Advancing the Application of Magnetic Resonance in Cancer: Structural, Functional and Molecular Studies of Tumours and

这项建议旨在建立一个领先的3T磁共振设施，以支持癌症成像研究的主要计划，重点是肿瘤检测，评估疾病的程度和侵袭性，以及评估新的癌症疗法。该提案将建立在癌症研究所和皇家马斯登医院将磁共振应用于癌症的20年经验的基础上，加强了由英国癌症研究所和NHS研究和开发活动资助的主要研究项目。3T的增强信号可以实现高分辨率图像，以改善肿瘤检测，但也可以获取功能信息，这在传统的场强下是不可能的。许多计划中的研究使用功能性图像，测量肿瘤的行为和特征，以及它们的程度。更高的场强提供了对MR造影剂信号更高的灵敏度，从而可以更准确地评估肿瘤的血液供应。水成分和肿瘤内细胞的活力也将更容易评估，并且使用多核MR光谱学可以详细询问生物化学途径。这将使评估新的抗癌药物对细胞中特定过程的作用成为可能。

This proposal aims to establish a leading edge 3T magnetic resonance facility to support majorprogrammes of research in cancer imaging that focus on tumour detection, assessment ofdisease extent and aggressiveness, and evaluation of new cancer therapies. The proposal willbuild on 20 years of experience in applying magnetic resonance to cancer at The Institute ofCancer Research and the Royal Marsden Hospital enhancing major research programmesfunded through Cancer Research UK and through NHS research and development activities.The increased signal available at 3T allows high-resolution images for improved tumourdetection, but also enables functional information to be acquired, which may not be possible atconventional field strengths. Much of the planned research uses functional images, where thebehaviour and characteristics of tumour are measured, in addition to their extent. The higherfield strength provides increased sensitivity to signals from MR contrast agents, allowing moreaccurate assessment of tumour blood supply. The water composition and viability of cells withina tumour will also be assessed more easily and the detailed interrogation of biochemicalpathways will be made possible using multi-nuclear MR spectroscopy. This will enableassessment of the action of new anti-cancer drugs on specific processes in cells.