Advanced Functional MRI Equipment for 3 Tesla System

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Researchers from across the campus of University of Maryland, Baltimore request funding for the purchase of Advanced Functional MRI hardware and software to enhance a 3.0 Tesla research-dedicated magnet. This newly-acquired research magnet has capabilities limited to its primary project, which is to scan knees as part of a multi-center Osteoarthritis initiative. While the scanner itself is state of the art equipment, its associated tools are very limited, and will not foster the growth of magnetic resonance research on this campus. Additionally, the scanner is idle for the most part even after fulfilling its primary objective of producing structural images of the knee joints. The lack of suitable hardware and software on this scanner has severely limited the use of this high field magnet for research. NIH sponsored investigators who are currently using magnetic resonance imaging come from various departments within the campus including radiology, neurology, psychiatry, pharmacology, cardiology, anatomy and physiology. These researchers use the clinical 1.5 Tesla scanners operated by the University of Maryland Medical System during limited hours to conduct their research. Availability of hospital scanner time for research has become increasingly difficult over the past few years due to growing clinical demand. This restrictive situation has led some of the investigators to move their research to neighboring institutions. No time is available on the hospital scanner for new investigators. The new research-dedicated 3.0 Tesla machine promises to change this situation for biomedical magnetic resonance by enhancing the research of current investigators, and increasing access to much needed MR instrumentation for new investigators. The proposed upgrade to the instrument promises to advance research in the area of human brain function through use of techniques such as fMRI, diffusion tensor imaging, and spectroscopy. The capability of performing such research in conjunction with parallel imaging with optimized coils will allow the magnetic resonance research community at the University of Maryland, Baltimore to be at the forefront of functional neuroimaging research.