Training in Structural, Physiologic and Functional MRI

 描述（由申请人提供）：自四十年前问世以来，磁共振成像（MRI）一直在不断发展，远未达到其最终潜力。MRI无疑是最复杂的，但也是最丰富和最通用的成像方法，因此需要系统的培训。虽然本质上是定量的，但MRI主要用作放射科医生使用的定性成像技术，主要利用定性标准来建立诊断或排除疾病。这种方法充满了问题，其主要局限性是结果的主观性，即对读者经验和判断的敏感性。越来越多的医学问题需要对组织结构、生理和功能进行定量评估。此外，对于许多诊断或分期问题，观察的量化不仅是一个更好的选择，而且定性方法完全不适合。例如，组织灌注测量、通过光谱成像定量代谢物浓度、非局灶性全身性疾病（如退行性神经系统疾病或代谢性骨病，其中必须对某些结构或功能参数进行定量测量）的评估。多年来，随着新方法的不断出现，该模式变得越来越复杂，提供了对组织功能越来越详细的了解。这些新方法中的许多都是在设备制造商实施之前几年构思并付诸实践的。成功参与这些发展需要深入的，特定于模态的培训，使未来的科学家能够有效地部署脉冲序列设计和数据重建的数学工具。将新方法从实验室转化为临床同样重要，并作为NIH的重点工作之一。因此，培训过程需要多学科，需要MR物理学家，工程师，计算机科学家和医生在各个子专业之间的密切合作。基础科学的受训者往往不完全理解医学问题，并且通常难以将抽象的技术概念翻译给执业医生。 拟议的培训计划建立在主任早期计划及其所取得的培训成果记录的基础上，显示绝大多数前学员都已获得学术教师或行业高级研究职位。新计划建立在这个成功的公式，提出培养博士前和博士后候选人在MRI物理和工程，特别注重结构，生理和功能的应用，为期两年。培训方式包括座谈会、结构化教学和动手实验室培训相结合，并强调导师指导的研究。培训教师由磁共振成像和医生科学家组成，他们具有成功的多学科研究培训以及基础和转化研究卓越的记录。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Since its inception four decades ago, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has continued to evolve and is far from having reached its ultimate potential. MRI is unquestionably the most complex but also the richest and most versatile imaging method therefore requiring systematic training. Although inherently quantitative, MRI has been used largely as a qualitative imaging technique practiced by radiologists utilizing predominantly qualitative criteria for establishing a diagnosis or excluding disease. This approach is fraught with problems, its main limitation being the subjective nature of the result, i.e. sensitivity to reader experience and judgment. An increasing number of problems in medicine require a quantitative assessment of tissue structure, physiology and function. Moreover, for many diagnostic or staging problems quantification of an observation is not merely a better option but the qualitative approach is entirely unsuited. Examples are measurement of tissue perfusion, quantification of metabolite concentration by spectroscopic imaging, the assessment of non-focal systemic disorders such as degenerative neurologic or metabolic bone disease where a quantitative measurement of some structural or functional parameter has to be made. Over the years the modality has become ever more complex with the ongoing emergence of new methodologies, providing increasingly detailed insight into tissue function. Many of these new methods are conceived and reduced to practice years before being implemented by equipment manufacturers. Successful participation in these developments demands in-depth, modality-specific training to enable future scientists to effectively deploy the myriad of mathematical tools for pulse sequence design and data reconstruction. Translation of new methods from the bench to the clinic is equally important and highlighted as one of NIH's key priorities. The training process therefore needs to be multidisciplinary, requiring close cooperation among MR physicists, engineers, computer scientists and physicians in the various subspecialties. Basic science trainees often understand the medical problem incompletely and typically have difficulties in translating abstract technical concepts to the practicing physician. The proposed Training program builds on the director's earlier program and its record in terms of achieved training outcome, showing the large majority of former trainees having attained academic faculty or senior research positions in industry. The new program builds on this successful formula by proposing to train predoctoral and postdoctoral candidates in MRI physics and engineering, with particular focus on structural, physiologic and functional applications, for period of two years. Training modalities involve a combination of colloquia, structured teaching and hands-on laboratory training, and emphasis on preceptor-directed research. The training faculty consists of MR imaging and physician scientists with a record of successful multidisciplinary research training as well as basic and translational research excellence.