Siemens Tim Trio 3T Whole Body MR Scanner

描述（由申请人提供）：目前在UNC-Chapel Hill（UNC-CH）提供了一台完全专用于研究的3 T Siemens Allegra头部MR扫描仪。该系统已被广泛使用，是唯一的人类MR研究扫描仪在UNC-CH。虽然大多数研究人员都很高兴与该系统提供的能力和图像质量，有越来越多的关注的局限性，以及该系统的前景。这些关切源于以下原因。首先，虽然西门子继续支持我们的系统，但公开信息是，西门子不会做出额外努力来进一步改进Allegra系统的软件或硬件。相反，西门子的主要重点是全身MR扫描仪。因此，鉴于磁共振技术的快速发展，我们目前系统的能力将很快过时。第二，该系统在并行成像能力方面有很大的硬件限制，并行成像能力是最近MR技术中最重要的改进之一，能够缩短数据采集时间，同时保持图像质量。这种限制源于这样的事实，即该系统最多只能配备8个接收器，使得难以充分利用并行成像技术。最后，由于这是一台仅限头部的扫描仪，因此很难将MR研究活动扩展到神经系统领域之外，也不允许对大型动物进行成像。因此，为了规避上述所有限制，提供最先进的MR成像能力，并将MR成像研究计划扩展到UNC-CH神经学相关领域之外，需要资金将我们目前的Siemens 3 T Allegra头部扫描仪更换为Siemens全身TIM Trio 3 T系统。现有的Allegra将以25万美元的价格出售，以便从西门子获得优惠的价格（205万美元）。Tim Trio 3 T MR扫描仪为目前资助的NIH赠款提供的主要好处包括：i）利用多通道（>8个接收器）减少儿科研究的总数据采集时间的能力; ii）在采集EPI图像时最小化几何失真，即通过利用并行成像方法的扩散张量成像（DTI）和功能性MRI（fMRI）;以及iii）由于全身能力，进一步扩展MR研究活动，使其超出神经学相关项目。最后，一个额外的好处是，我们的机构已承诺购买一个位置发射断层扫描（PET）插入，将安装在所要求的MR扫描仪上，一旦成功资助该申请。该PET插件不仅将进一步扩展MR以外的成像研究计划，而且还允许要求的MR扫描仪成为集成的MR-PET扫描仪，同时采集MR和PET图像。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): A 3T Siemens Allegra head-only MR scanner fully dedicated to research is currently available at UNC-Chapel Hill (UNC-CH). This system has been widely utilized and is the sole human MR research scanner at UNC-CH. While most of the investigators have been happy with the capability and the image quality offered by this system, there are growing concerns regarding the limitations as well as the outlooks of this system. These concerns stem from the following reasons. First, while Siemens has continued to support our system, it is public information that Siemens will not put out additional efforts to further improve either the software or hardware of the Allegra system. Instead the main focus in Siemens is whole body MR scanners. As a result, given the rapid advances of MR technology, the capabilities of our current system will soon be out of date. Second, this system has a major hardware limitation when it comes to parallel imaging capability, one of the most major improvements in recent MR technology capable of shortening data acquisition time while preserving image quality. This limitation stems from the fact that this system can only equip with a maximum of 8 receivers, making it difficult to take full advantage of the parallel imaging technology. Finally, since this is a head-only scanner, it has been difficult expanding MR research activities beyond the neurological areas, nor does it allow imaging large animals. Therefore, in order to circumvent all of the above limitations, provide state-of-the-art MR imaging capability, and expand the MR imaging research program beyond neurologically related focuses at UNC-CH, funds are requested to replace our current Siemens 3T Allegra head-only scanner to a Siemens whole body TIM Trio 3T system. The currently existing Allegra will be traded in ($250k) so as to obtain a favorable price from Siemens ($2.05M). The major benefits offered by the requested Tim Trio 3T MR scanner for the currently funded NIH grants include: i) utilizing multi-channel (>8 receivers) capability to reduce total data acquisition time for pediatric studies; ii) minimizing geometric distortion when EPI images are acquired, ie diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional MRI (fMRI) through the utilization of parallel imaging methods; and iii) further expanding MR research activities beyond neurologically related projects thanks to the whole body capabilities. Finally, an additional benefit is that our Institution has committed to purchase a position emission tomography (PET) insert that will be installed on the requested MR scanner upon successful funding of this application. This PET insert will not only further expand the imaging research program beyond MR but also allow the requested MR scanner to become an integrated MR-PET scanner, acquiring MR and PET images simultaneously.