ISMRM Workshop on

Fluids, Flows, and Clearance in the Brain:

What Can We Image and How Should It Be Interpreted?

calendar_month

17-19 March 2026

location_on

Yale University
West Campus Conference Center
Orange, CT, USA

Organizers

Co-Chairs:
Laura Lewis, Ph.D.

Matthias J. P. van Osch, Ph.D.

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Early Registration Deadline:

Declarations & Supporters

Faculty declarations will be available approximately two weeks before the workshop begins.

Registration & Travel

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Early Registration & Cancellation Deadline:
16 February 2026 at 23:59 UTC

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Overview & Program

Workshop Overview

This workshop will discuss the current state of the art of MRI techniques for measuring neurofluids (dynamics of blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain), and how the images from these techniques should be interpreted and applied to patients with clinical disorders. Sessions will include a focus on novel methods in phase contrast MRI, functional MRI, ASL, diffusion, and motion-sensitive MRI techniques, and how these techniques can be rigorously validated and accurately interpreted. Sessions will describe the current knowledge about the physiology of CSF flow in the brain at multiple spatial scales, and its links to waste clearance and lymphatic systems. We will discuss many clinical applications of these methods, including in traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s disease, sleep and sleep disorders, pediatrics, hydrocephalus, and aging. We will include a practical hands-on session on how to analyze several types of MRI data focused on neurofluid measurement. We will also include a session on open-source data and tools, to enable attendees to begin working with these methods on their own. This workshop provides technical insight, practical knowledge, and clinical context for imaging and understanding CSF and waste clearance systems in the brain.

Target Audience

This workshop will be relevant for radiologists and neurologists. MRI technologies are now beginning to be able to measure fluid dynamics and waste clearance in the human brain. These techniques have revealed striking changes in neurofluids linked to neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, cerebral amyloid angiopath, and traumatic brain injury. Furthermore, clinical interventions are now being developed based on these methods. Being up to date on the current MRI methods and their clinical applications will be relevant for multiple clinical practice areas.

Educational Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

Preliminary Program

Day 1 - Tuesday, 17 March 2026

08:00

Registration and speaker Upload Available

08:50

Opening Remarks: Objectives of the Workshop

Session 1: Physiology of Neurofluids

Moderators: T.B.A.

09:00

What Is Known and Still Unknown About Neurofluid Driven Waste Clearance: Insights from Basic Research

T.B.A.

09:25

Physiology of Neurovascular Flow and Impact on ISF and CSF Dynamics and Perivascular Space Physiology

T.B.A.

Session 2: Imaging Simultaneous Hemodynamic and CSF Dynamics

Moderators: T.B.A.

09:50

fMRI Techniques for Neurofluid Flow Measurement

T.B.A.

10:15

Biology of Low-Frequency CSF and Hemodynamic Oscillations

T.B.A.

10:40

Break and speaker Upload Available

Session 3: Perivascular Spaces

Moderators: T.B.A.

11:10

Quantitative Measurements of PVS-Volume and Physiology

T.B.A.

11:35

Round Table Discussion: Why Do Perivascular Spaces Enlarge?

T.B.A.

12:05

Lunch and speaker Upload Available
Poster Viewing

Session 4: Quantitative CSF Flow Imaging in the Healthy and Disordered Brain

Moderators: T.B.A.

13:35

Technical Overview of Phase-Contrast Based Measurements

T.B.A.

14:00

4D CSF Flow in the Subarachnoid Space

T.B.A.

14:25

Clinical Application of Quantitative CSF Flow Measures

T.B.A.

14:50

Proffered Papers - Oral Session

Session 5: Power Pitches I

Moderators: T.B.A.

15:10

Power Pitches

15:30

Break and speaker Upload Available

Session 6: The Brain in Motion

Moderators: T.B.A.

16:00

MREG Measures of Brain and Fluid Pulsatility

T.B.A.

16:25

DENSE MRI of Fluid and Tissue

T.B.A.

16:50

Proffered Papers - Oral Session

Session 7: Power Pitches II

Moderators: T.B.A.

17:10

Power Pitches

Session 8: Poster Session A

17:30

Poster Session

19:00

Adjourn

Day 2 - Wednesday, 18 March 2026

08:00

Registration and speaker Upload Available

Session 9: Physiology of Neurofluids - Part II

Moderators: T.B.A.

09:00

Draining the Brain: Anatomy and Physiology of Brain Lymphatic Systemsand Brain Barriers

T.B.A.

Session 10: Diffusion Based Techniques for Measuring Neurofluids

Moderators: T.B.A.

09:25

Diffusion-Weighted Imaging on the Border Between Flow, Dispersion, and Diffusion

T.B.A.

09:50

DTI-ALPS/Diffusion in Perivascular Spaces: What Does It Measure and What Doesn’t It Measure?

T.B.A.

10:15

Proffered Papers - Oral Session

10:35

Break and speaker Upload Available

Session 11: Contrast Agent Methods for Measuring Brain Clearance

Moderators: T.B.A.

11:05

Pre-Clinical Contrast Agent MRI of Neurofluids

T.B.A.

11:30

How to Interpret Intravenous Injections in Neurofluids MRI

T.B.A.

11:55

The Newest Biological Findings in Intrathecal Injections

T.B.A.

12:20

Proffered Papers - Oral Session

12:30

Lunch and speaker Upload Available
Poster Viewing

Session 12: Neurofluids in Practice: Analysis Demo

Moderators: T.B.A.

14:00

Live Demonstration 1: Analyzing Flow Signals in fMRI

T.B.A.

14:20

Live Demonstration 2: Analyzing Phase Contrast or Diffusion Data

T.B.A.

Session 13: Where Did My Label Go? Water-Transport Measurements in the Brain and Across Barriers

Moderators: T.B.A.

14:40

Methods for Measuring Water Exchange in the Brain

T.B.A.

15:05

Proffered Papers - Oral Session

Session 14: Computational Modeling

Moderators: T.B.A.

15:25

Computational Modeling of Neurofluid Flow Using MRI Data

T.B.A.

Session 15: Power Pitches III

Moderators: T.B.A.

15:50

Power Pitches

16:10

Break and Speaker Upload Available

Session 16: Vendor Sessions

Moderators: T.B.A.

16:40

T.B.A.

Session 17: Power Pitches IV

Moderators: T.B.A.

17:10

Power Pitches

Session 18: Poster Session B

17:30

Poster Session

19:00

Adjourn

Day 3 - Thursday, 19 March 2026

08:00

Registration and speaker Upload Available

Session 19: Neurofluids in Neurological Disorders

Moderators: T.B.A.

09:00

Neurofluids Imaging in Disorders of the CSF

T.B.A.

09:25

Neurofluids in Neurodegenerative Disorders

T.B.A.

09:50

Proffered Papers - Oral Session

Session 20: Moving Towards Open Science Neurofluids Research

Moderators: T.B.A.

10:10

Open Science - Lessons Learned from OSIPI

T.B.A.

10:35

Break and Speaker Upload Available

Session 21: Neurofluids Across the Lifespan

Moderators: T.B.A.

10:55

Neurofluids in the Pediatric Brain

T.B.A.

11:20

Proffered Papers - Oral Session

11:50

Lunch and speaker Upload Available

Session 22: Are You Still Awake? MRI in the Sleeping Brain

Moderators: T.B.A.

13:20

MRI of Sleep in Humans: Practical Tips How To Do It and Changes Across the Lifespan

T.B.A.

13:45

Biology of CSF Flow During Sleep Measured with MRI

T.B.A.

14:10

Imaging Neurofluids in Sleeping Pre-Clinical Model Organisms

T.B.A.

14:35

Break and Speaker Upload Available

Session 23: Interventions to Modulate Neurofluids

Moderators: T.B.A.

15:05

Breath Modulation of Neurofluids

T.B.A.

15:30

Pharmacological Modulation of Neurofluids

T.B.A.

15:55

Ultrasound/Stimulation Modulation of Neurofluids

T.B.A.

16:20

Proffered Papers - Oral Session

16:50

Closing Remarks