A 3.0 Tesla MRI System in a Neuroscience ICU

描述（由申请人提供）： 马萨诸塞州总医院有一个独特的机会，可以在神经科学重症监护病房内放置3.0特斯拉的MRI设备。MGH ICU是美国最大的神经科学ICU之一（17张床位），临床工作人员渴望在ICU内放置成像设备。MGH也是AA的所在地。Martinos生物医学成像中心（以前称为MGH-NMR中心），在功能性神经成像技术方面取得了许多进展。此外，Martinos中心在过去七年中获得了门诊3.0特斯拉单位的经验。随着对住院患者科研工作的资助增加，迫切需要额外的研究成像能力来支持这组研究人员。该提案要求为3.0 Tesla Siemens Allegra MRI系统提供资金。这个系统是一个只有头部的成像设备，足够小，足够亮，可以安装在MGH主校区布莱克大楼的12楼。选择该仪器是因为它的尺寸、高梯度性能和软件功能，以及它与现有仪器和由这组研究者开发的定制软件的兼容性。研究人员使用3.0T磁体的经验表明，对于许多研究应用，1.5T将是次优的。与此同时，还需要一个用户友好，病人友好的系统，具有良好的跟踪记录。拟议的文书满足了所有这些需要。我们的团队在1999年提交了一份类似的申请，要求使用NeurolCU磁铁，但没有得到资助。在此期间，我们一直在努力解决围绕在这样一个充满挑战的环境中引入MRI的许多后勤和实际问题。这导致选择更小，更轻的仪器，ICU边缘的新位置，以及声学和结构工程师的详细评估和规划，以实现安全有效的安装。我们还将我们的用户群集中在专门包括那些研究可以直接和显着受益于拟议的工具。这一提议背后的一个关键假设是，重症监护室的病人代表了一个不寻常的机会来了解疾病和生物学。由于这些主题很难带入仪器，我们试图通过将仪器带给他们来获得这些见解。拟议的文书将带来国家的最先进的性能，以一个独特的设置。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): A unique opportunity to place a 3.0 Tesla MRI device inside a Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit exists at the Massachusetts General Hospital. The MGH ICU is one of the largest Neuroscience ICUs in the country (17 beds) and the clinical staff is eager to site an imaging device within the ICU. MGH also is home to the A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (formerly known as the MGH-NMR Center), where a number of advances in functional neuroimaging techniques have been made. Furthermore, the Martinos Center has gained experience with outpatient 3.0 Tesla units over the past seven years. As funding for scientific work in inpatients has increased, there has arisen a critical need for additional research imaging capabilities to support this group of researchers. This proposal requests funding for a 3.0 Tesla Siemens Allegra MRI system. This system, a head-only imaging device, is small enough and lights enough to be installed on the 12th floor of the Blake Building of the main MGH campus. The instrument was chosen for its size, high gradient performance and software capabilities, as well as its compatibility with existing instrumentation and custom software developed by this group of investigators. The investigators' experience with 3.0T magnets has demonstrated that for numerous research applications, 1.5T will be suboptimal. At the same time, a user friendly, patient-friendly system with a proven track record is also needed. The proposed instrument meets all of these needs. Our team submitted a similar request in 1999 for a NeurolCU magnet that was not funded. In the interim, we have worked steadily to resolve numerous logistical and practical issues surrounding the introduction of MRI in to such a challenging environment. This has led to the choice of a smaller, lighter instrument, a new location on the edge of the ICU, and detailed assessment and planning by acoustic and structural engineers for a safe and effective installation. We have also focused our user group to include exclusively those whose research can directly and significantly benefit from the proposed instrument. A key assumption underlying this proposal is that patients in an intensive care unit represent an unusual opportunity to learn about disease and biology. Since these subjects are difficult to bring to the instrumentation, we seek to gain these insights by bringing the instrumentation to them. The proposed instrument will bring state-of-the-art performance to a unique setting.