Research
With acquisition of multiple state of art equipment in last couple of years has thrown open opportunity for doing good academic and research activities. Despite being a very small department with only ten member’s decent amount of research activities have been undertaken in last few years. Department has one 3T MRI scanner exclusively for research activities. Faculty of the department is involved in carrying out multiple research projects in collaboration with other clinical departments.
Broad areas of research activities include
Dementia: Structural and functional connectivity in alzheimers dementia, PSP,Fronto temporal dementia etc. Dr. Jitender Saini and Dr.Sandhya M are the faculty interested in this field.
Neuropsychiatric disorders: More than 30 imaging based projects are currently underway using the techniques of fMRI and diffusion weighted imaging in the field of OCD, addiction and schizophrenia.Dr Rose Dawn Bharath, DrJitenderSaini ,Dr. Sandhya M and Dr. Chandrajit Prasad have several collaborative projects with the department of Psychiatry
Cognition and language: Neurohemodynamic correlates of cognitive networks and the effect of education and normative multilingualism on these networks is being studied using task based fMRI, resting state fMRI and fMRI EEG.Dr. Rose Dawn Bharath and Dr. Sandhya M are the faculty interested in this field.
Neurometabolic and developmental disease: Application of newer MR imaging techniques for the diagnosis of neurometabolic diseases. Creation of large MRI database of metabolic especially Wilsons disease and mitochondrial cytopathies. Dr. Chandrajit Prasad and Dr Maya D Bhat have several collaborative projects with the department of Neurology. Dr. Manoj kumar is working on developmental neuroscience.
Movement disorders:Investigation in various movement disorders have been carried out. Large sample of spinocerebellar ataxia have been studied previously and aim to carry out further research in these disorders especially on SCA1, 2, 3 and 12. Similar studies in PSP patients with aim to characterize subtypes of PSP using advanced MR techniques. Resting state and motor functional connectivity in writers cramp and its modulations using rTMS has been assessed. Dr Rose Dawn Bharath and Dr Jitender Saini have several research projects in this field
Neuroinfections: Serial MR Perfusion markers were used to derive biomarkers that can predict response to treatment. Dr A K Gupta and Dr Rose Dawn Bharath guides students in these topics
Epilepsy: Institute has a dedicated epilepsy team and quantitative imaging studies are being conducted on various epileptic disorders like focal epilepsies, Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and reflex epilepsy especially hot water epilepsy. Imaging contrasts like diffusion tensor imaging and functional MRI are being used to study these disorders. EEG f-MRI application in seizure disorders is another area of research.Dr Rose Dawn Bharath, Dr Sandhya M and Dr Jitender Saini have several research projects in this field
Brain tumors:Brain tumors is another area where research imaging projects are being carried out. In the past studies have been done on proton and phosphorus spectroscopy for characterization of the brain tumors. Current areas of interest are perfusion and diffusion weighted imaging for characterization of various brain tumors. Efforts are being made to study newer perfusion imaging techniques like DCE for characterization of brain tumors. Dr Aravinda H R DrJitenderSaini and Dr Chandrajit Prasad works on segmentation approaches on glioma grading.
Demyelinating disorders: Focus on various aspects of acquired inflammatory disorders like multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitisoptica, ADEM etc is carried out in collaboration with the department of Neurology. Dr Maya D Bhat guides students in these fields.
Traumatic brain injury: Research work has commenced in this direction during last few years. In a recently concluded study longitudinal changes in the brain morphology and connectivity using DTI have been studied.Dr Rose Dawn Bharath and Dr Jitender Saini has several research projects in this field
Anaesthesia and pain: Small pilot projects have been carried out in the field of anaesthesia and pain imaging. Dr Jitender Saini and Dr Arvinda H R has collaborative projects in this field
Interventional neuroradiology: Research areas include Idiopathic intracranial hypertension, management of direct CCF and spinal vascular malformations. Dr AK Gupta, DrHima S Pendharkar, DrArvinda HR and Dr Chandrajit Prasad guides several students in these topics.
Molecular Imaging: The indications for MR PET in various neurological and psychiatric disorders are being explored for clinical use. Presently Dr Sandhya M, Dr Chandana are working on this hybrid modality. Various projects have been sanctioned for the same. Dr. Pardeep kumar is working on various radio pharmaceuticals.
Student Research Topics:
Evaluation of T1W Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI in Tubercular and cryptococcal meningitis
Title of the Theses / Dissertation | Evaluation of T1W Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI in Tubercular and cryptococcal meningitis |
Investigator(s) – Name of the Student | Abha Verma |
– Name of the Guide(s) | (Prof) A K Gupta |
– Name of the Co-guide(s) | Saini J, DrNetravathi |
Status | Submitted |
Funding | Non-funded |
Unstructured abstract will be truncated at 100 words* The aim of the study was to quantify the degree of BBB disruption in tuberculous and cryptococcal meningitis using DCE-MRI. DCE-MRI (Dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging) allows for the quantification of the physiologic indices which are directly related to the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Results : DCE-MR perfusion showed BBB disruption in patients of tuberculous and cryptococcal meningitis, even in those patients with an apparently normal study on conventional MRI Brain. A global BBB disruption was seen patients, in whom conventional MRI revealed focal areas of leptomeningeal enhancement. A decrease was seen in most of the DCE indices after six months of therapy, particularly leakage (λtr) parameter, signifying response to treatment. | |
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Yield of Perictal Arterial Spin-Labeling MRI Perfusion in Refractory Epilepsy
Title of the Theses / Dissertation | Yield of Perictal Arterial Spin-Labeling MRI Perfusion in Refractory Epilepsy |
Investigator(s) – Name of the Student | Sarbesh Tiwari |
– Name of the Guide(s) | PROF. A.K. Gupta |
– Name of the Co-guide(s) | Dr Jitender Saini & DrSanjib Sinha |
Status | Submitted |
Funding | Non-funded |
Unstructured abstract will be truncated at 100 words* The study aimed to evaluate the utility of Arterial spin labelling (ASL) in localisation of seizure focus based on perfusion changes during early post ictal period & study its concordance with structural MRI & Video EEG. Twenty eight consecutive patients with drug resistant epilepsy with positive video EEG findings were studied.ASL showed perfusion changes in 26 of 28 patients with median seizure to ASL scan duration of 6 hours. ASL had good concordance with sMRI (k= 0.66), moderate concordance with VEEG (k= 0.652) & good concordance with FDG-PET (k= 0.60). Thus, ASL, proved a useful tool for seizure localization and could be incorporated into the presurgical evaluation of localisation / non localisation related epilepsy. | |
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Efficacy and clinical outcome evaluation following flow diverter treatment of intracranial aneurysms
Title of the Theses / Dissertation | Efficacy and clinical outcome evaluation following flow diverter treatment of intracranial aneurysms |
Investigator(s) – Name of the Student | Soumik Das |
– Name of the Guide(s) | A.K. Gupta |
– Name of the Co-guide(s) | Hima Pendharkar, Arvinda HR, Dhananjaya I. Bhat, K. R. Madhusudan Reddy |
Status | Ongoing |
Funding | Non-funded |
Unstructured abstract will be truncated at 100 words* The flow diverter is a stent placed in the parent artery to reduce blood flow in the aneurysm sac to the point of stagnation, induce gradual thrombosis, and neo-intimal remodeling to maintain outflow in the side branches and perforators. The intention of this study is to assess the efficacy and clinical outcome of flow diverter placement after at least 6 months have elapsed since the procedure in patients of intracranial aneurysm treated in the Department of NIIR, NIMHANS, Bangalore. This study is a retrospective-prospective; hospital based interventional study from September 2013 to November 2017. | |
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Vein of Galen Aneurysmal Malformations: Angioarchietecture, management and clinical outcome
Title of the Theses / Dissertation | Vein of Galen Aneurysmal Malformations: Angioarchietecture, management and clinical outcome |
Investigator(s) – Name of the Student | Kajari Bhattacharya |
– Name of the Guide(s) | Arun Kumar Gupta |
– Name of the Co-guide(s) | Hima Pendharkar, Chandrajit Prasad, B. Indira Devi, V. J. Ramesh |
Status | Ongoing |
Funding | Non-funded |
Unstructured abstract will be truncated at 100 words* Vein of Galen Aneurysmal Malformations (VGAM) are uncommon anomalies of intracranial circulation that constitute 1% of all intracranial vascular malformations. However, 30% of vascular malformations presenting in the pediatric age group can be attributed to them and can lead severe morbidity as well as mortality, particularly in neonates but also in infants and older children. With the advent of endovascular interventional techniques, the prospects for successful treatment of these lesions, once dismal, are now much improved. Several management strategies have been advocated in the medical literature, varying in recommended route of approach (arterial /venous or combined), embolization material (coils or liquid embolic agents), timing of treatment, and management of associated conditions. Abnormalities of Vein of Galen malformation can be primary to malformation pertaining to the median prosencephalic vein of Markowski or cerebral arteriovenous malformations draining into the deep venous system may lead to an acquired ectatic dilatation of the vein of Galen confluence due to either stenosis at the veno-dural junction or thrombosis of the straight sinus. Management of these conditions significantly differs, and hence identification of the angioarchitecture of the malformation is of paramount importance. | |
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Conventional and advanced magnetic resonance imaging features in predicting IDH mutation status in high grade gliomas
Title of the Theses / Dissertation | Conventional and advanced magnetic resonance imaging features in predicting idh mutation status in high grade gliomas |
Investigator(s) – Name of the Student | Aarthi Deepesh |
– Name of the Guide(s) | Arun Kumar Gupta |
– Name of the Co-guide(s) | Jitender Saini, Maya D Bhat, Vani Santosh, S. Sampath. |
Status | Ongoing |
Funding | Non-funded |
Unstructured abstract will be truncated at 100 words* Gliomas are the most common primary malignant brain tumour of the central nervous system. They can be categorized to 4 grades according to the WHO revised edition 2016 classification. Recent advances in our understanding of the tumour biology show that IDH mutation plays a significant role in disease progression, treatment response and overall prognosis and survival. Apart from glioma grades which influence the prognosis, it is important to predict the IDH mutation status. Though the gold standard is immunohistochemistry and sequencing, it is invasive. With the availability of advanced MR imaging like MR spectroscopy, perfusion weighted imaging and diffusion imaging, the aim of our study is to predict IDH mutation status noninvasively with MRI which has important prognostic implications. | |
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