CAREER: Very Low-Field Hyperpolarized Noble Gas Magnetic Resonance Imaging

职业：极低场超极化稀有气体磁共振成像

• 批准号: 0093448
• 负责人: Mitchell Albert
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Brigham & Women's Hospital Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2001
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2001-03-01 至 2007-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0093448&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Very; Low; Field; Hyperpolarized

0093448AlbertA very low-field (VLF) MRI system employing the signal from hyperpolarized 3He and 129Xe will be developed in order to investigate the human lung, and to explore the potential for a low-cost, portable research and diagnostic tool for the detection and staging of pulmonary diseases. The vastly enhanced signal from such hyperpolarized species is strong enough to permit high speed imaging of the gas-space they occupy, makes them intriguing MR probes. The field has developed considerably in the past five years, since the PI and collaborators invented hyperpolarized noble gas MRI by acquiring MR images of a mouse lung that had been inflated with hyperpolarized 129Xe. Of special importance is the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) achievable in hyperpolarized noble gas MRI, at very low-field (VLF). VLF MRI becomes feasible since the level of polarization of the nuclei is set by the hyperpolarization process, and is independent of the static magnetic field. VLF noble gas MRI may lead to inexpensive, portable imaging systems. The development of a VLF MRI system is proposed using a custom-made resistive magnet of 100-200 Gauss. Gradient, shim, and RF coils will be developed and interfaced to a commercial low frequency MRI console. A spatial resolution on the order of 0.1 mm is planned over a field of view of 30 cm DSV, the typical size of human lungs. Preliminary human lung imaging studies will be conducted. A long term objective is the development of a low-cost portable unit that can be used for lung screening in a variety of clinics, physician's offices and nursing homes, and perhaps even for space-based pulmonary function research in microgravity environments.The education component of our proposed program contains four primary elements: (i) the development of an outreach program to precollege students and a teacher training program; (ii) the development of course lectures at the Center for Engineering in Medicine at Harvard Medical School on the principles and use of imaging modalities in biomedicine and tissue engineering; (iii) the training of graduate and undergraduate students and postdoctoral fellows as researchers; and (iv) the development of a teaching module on how basic principles of physics are applied to lasers and magnetic resonance, and can yield serendipitous applications to biology. Secondary educational activities include participation in seminar and lecture series in the MR Division at BWH, contributions to education and training infrastructure, and the establishment of industrial internships and partnerships. The development of an outreach program in biomedical engineering to precollege students and a teacher training program, supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, is designed to make science and science activities more accessible to the young people who will become future scientists. Through these efforts, teachers and students alike are encouraged to participate in hands-on training and to share what they learn with others. In a collaboration with Boston University, a new graduate course on special topics in bio-photonics is being created, as part of their NSF-CRCD program, which will develop lectures on optical pumping for hyperpolarized xenon and helium MRI. Included among researchers and students in our program's projects are under-represented groups and women pursuing advanced degrees in science and engineering.

0093448 Albert将开发一种采用超极化3 He和129 He信号的甚低场（VLF）MRI系统，以研究人类肺部，并探索用于肺部疾病检测和分期的低成本、便携式研究和诊断工具的潜力。来自这种超极化物质的极大增强的信号足够强以允许对它们占据的气体空间进行高速成像，使它们成为有趣的MR探针。在过去的五年里，该领域已经有了相当大的发展，因为PI和合作者通过获取用超极化129充气的小鼠肺的MR图像发明了超极化惰性气体MRI。 特别重要的是在超极化惰性气体MRI中在极低场（VLF）下可实现的高信噪比（SNR）。 VLF MRI变得可行，因为核的极化水平由超极化过程设定，并且与静磁场无关。 VLF惰性气体MRI可能导致廉价的便携式成像系统。提出了一种使用定制的100-200高斯的电阻磁体的VLF MRI系统的发展。将开发梯度、匀场和RF线圈，并将其连接到商用低频MRI控制台。在30 cm DSV（人类肺部的典型尺寸）的视场上计划0.1 mm量级的空间分辨率。 将进行初步的人类肺部成像研究。长期目标是开发一种低成本的便携式装置，可用于各种诊所、医生办公室和疗养院的肺部筛查，甚至可能用于微重力环境下的天基肺功能研究。（ii）在哈佛医学院的医学工程中心，就生物医学及组织工程的成像模式的原理及使用，发展课程讲座;（iii）训练研究生、本科生及博士后研究员担任研究员;以及（iv）开发一个关于如何将物理学基本原理应用于激光和磁共振的教学模块，并且可以在生物学上产生偶然的应用。中等教育活动包括参加BWH MR部门的研讨会和系列讲座，为教育和培训基础设施做出贡献，以及建立工业实习和伙伴关系。由霍华德休斯医学研究所支持的生物医学工程学前班学生推广计划和教师培训计划的发展，旨在使科学和科学活动更容易为未来的科学家服务。通过这些努力，鼓励教师和学生参加实践培训，并与他人分享他们学到的东西。在与波士顿大学的合作中，正在创建一个关于生物光子学专题的新研究生课程，作为其NSF-CRCD计划的一部分，该计划将开发关于超极化氙和氦MRI的光学泵浦的讲座。在我们项目的研究人员和学生中，包括代表性不足的群体和攻读科学和工程高级学位的妇女。