Neurological Research

We provide precise, automated and reproducible quantification of brain volume, parenchymal fraction, white matter lesions and more. These measurements are particularly useful in the study of neuro-oncology, Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer's Disease.

Neuro-oncology:

Quantitative imaging can be used in both early and late phase studies to conduct both functional and structural assessments respectively. In early phase trials we utilize the modalities of DCE-MRI, DCE-CT, DSC-MRI, FDG-PET and FLT-PET to conduct perfusion assessments which measure blood flow and vascular permeability to determine a drug's mechanism of action. In late phase trials we image using MRI and CT, implementing either the Macdonald Criteria or Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncolgy (RANO) to measure structural markers such tumor size and response to therapy.

Multiple Sclerosis:

The study of multiple sclerosis is the furthest advanced in neurological research as it pertains to imaging as it was one of the first diseases in which a drug could be approved based primarily on imaging endpoints (Multiple Sclerosis Lesion Burden is a primary imaging marker). There are multiple semi and fully-quantitative endpoints that we can pull from MR imaging in order to assess the brain. However, the complexity of the brain makes the measuring of these endpoints very difficult without substantial automation. VirtualScopics has perfected the automation that enables these trials to run cost effectively while providing accuracy and reproducibility that cannot be matched by manual reading. This has been confirmed in a study by Chief Scientific Officer Ed Ashton which appeared in the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in 2003: Accuracy and reproducibility of manual and semi-automated quantification of MS lesions in MRI. Read the article.

Quantitative Endpoints in Multiple Sclerosis:

  • Enhancing lesion count/volume
  • T2 hyper-intense lesion count/volume
  • T1 hypo-intense lesion count/volume
  • White matter/Grey Matter volume
  • Total Brain volume

Alzheimer's Disease:

Alzheimer's is a devastating neurological disease that is typically not diagnosed until significant cognitive impairment has already begun. In the absence of a current cure for this disease the goal of the medical community is for earlier detection in order to provide treatments that arrest the disease and enable the potential for better outcomes. Quantitative imaging can be used to identify at-risk patients earlier, before serious cognitive impairment has taken hold.

Imaging Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease:

  • Brain amyloid plaque disposition (assessed via PET imaging)
  • Microgliosis (PET)
  • Altered brain activation/brain oxygen usage (FDG PET)
  • Regional hypometabolism (FDG PET)
  • Brain atrophy (CT/MRI)

To learn more, download our information sheet: Quantitative Imaging Assessment in Central Nervous System Trials or contact us at +1 585.249.6231, or sales@virtualscopics.com

© VirtualScopics 2013