This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. The overall goal of this project is to develop methods to non-invasively detect and monitor renal disease. Currently, the accurate diagnosis of autoimmune renal diseases such as lupus nephritis requires a percutaneous renal biopsy. The immunosuppressive agents used to treat these diseases are associated with many side-effects, and patients whose disease has caused significant fibrosis and scarring may not benefit from these therapies. Although generally safe, biopsies do carry a risk of bleeding and other complications. Furthermore, by sampling only a small piece of renal tissue the biopsy may not accurately reflect disease throughout both kidneys. Therefore, methods to non-invasively assess disease activity could greatly improve our ability to treat these patients. State-of-the-art imaging methods have not yet been applied to these questions. Our objective is to determine whether MRI can provide the same or better information than is currently obtained by renal biopsy. A renal biopsy is typically processed for light microscopy, immunofluorescence microscopy, and electron microscopy. We believe that MRI may provide information equivalent to that obtained by light microscopy. We are also currently developing targeted contrast agents for molecular imaging. These agents may provide the same information as is currently obtained by immunofluorescence microscopy.
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