Spectrometer Upgrade for a Small Animal Imaging Core MRI

摘要 请求提供资金，用于购置数字分光计和自动校准射频仪 (RF)线圈需要升级我们现有的1 T静磁MRI成像系统位于多用户 成像核心设施。该光谱仪将取代目前正在使用的老化模拟光谱仪。 控制RF线圈。我们目前的模拟光谱仪已用于超过85，000次扫描，超过9- 一年的时间，现在在扫描会话期间容易出现周期性故障。该模拟系统还 需要全天多次手动校准RF线圈，这增加了成像 会话时间和扫描可变性。新的数字光谱仪的性能比 包括改进的和额外的预编程脉冲序列， 这对使用该系统的许多研究小组特别有用。该数字光谱仪还 捕获当前模拟系统无法实现的呼吸和心脏门控图像。 申请的资金还将用于购买一套完整的自动校准RF线圈，包括 全身大鼠、全身小鼠以及高分辨率大鼠头部和小鼠头部线圈。的 鼠标头线圈也可用于在分离组织和器官之前的高分辨率扫描 组织学处理和评价。所要求的线圈设计为直接与 数字光谱仪和适合我们的特定MRI模型的磁体孔。此外，与我们目前的 RF线圈和动物扫描床，这些线圈/床组被加热以保持体温 麻醉的啮齿动物在成像过程中。光谱仪和射频线圈升级完全兼容 与1 T磁铁基地单位，这将被保留，从而节省成本，购买一个全新的 完整的系统。升级后的MRI系统，包括数字光谱仪和四个， “新一代”射频线圈，升级的控制器计算机，新的采集软件，动物床加热 用于呼吸和心脏门控的系统和动物监护仪将被安置在同一房间， 我们目前的单位在一个多用户学术分子成像中心的地方，也保持 其他成像模式包括PET/CT、超声、光学/X射线和nanoCT。

Abstract Funds are requested for the acquisition of a digital spectrometer and auto-calibrating radiofrequency (RF) coils needed to upgrade our existing 1T static magnet MRI imaging system located in a multiuser imaging core facility. The spectrometer will replace an aged analog spectrometer that is currently controlling the RF coils. Our current analog spectrometer has been used for >85,000 scans over a 9- year period and is now prone to periodic failure during scanning sessions. The analog system also requires manual calibration of the RF coils several times throughout the day, which increases imaging session times and scan variability. The new digital spectrometer has increased capabilities compared to the analog unit, including improved and additional preprogrammed pulse sequences that will be particularly useful to the many research groups using the system. The digital spectrometer also captures respiration- and cardiac-gated images which is not possible with the current analog system. The funds requested will also be used to purchase a complete set of auto-calibrating RF coils including whole body rat, whole body mouse as well as high resolution rat head and mouse head coils. The mouse head coil can also be used for high-resolution scanning of isolated tissues and organs prior to histological processing and evaluation. The requested coils are designed to interface directly with the digital spectrometer and to fit the magnet bore of our specific MRI model. In addition, unlike our current RF coils and animal scanning beds, these coil/bed sets are heated to maintain the body temperature of anesthetized rodents during imaging. The spectrometer and RF coil upgrades are fully compatible with the 1T magnet base unit, which will be retained, thus saving cost over the purchase a totally new complete system. The upgraded MRI system, which includes the digital spectrometer and the four, “new generation” RF coils, upgraded controller computer, new acquisition software, animal bed heating system and animal monitor used for respiration and cardiac gating, will be housed in the same room in place of our current unit within a multiuser academic molecular imaging center which also maintains other imaging modalities including PET/CT, Ultrasound, Optical/X ray and nanoCT.