MRI Scanner (3T) for Research in Catastrophic Diseases of Childhood

描述(由申请者提供)：圣裘德儿童研究医院购买一台研究专用的3.0T西门子Verio磁共振扫描仪，用于人体翻译和临床成像研究，申请高端仪器赠款。圣犹大是一家慈善机构，致力于通过治疗和研究来促进儿童灾难性疾病的治疗。成像科学家和临床研究人员将在NIH资助的主要研究项目中使用该仪器，以研究患有儿童癌症、镰状细胞疾病和艾滋病毒/艾滋病的儿童，以及这些疾病的成年幸存者。使用核磁共振扫描仪进行研究的目的是了解疾病的发病机制，改善对疾病程度的诊断和评估，改善治疗结果，并量化治疗的不良后果。目前，圣裘德调查人员的磁共振成像研究活动由3台临床磁共振扫描仪(两台1.5T，一台3.0T)提供，但由于临床和研究磁共振成像需求的快速增长，目前的资源不再充足。研究研究约占现有扫描仪所有扫描的50%，而现有扫描仪的运行能力超过90%。现有核磁共振扫描仪的高利用率限制了当前研究项目的效率，因为难以安排检查，阻碍了临床调查中的同事协作成像研究目标，并排除了重要的新调查路线的启动，因为成像时间总是很少，有时甚至是不可用的。圣裘德国立卫生研究院支持的生物医学研究人员迫切需要3T仪器来支持人体成像需求。之所以选择Verio扫描仪，是因为它采用了目前最先进的核磁共振技术，而且将操作该系统的圣裘德成像科学家、内部服务工程师和核磁共振技术专家拥有西门子系统软件和硬件架构方面的专业知识。扫描仪将放置在现有的空置的MRI机舱内，毗邻我们的临床MRI扫描仪。由于机构承诺完成空置机架(射频和磁屏蔽、完成内部功能)并支持初期运营费用，新系统将在授予赠款后6个月内安装和运行。这台核磁共振扫描仪的安装将在系统的直接操作支持获奖后的前6个月内为圣犹大创造2个工作岗位，我们预计在24个月内将增加2个博士后研究员、研究生和研究助理职位，以支持参与调查人员的扩大研究计划。使用研究专用扫描仪还将有助于确保目前由NIH用户拨款支持的员工的工作；购买Verio系统将有助于维持和发展西门子在美国的员工队伍。《美国复苏和再投资法案》投资于这一工具的资金将迅速投入到令人信服的研究项目中，以改善儿童的健康，这是我们最重要的国家资源。 公共卫生相关性：圣裘德儿童研究医院的研究需要一台最先进的核磁共振扫描仪，以改善患有癌症、镰状细胞疾病和艾滋病毒/艾滋病的儿童以及这些疾病的成年幸存者的生活。这项研究的目的是了解疾病的原因，改进对疾病程度的诊断和评估，并量化治疗的副作用-所有这些都有助于提高幸存者的存活率和生活质量。购买MRI扫描仪是西门子Verio设计和制造的，旨在减少对环境的不利影响，将在两年内为圣裘德儿童研究医院创造4个工作岗位，支持圣裘德的建设活动，并加强西门子医疗解决方案在美国的就业地位。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): A high-end instrumentation grant is requested to purchase a research- dedicated 3.0 T Siemens Verio MRI scanner for human translational and clinical imaging research at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. St. Jude is a charitably funded institution dedicated to advancing cures for catastrophic diseases of childhood through treatment and research. Imaging scientists and clinical investigators will use the instrument in major NIH-funded research programs to study children with pediatric cancers, sickle cell disease, and HIV/AIDS, and also adult survivors of these diseases. The objectives of the research to be conducted with the MRI scanner are to understand disease pathogenesis, improve diagnosis and assessment of disease extent, enhance treatment outcome, and quantitate adverse consequences of treatment. Currently, MRI imaging research activities of St. Jude investigators are accommodated by 3 clinical MRI scanners (two 1.5 T, one 3.0 T), but current resources are no longer sufficient because of rapid growth in demand for both clinical and research MR imaging. Research studies account for approximately 50% of all scans on the existing scanners, which operate at greater than 90% of capacity. The high utilization rate of available MRI scanners limits the efficiency of current research projects because of difficulty scheduling examinations, discourages colleagues in clinical investigation from collaborative imaging research objectives, and precludes the initiation of important new lines of investigation because imaging time is always sparse and sometimes unavailable. The 3T instrument is urgently needed to support the human imaging needs of NIH- supported biomedical researchers at St. Jude. The Verio scanner was chosen because it includes the most advanced MRI technology available, and because the St. Jude imaging scientists, in-house service engineers, and MRI Technologists who will operate the system have expertise in Siemens system software and hardware architecture. The scanner will be located in an existing empty MRI bay adjacent to our clinical MRI scanners. With institutional commitments to complete the vacant bay (RF and magnetic shielding, completion of internal features) and support initial operational costs, the new system will be installed and operational within 6 months of the grant award. The installation of this MRI scanner will lead to the creation of 2 jobs at St. Jude within the first 6 months of the award for direct operational support of the system, and we anticipate an additional 2 positions for post doctoral fellows, graduate students, and research assistants within 24 months to support the expanded research programs of participating investigators. Access to the research-dedicated scanner will also help ensure the jobs of the employees currently supported by NIH users' grants; purchase of the Verio system will help to sustain and grow the Siemens workforce in the United States. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds invested in this instrument will be put to work quickly for compelling research programs to improve the health of children, our most important national resource. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: A state-of-the-art MRI scanner is needed for research at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to improve the lives of children with cancer, sickle cell disease, and HIV/AIDS, and also adult survivors of these diseases. The objectives of the research are to understand the causes of disease, improve diagnosis and assessment of disease extent, and quantify side effects of treatment - all leading toward increased survival and improved quality of life for survivors. Purchase of the MRI scanner, a Siemens Verio that is designed and manufactured to reduce adverse environmental impact, will create 4 jobs at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital within 2 years, support construction activities at St. Jude, and strengthen the employment position of Siemens Medical Solutions in the United States.