Multiparametric MRI of Prostate Cancer – Correlations with Histopathology

The Noworolski Lab has a long history of establishing the mpMRI signatures of cancerous and various benign tissues, with detailed correlation with histopathology. In recent years, this has been focused on the prostate – for both identifying cancer and for distinguishing aggressive prostate cancer from indolent cancer. Based upon these analyses, we have generated cancer risk maps and aggressive cancer risk maps.

1. Starobinets O, Simko J, Kuchinsky K, Kornak J, Carroll PR, Greene KL, Kurhanewicz J, Noworolski SM. Characterization and Stratification of Prostate Lesions Based on Comprehensive Multiparametric MR Imaging Using Detailed Whole Mount Histopathology as a Reference Standard. NMR Biomed. 2017; 30(12). DOI: 10.1002/nbm.3796. (PMCID PMC9592076).
2. Gibbons M, Starobinets O, Simko JP, Kurhanewicz J, Carroll PR, Noworolski SM. Identification of Prostate Cancer Using Multiparametric MR Imaging Characteristics of Prostate Tissues Referenced to Whole Mount Histopathology. Magn Reson Imaging. 2022 Jan;85:251-261. Doi: 10.1016/j.mri.2021.10.008. PMCID: PMC9931199.
3. Gibbons M, Simko JP, Carroll PR, Noworolski SM. Prostate Cancer Lesion Detection, Volume Quantification and High-grade Cancer Differentiation using Cancer Risk Maps Derived from Multiparametric MRI with Histopathology as the Reference Standard. Magn Reson Imaging. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mri.2023.01.006

Prostate Cancer Risk Maps to Predict Progression

We are utilizing our prostate cancer risk maps to identify and predict progression for men on active surveillance. We are additionally investigating utilizing the maps to predict biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer after prostatectomy.

Prostate Cancer Risk Maps to Plan High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) Treatment for Prostate Cancer

We are investigating whether our prostate cancer risk maps can better target therapy for men receiving HIFU treatment for prostate cancer. 

Computer Aided Diagnostic System for Prostate Cancer Detection Using Quantitative Multiparametric MRI

With Principal Investigator, Greg Metzger, from the University of Minnesota, we are developing a prostate imaging phantom and analyses tools and performing multi-center, multi-vendor quantitative imaging technical performance evaluations for imaging the prostate.

Development and Evaluation of Non-invasive MRI-based Measures of Metabolic Health

The Noworolski laboratory has established methods to evaluate ectopic fat stores using MRI and to assess fat, inflammation and fibrosis in the liver to characterize disease and to assess interventions. With collaborators, we have demonstrated effects of short-term dietary changes on de novo lipogenesis and lipid storage in the livers of normal subjects and subjects, including children, with obesity and/or metabolic syndrome. Through traditional image processing and via convolutional neural network algorithms, we have automated the analyses of some of our more established metrics of fatty liver disease. We are pursuing novel imaging techniques to aid in further characterizing metabolic health.

1. Noworolski SM, Tien PC, Merriman R. Vigneron DB, Qayyum A. Respiratory Motion-Corrected Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of the Liver. Magn Reson Im. 27(4): 570-576. 2009. (PMCID: PMC2917604).
2. Noworolski SM, Lam M, Merriman RB, Ferrell L, Qayyum A. Estimation of Steatosis with MRS and MRI: Validation with Histology is Confounded by Differences in Methodology. Radiology. 264:88-96. 2012. (PMCID: 3380413).
3. Schwarz JM. Noworolski SM, Wen MJ, Dyachenko A, Prior JL, Weinberg ME, Herraiz LA, Bergeron N, Bersot TP, Rao MN, Schambelan M, and Mulligan K. Effect of a High-Fructose Weight-Maintaining Diet on Lipogenesis and Liver Fat. J Clin Endo Metab. 2015 100(6):2434-2442. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/jc.2014-3678. (PMCID: PMC4454806).
4. ¥¥Schwarz JM, Noworolski SM, Erkin-Cakmak A, Korn NJ, Wen MJ, Tai VW, Jones GM, Palii S, Velasco-Alin M, Pan K, Patterson BW, Gugliucci A, Lustig RH, Mulligan K. Effects of dietary fructose restriction on liver fat, de novo lipogenesis, and insulin kinetics in children with obesity. Gastroenterology. 153(3): 743-752. 2017. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2017.05.043. (PMCID PMC5813289).

Metabolic Impact of Hypoxia in Obstructive Sleep Apnea and the Effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Therapy

This project seeks to test the overarching hypothesis that patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and hypoxia (H-OSA) have greater degrees of insulin resistance and ectopic fat stores when compared to those without hypoxia (NH-OSA) thus leading to increased risk for the development of diabetes in the former group. We are also studying the impact of CPAP therapy in these subjects on measures of metabolic health.

Immunologic and fat-associated predictors of insulin resistance in treated HIV

This project aims to identify important immunologic pathways – both in the bloodstream and in fat tissue – that predict Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) specifically in the context of treated HIV infection in order to help identify new preventive and therapeutic targets. The Noworolski laboratory is focused on providing existing and novel noninvasive measures of fat and fibrosis to help elucidate their roles in predicting T2DM in this population.

MRI-Measured Fat Fraction of Breast Tissue to Help Define Breast Cancer Risk

The Noworolski Laboratory, with multi-Principal Investigator, Lisa Wilmes, PhD, are developing and evaluating an MRI proton density fat fraction acquisition tailored to scanning the breast.