Evaluation of the prognostic value of portable MRI FLAIR scan findings in patients with stroke

• Grant number: 24/03292-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 24, 2025
• End date: June 23, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Júlio César Garcia de Alencar
• Grantee: Matheus Menão Mochetti
• Supervisor: William Taylor Kimberly
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Bauru , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Massachusetts General Hospital, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/04997-1 - Evaluation of the predictive accuracy of plasma Neuron-Specific Enolase in the outcome of ischemic stroke patients, BP.IC

Abstract

Brain imaging for stroke patients is pivotal to confirm suspected pathology and initiate acute treatments and preventive measures. Conventional imaging methods, such as Computerized Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), pose significant challenges due to their fixed nature, associated costs and maintenance requirements. Portable imaging devices offer potential solutions by enabling direct access and increased accessibility to underdeveloped countries. Recently, Professor Taylor Kimberly and colleagues at Mass General Hospital (MGH) introduced a portable MRI (pMRI) operating at very low magnetic field strength bedside in intensive care units, providing a novel neuroimaging solution. Unlike high-field MRI, pMRI is mobile, operates safely without specialized shielding, eliminates ionizing radiation exposure associated with CT, and requires no specialized MRI technician for operation due to its user-friendly design. Recent studies have demonstrated the safety and feasibility of pMRI in stroke patients. This internship aims to enhance understanding of this innovative technology and its applications through direct learning from Professor Taylor Kimberly, a pioneer in the field. Skills in pMRI technology, neuroimaging analysis, research methods, data management, and statistical analysis will be developed and utilized in a research project to assess the prognostic value of pMRI FLAIR scan findings (stroke volume and signal intensity), and compare them with cMRI images. Additionally, the student will learn and understand how American academic neurology is practiced at clinical level at MGH and will establish partnerships for future collaborations with MGH and Harvard Medical School.