WISE-MRI - Artificial Intelligence for new integrated MRI exams : applications to stroke imaging




Thomas Christen


Thomas Christen, 

CRCN INSERM, MR physicist; GIN, Grenoble
thomas.christen@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr






Benjamin Lemasson

Benjamin Lemasson
CRCN INSERM, biologist and data analysts; GIN, Grenoble
benjamin.lemasson @univ-grenoble-alpes.fr






DESCRIPTION

We propose to develop the next-generation of MR exams by jointly designing new acquisitions, physics-informed AI reconstruction and image analysis. By employing AI tools at all stages of our new MRI pipeline, we will (1) enable new ways to pilot the scanners, thus producing large number of different parametric images tuned to pathophysiological characteristics (2) allow under-sampling strategies that dramatically shorten the acquisition times (<5min full exam) (3) take into account scanners variability and, (4) provide analysis tools, jointly optimized with the acquisition strategy, that integrate all the information and provide guidance for patient diagnostic and prognostic. We will thus simplify the current clinical imaging workflow by creating fast, robust, one click exams that provide all necessary information within one acquisition.

To start, we propose to tune our new MRI exam for the management of acute stroke patients that will not only be faster that actual exams but also provides access to new information that can be used to detect lesions and predict patient evolution. Because enhancing the acute stroke imaging workflow is inherently difficult, primarily due to time sensitivity which could delay treatment, we will minimize potential adverse effects on patient’s care, by conducting our studies first in silico followed by preclinical MRI using rodent models of stroke and then process to clinical settings with healthy volunteers. Our project will create a unique dataset, which will include the acquisition of the same optimized MRF sequences for stroke lesions in both healthy and pathological animals, as well as in healthy human subjects. Such a dataset will allow a more fundamental and exploratory investigation of the transferability of observations made from animal data to human data using AI-based causality models.

Training activities: As part of the MIAI chair, we will develop theoretical and practical training modules designed to teach AI-based tools for medical imaging. We are considering two components: one for initial education (all medical students in the first years of their training as well as medical residents specializing in medical imaging) and another aimed at professionals (AI for medical image as a culture and AI for medical imaging as a job).


ACTIVITIES

A doctoral student is expected to start in the fall 2025. Other positions, including both doctoral and postdoctoral, will be open for recruitment.
 

SELECTED LIST OF PUBLICATIONS

  • T. Coudert, A. Delphin, A. Barrier, L. Legris, J. M. Warnking, L. Lamalle, M. Doneva, B. Lemasson, E. L. Barbier and T. Christen, Relaxometry and contrast-free cerebral microvascular quantification using balanced Steady-State Free Precession MR Fingerprinting, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (2024)
  • A. Barrier, T. Coudert, A. Delphin, B. Lemasson and T. Christen, MARVEL: MR Fingerprinting with Additional micRoVascular Estimates using bidirectional LSTMs, Proceeding of MICCAI 2024 (2024)
  • A. Delphin, F. Boux, C. Brossard, J. M. Warnking, B. Lemasson, E. L. Barbier and T. Christen. Realistic microvascular geometries for MR vascular Fingerprinting. Imaging Neurosciences (2024).
  • S. Cackowski, E.L. Barbier, M. Dojat, T. Christen. ImUnity: a generalizable VAE-GAN solution for multicenter MR image harmonization. Medical Image Analysis, 2023.
  • B. Lemasson, N. Pannetier, N. Coquery, L. S. Boisserand, N. Collomb, N. Schuff, M. Moseley, G. Zaharchuk, E. L. Barbier and T. Christen; MR Vascular Fingerprinting in Stroke and Brain Tumors Models; Sci Rep; 2016

CHAIR PRESENTATION

Chair Presentation Wise MRIChair Presentation Wise MRI

License:

Unless otherwise stated, all documents are shared under the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 license.
You may view and share them for non-commercial purposes, without modification, and with appropriate credit to the authors.
Published on  September 1, 2025
Updated on September 1, 2025