Stanford project aims to make MR lymphangiography faster

Stanford Medicine has received up to $3.9M from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health to improve MR lymphangiography, an MRI-based technique used to visualize the lymphatic system.

Andreas Loening, MD, PhD, associate professor of radiology in body MRI, is leading the project. The collaboration includes Stanford Medicine, the University of California, Berkeley, and Imperial College London.

Magnetic resonance lymphangiography, or MRL, enables whole-body visualization of the lymphatic system. It can help clinicians assess lymphatic flow and identify secondary signs of lymphatic dysfunction, including fluid buildup, fibrosis, and abnormal fat deposition.

Stanford Medicine described MRL as a critical diagnostic tool because it offers deep tissue penetration, whole-body field of view, and imaging resolution that can show individual lymphatic channels. The technique can also help evaluate areas of lymphatic blockage.

Current MRL workflows still have practical limitations. Stanford said present-day exams can take more than 1 hour, require contrast injection to evaluate lymphatic flow, and depend on specialized radiologist expertise to administer the examination.

Another limitation is contrast design. Existing MRI contrast agents are not specifically tailored for lymphatic assessment, which is one reason the Stanford-led team will work on new contrast agents designed for lymphatic evaluation.

The project will also focus on improving imaging resolution and developing ways to assess lymphatic flow without contrast. If successful, those changes could make MRL faster, easier to perform, and more accessible outside highly specialized centers.

“Lymphatic diseases are often overlooked and surprisingly under-researched given their prevalence in the human population,” Loening said.

He added that the ARPA-H award gives the team a chance to direct significant research effort toward improving the state of MR lymphangiography.

The broader aim is to support earlier and more accurate diagnosis of lymphatic disorders. Stanford said better MRL could help more patients receive high-quality scans closer to home, rather than requiring access to a small number of specialized imaging centers.

ARPA-H is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Stanford Medicine said the agency was created to invest in breakthrough health solutions that are difficult to achieve through traditional research or commercial pathways.

The lymphatic imaging grant was one of several ARPA-H contracts awarded to Stanford Medicine researchers. Other projects include work on chronic disease prevention, prevention of lymphedema after cancer treatment, and assessment of age-related decline.

The MRL project now moves into development work around contrast agents, image resolution, scan efficiency, and contrast-free flow assessment. Stanford did not announce a commercial product timeline or regulatory submission tied to the grant.