually. The greatest problem for MRI is its susceptibility to patient motion, which is particularly the case in the ARIA surveillance protocol, where the counting of microhemorrhages is particularly motion sensitive. In US clinical practice 20% of clinical brain MRIs are distorted by motion – wasting ~$4 billion/year. Currently, MRI motion is dealt with by repeating scans or sedation. Both approaches diminish throughput, while increasing costs, patient burden, and health risks. While the existing FIRMM software system has demonstrated efficacy in reducing the impact of motion in MRI neuroimaging, it is currently limited to a subset of MRI imaging sequences that does not include key components of the ARIA screening protocol, or clinical neuroimaging protocols more generally. To address this, we propose to create Universal FIRMM using a novel RF-based motion tracking system that is compatible with all MRI pulse sequences while requiring no modification to the clinical MRI workflow. The proposed research focuses on delivering proof-of-concept for Universal FIRMM (Phase I) and building and validating a clinical-ready version of Universal FIRMM for pre-treatment screening and ARIA surveillance (Phase II). Universal FIRMM provides scan operators and physicians with real time motion information, leading to higher-quality and lower-cost MRI, supporting the new and growing need for ARIA surveillance.