4.7T Magnetic Resonance Console

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Funding is requested for a new electronics console and magnetic field gradient/shim coil system to replace existing equipment on a 4.7 Tesla 33 cm bore horizontal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnet. Projects to be supported and vastly enhanced with this state of the art high performance instrumentation fall in the areas of neuroscience (functional brain imaging applications and development, brain pharmacology, cancer, neurovascular pathology, neurodegeneration), biomineralization (developmental biology of bone, bone mineral and matrix composition and crystal structure, noninvasive imaging/nondestructive evaluation of bone and engineered biomaterials), and vascular biology (multimodality/multispectral imaging of arterial walls and atherosclerotic plaque). The existing console and gradient system are no longer adequate for the needs of the supported projects, and are no longer supported by the manufacturer. The strikingly enhanced performance of the upgraded instrument will dramatically improve the quality of MR data obtained in these studies. Most importantly, new experimental opportunities for these projects will become possible that cannot be considered with only the existing instrumentation. The research projects to be supported by this new instrumentation are multidisciplinary, cutting across several departments and institutions, which include several hospitals and universities. The projects address a mix of basic scientific and public health issues.