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

简介(申请人提供)：此建议的目的是为了方便购买3特斯拉全身核磁共振扫描仪。这种高场磁共振扫描仪将提供高达50mT/m的梯度强度、显著改善的信噪比、更高的成像速度和卓越的空间分辨率。在3T扫描仪上获得扩散张量成像(DTI)和多核核磁共振波谱(MRS)的关键附加能力对于我们的临床研究活动是关键和迫切需要的。高场磁共振扫描仪将安装在德克萨斯大学圣安东尼奥健康科学中心(UTHSCSA)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。除了这项提案要求的200万美元外，UTHSCSA的放射科和精神病学系还承诺了总计70万美元的资金，用于购买3T核磁共振扫描仪。RIC是医学院的一个部门级实体，我们的使命是促进非侵入性成像技术的发展和广泛的医学研究学科的协同应用。RIC的组织、人员配置、设备采购和业务资金都是为了确保这次任务的成功。目前，RIC共资助了12个正在进行的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项NIH R01和其他拨款提案正在等待中。由于我们目前的设施缺乏DTI和多核MRS，许多由NIH资助的项目无法完全完成。随着购买3T核磁共振扫描仪的批准，所有研究项目都将性价比高，顺利完成。最先进的高场(3T)磁共振成像能力将使南得克萨斯州的生物医学研究社区受益，其中包括UTHSCSA、德克萨斯大学奥斯汀和圣安东尼奥分校、威尔福德·霍尔医学中心、布鲁克陆军医学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.