In vivo mapping of reproductive tissue remodeling during pregnancy using diffusion MRI

Reproductive organs such as the cervix and vagina change during pregnancy to aid fetal growth and delivery. The tissue structures in these organs also reorganize. Defects in this reorganization can lead to complications such as spontaneous preterm birth. The connections between tissue structure abnormalities and pregnancy complications are not well understood. This project will address this knowledge gap by using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to observe how tissue structures change during pregnancy. MRI imaging will be combined with computer simulations and machine learning to create three-dimensional models that can track tissue changes. The results will provide a tool for early diagnosis of abnormalities during pregnancy and labor, which can improve healthcare outcomes. The project will help train undergraduates, graduate students and pre-college students in engineering, high-performance computing, and machine learning. Abnormalities in microstructural reorganization of cervical and vaginal tissue have serious effects during pregnancy, but correlations between microstructural alterations and adverse outcomes are not well understood. This project will integrate advanced modeling and medical imaging to enable non-invasive, in vivo mapping of reproductive tissue microstructure throughout pregnancy. Microscopy data of murine reproductive tissue will be used to generate realistic 3D tissue domains that will be combined with computational models to enable voxel-scale simulations of diffusion MRI physics in tissue. Diffusion MRI protocols will be optimized to increase sensitivity to tissue microstructure and to train data-driven models that estimate tissue microstructural organization. Models will be experimentally validated using preclinical MRI scanners. This project will provide unprecedented insight into how reproductive tissues remodel during and after pregnancy. The project will create a validated modeling platform of diffusion MRI physics, which applies to all soft tissues where microstructural organization plays an important role in physiological function, such as muscle, renal, and cancer tissues. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.