U of I researchers using new tech to map the brain, find diseases early-on

CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Researchers at the University of Illinois are using MRI technology to examine brain activity in new ways — which could help detect and diagnose brain diseases before symptoms appear.

To do this, the researchers are using a new technology — it uses MRI machines to examine metabolic activity (the brain making energy for its functions) and neurotransmitter levels (chemical messengers) in the brain in a non-invasive way.

U of I researchers aim to help farmers by improving production, irrigation

Zhi-Pei Liang, an electrical and computer engineeringprofessor and member of theBeckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technologyat the U of I, led the research team.

“Understanding the brain, how it works and what goes wrong when it is injured or diseased is considered one of the most exciting and challenging scientific endeavors of our time,” Liang told the U of I News Bureau. “MRI has played major roles in unlocking the mysteries of the brain over the past four decades. Our new technology adds another dimension to MRI’s capability for brain imaging: visualization of brain metabolism and detection of metabolic alterations associated with brain diseases.”

MRI machines use signals from water molecules. The new technology, however, measures signals from the brain’s metabolism, neurotransmitters and water molecules. The technique, known as magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) could help detect brain diseases early on.

Champaign Co. employees will strike Wednesday if no agreement reached

Postdoctoral researcher Yibo Zhao, the first author of the paper, said other MRI technology provides insights into brain structure as well as changes in blood flow — but they cannot provide information on the metabolic activity in the brain.

“Metabolic and physiological changes often occur before structural and functional abnormalities are visible on conventional MRI and fMRI images,” Zhao said. “Metabolic imaging, therefore, can lead to early diagnosis and intervention of brain diseases.”

The new technology also addresses previous challenges scientists faced when attempting to capture images of the brain. Previously, capturing the images took a long time, and the high levels of noise obscured some of the signals. The MSRI tech, however, cut the time for a whole brain scan to just over 12 minutes.

Several different populations were tested, according to the researchers. For the healthy subjects, the researchers were able to map metabolic and neurotransmitter activity in the different parts of the brain.

‘The deadliest natural disaster globally’: U of I professor says flash flood emergency response should be reevaluated

When studying patients with brain tumors, the researchers found that there were chemical differences in tumors of different grades. And, when looking at brain images of subjects with multiple sclerosis, the researchers noted molecular changes as early as 70 days before the changes were visible on other MRI images.

According to the researchers, their findings could be used to track if a treatment for a neurological condition is effective over time. It could also help create treatments for patients based on their unique metabolic makeup.

“As healthcare is moving towards personalized, predictive and precision medicine, this high-speed, high-resolution technology can provide a timely and effective tool to address an urgent unmet need for noninvasive metabolic imaging in clinical applications,” Liang said.

The team’s research was published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering on June 20, 2025.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.