High Field (3 T) MRI Scanner at San Antonio, Texas

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案的目的是为了方便购买一台3特斯拉全身MRI扫描仪。这种高场MRI扫描仪将提供高达50 mT/m的梯度强度，显著改善信噪比，提高成像速度，以及卓越的空间分辨率。在3T扫描仪上获得弥散张量成像（DTI）和多核磁共振波谱（MRS）的关键附加功能是我们临床研究活动中至关重要和迫切需要的。高场核磁共振扫描仪将位于圣安东尼奥德克萨斯大学健康科学中心的研究成像中心（RIC）。3T核磁共振扫描仪的操作和技术支持的空间和实质性基础设施已经到位。购买一台3T核磁共振扫描仪的总成本约为270万美元。除了这项建议所要求的200万美元外，该校的放射科和精神科已拨出总额为70万美元的资金，用于购买3T核磁共振扫描仪。RIC是医学院的一个系级实体，我们的使命是促进非侵入性成像技术在广泛的医学研究学科中的发展和协同应用。RIC的组织、人员配备、设备采购和业务资金都是为了确保这一任务的成功。目前，RIC共支持12个活跃的NIH项目（1个P01, 8个R01, 1个K08, 1个K23和1个R03）和4个其他资助项目，总金额为2000万美元。所有这些项目都广泛使用核磁共振扫描仪。此外，超过8个NIH R01和其他拨款提案正在等待中。由于缺乏DTI和多核MRS在我们目前的设施，一些资助的NIH项目不能完全完成。随着购买3T MRI扫描仪的批准，所有的研究项目将具有成本效益并顺利完成。最先进的高场（3T） MRI成像能力将使南德克萨斯州的生物医学研究界受益，其中包括UTHSCSA，德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校和圣安东尼奥分校，威尔福德霍尔医疗中心，布鲁克陆军医疗中心和西南研究基金会。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this proposal is to facilitate the purchase of a 3 Tesla whole-body MRI scanner. This high field MRI scanner shall provide up to 50 mT/m gradient strengths, significant improvements in signal-to-noise ratio, increased imaging speed, and exceptional spatial resolution. The key additional capabilities of obtaining diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and multi-nuclear NMR spectroscopy (MRS) on the 3T scanner are critical and urgently needed for our clinical research activities. The high field MRI scanner will be located at the Research Imaging Center (RIC) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA). Space and substantial infrastructure for operations and technical support for the 3T MRI scanner is already in place. The total cost for purchasing a 3T MRI scanner is approximately $2.7M. Besides the requested $2M from this proposal, the Departments of Radiology and Psychiatry at UTHSCSA have committed the funds in the total amount of $700,000 towards the purchase of the 3T MRI scanner. The RIC is a department-level entity of the Medical School and our mission is to promote the development and synergistic application of non-invasive imaging techniques to a broad range of medical research disciplines. The organization, staffing, equipment procurement, and operational funding of the RIC are all designed to assure the success of this mission. Presently, the RIC supports a total of 12 active NIH projects (1 P01, 8 R01, 1 K08, 1 K23, and 1 R03) and 4 other funded projects in a total amount of $20M. All these projects extensively utilize MRI scanners. In addition, more than 8 NIH R01 and other grant proposals are pending. Due to the lack of the DTI and multi-nuclear MRS at our current facility, a number of funded NIH projects cannot be fully accomplished. With the approval of the purchase of the 3T MRI scanner, all the research projects will be cost-effective and successfully completed. The state-of-the-art high field (3T) MRI imaging capability will benefit the biomedical research community in South Texas, which includes UTHSCSA, UT at Austin and San Antonio, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Brooke Army Medical Center, and Southwest Research Foundation.