High Field MRI/MRS System for Non-human Primates

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant):This application from Vanderbilt University seeks partial funding for the acquisition of a state-of-the-art high field (4.7T) wide bore (60cm) vertical Magnetic Resonance Imaging/Spectroscopy system optimized for studies of the CNS in non-human primates (NHP). This system is essential for several current NIH-funded projects of the structural and functional neuroanatomy of the NHP brain. It is also essential for several projects addressing the fundamental biophysical origins of the fMRI BOLD response. The proposed facility will provide a major new capability for in vivo imaging and spectroscopy in NHPs, thereby permitting current NIH-funded investigators to undertake studies, which are beyond the scope and/or capabilities of existing equipment. MR studies in NHPs at Vanderbilt are currently restricted to a clinical 3T system, and are limited in scope to brief pre-operative stereotaxic studies to guide electrode placement. The new instrument will acquire structural and functional images and spectra that have inherently higher signal to noise ratios, greater spatial and spectral resolution, and images that are more sensitive to some contrast mechanisms. The proposed system will have shim, gradient, and r.f. coils and other associated hardware that are optimized for NHP studies, and will be based upon a modem console and spectrometer capable of a wide array of modem experiments. These new capabilities will include fast and 3D imaging at very high resolution, improved diffusion weighting and diffusion tensor imaging for white matter tractography, and broad-band multi-nuclear (1H, 31P, 13C etc.) in vivo MR spectroscopy for studies of regional metabolism. The system will be an integral part of the newly created Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science (VUIIS), and will be housed in a newly constructed building with a bay already dedicated to and designed for a high field NHP scanner. It will be supported by a large and experienced group of physicists, engineers and computer scientists, and a well trained and qualified support staff, including electronic engineers and animal technologists. These technical experts will assist users in experimental design, data acquisition and data analysis. The proposed instrument will be a multi-user facility, supervised by a director and a core staff, developed and managed via an operating committee, and with oversight by an advisory committee charged with the responsibility of assuring appropriate access to NIH funded investigators. The proposed instrument will significantly increase the number and quality of investigations using NHPs, and will help Vanderbilt University meet its commitment to enhancing basic and clinical neuroscience research.