Characterizing Compartment Distributions from Diffusion Weighted Magnetic Resonance (MR) Data

Description of Invention:
The National Institutes of Health seeks licensees with MR software expertise to commercialize a method of imaging the structural and dimensional characteristics (microstructure) of microscopic specimens. Microstructure is elucidated using MR scanning and the diffusion weighted MR signal is transformed into statistical moments of the underlying compartment size distribution associated with restricted diffusion. Essentially, the method includes the steps of: 1) acquiring diffusion weighted image or spectroscopic data, 2) applying the new modeling framework relating pore size distribution to the diffusion weighted (DW) data, and 3) using this framework to estimate moments of the pore diameter distribution from the DW data.

Applications:
Examination of tissue/cellular microstructures

Advantages:
Refined imaging

Development Status:
In vitro data available

Inventors:
Peter J Basser (NICHD)
Evren Ozarslan (NICHD)


Patent Status:
HHS, Reference No. E-273-2010/0
US, Application No. 61/522,421 filed 11 Aug 2011


Related Technologies:
US, Patent No. 7,643,863, Issued 05 Jan 2010, Reference No. E-079-2003/0
PCT, Application No. PCT/US2004/22027 filed 08 Jul 2004, Reference No. E-079-2003/0
US, Application No. 12/114,713 filed 02 May 2008, Reference No. E-079-2003/1
US, Application No. 60/485,658 filed 08 Jul 2003, Reference No. E-079-2003/0


Relevant Publication:

1. Assaf Y, et al. [ PMID 18506799 ]
2. Shemesh N, et al. [ PMID 21786354 ]
3. Ozarslan E, et al. [ PMID 21709780 ]
4. Komlosh ME, et al. [ PMID 21084204 ]
5. Nevo U, et al. [ PMID 20886564 ]
6. Shemesh N, et al. [ PMID 20690130 ]
7. Shemesh N, et al. [ PMID 20687674 ]

For Licensing Information Please Contact:
Michael Shmilovich Esq.
NIH Office of Technology Transfer
6011 Executive Blvd. Suite 325,
Rockville, MD 20852
United States
Email: shmilovm@mail.nih.gov
Phone: 301-435-5019
Fax: 301-402-0220


Ref No: 2343

Updated: 12/2011