Development and Maintenance of Software for MR Spectroscopic Imaging

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The MIDAS (Metabolic Imaging Data Analysis System) software package provides comprehensive and unique functionality for processing, display, and analysis of MR Spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) data, and includes close integration with information available from structural and other parametric MRI modalities. This system supports a volumetric echo- planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI) acquisition that provides high-resolution images of a wide extent of the brain, including cortical surface regions, which has been implemented on MR instruments from three major manufacturers. The EPSI and MIDAS software have been distributed to multiple sites worldwide. Under four specific aims this project will maintain and develop new functionality for these packages. Aim 1 will add new spectroscopy and image processing functions, which will include capabilities for volumetric mapping of brain temperature, metabolite T2, and parametric changes between studies. Aim 2 will improve performance, software organization, and maintainability by refactoring historically diverse pieces of code under a common programming environment. Aim 3 will support the EPSI acquisition through future system upgrades and add new capabilities to the data acquisition methods. Aim 4 will continue development of user documentation, educational materials, and the project web site, and make available data acquired under previous projects. Through these aims this project will provide continued support and development for a highly innovative suite of functions that facilitate clinical and basic biomedical imaging research studies using MRI and MRSI.