CONSOLE UPGRADE FOR 4.7T/40-CM ANIMAL MR IMAGER

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Partial funding is requested for the console upgrade of an Omega 4.7T MR spectrometer/imager at the Center for MR Research, Evanston, IL. The center serves scientists, physicians and students affiliated with Evanston Northwestern Healthcare and Northwestern University. The system is currently used to conduct functional MR imaging, 19F imaging, diffusion mapping and multinuclear MR spectroscopy experiments to study the central nervous system and tumors in large and small animals. Recurring computer crashes, hardware failures, non-availability of parts and service and declining system stability have been major problems with the present console. In addition, the console has deficiencies in computer operating system, NMR software, waveform memory, PSG board memory, buffer memory, and digitizer board memory which render it unsuitable for most fMRI and sophisticated experiments. An upgrade is required to keep the system running to conduct large animal studies; to image the entire rabbit brain in a multi-slice image that is currently not possible; improve system stability; implement fast shimming; to employ complex pulse shapes such as adiabatic pulses; to facilitate acquisition of EPI data at great temporal resolution without being limited by rate of data transfer; and to implement the many in-house developed software for echo planar image distortion correction and data analysis. The proposed upgrade will benefit NIH funded studies that investigate learning, memory, aging, anesthesia, ischemia, pain, tumors and direct drug delivery to the brain.