Imaging Brain Stiffness and Looking for Early Epilepsy
by Graham Huesmann, MD, Ph.D. and Brad Sutton, Ph.D.
Carle Illinois College of Medicine - Innovation Grand Rounds
Friday, August 14, 2020
noon – 1:00 p.m. Hear from Drs. Huesmann & Sutton
1:00 – 1:30 p.m. Reflection & Dialogue
Zoom Call-in: go.illinois.edu/innovationgrandrounds
Meeting ID: 965 3659 5988 Password: 555062
Abstract:
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to visualize anatomy and function of the brain. However, for many conditions, disease has progressed significantly by the time the structure of the brain is impacted enough to be detectable on an image. For epilepsy, from disease onset to detectable could be ten years or more, limiting the treatment options available and already significantly impacting the quality of life. In a collaboration between engineering and neurosciences, we have developed a technique to measure the mechanical properties (stiffness) of the brain and are applying it to detect changes from tissue damage in epilepsy. With this technique, we are hoping to provide a sensitive measure of the disease and potentially provide earlier detection.
Graham Huesmann earned his MD/PhD in neuroscience form the UIUC MSP program before completing neurology residency at Partners program (Massachusetts General, Brigham and Women’s hospitals; Harvard medical school) and fellowship/postdoc in epilepsy at Massachusetts General before returning to UIUC/Carle to start an epilepsy center combined with research. Carle is now a certified level 3 epilepsy center with 5 epileptologists working towards level 4 status and has dozens of active research studies on going; both clinical and translational in conjunction with UIUC professors such as Dr. Sutton.
Brad Sutton earned his PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan, after his undergraduate degree in engineering at Illinois. He is currently a Professor of Bioengineering and the Technical Director of the Biomedical Imaging Center at Beckman Institute, where he develops new imaging methods with MRI.
