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

描述（由申请人提供）：要求获得高端仪器资助，以购买研究专用的3.0 T Siemens Verio MRI扫描仪，用于St. Jude儿童研究医院的人体转化和临床成像研究。圣裘德是一个慈善资助的机构，致力于通过治疗和研究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来研究患有儿科癌症，镰状细胞病和艾滋病毒/艾滋病的儿童，以及这些疾病的成年幸存者。使用MRI扫描仪进行研究的目的是了解疾病的发病机制，改善疾病程度的诊断和评估，提高治疗效果，并量化治疗的不良后果。目前，St. Jude研究者的MRI成像研究活动由3台临床MRI扫描仪（两台1.5 T，一台3.0 T）提供，但由于临床和研究MR成像需求的快速增长，目前的资源已不再充足。研究占现有扫描仪所有扫描的大约50%，这些扫描仪的工作能力超过90%。由于难以安排检查，现有MRI扫描仪的高利用率限制了当前研究项目的效率，阻碍了临床研究中的同事合作成像研究目标，并排除了重要的新研究路线的启动，因为成像时间总是稀疏的，有时不可用。迫切需要3 T仪器来支持美国国立卫生研究院支持的圣裘德生物医学研究人员的人体成像需求。之所以选择Verio扫描仪，是因为它包含了最先进的MRI技术，而且操作该系统的St. Jude成像科学家、内部服务工程师和MRI技术专家都拥有西门子系统软件和硬件架构方面的专业知识。扫描仪将位于现有的空MRI机架中，与我们的临床MRI扫描仪相邻。随着机构承诺完成空置的海湾（射频和磁屏蔽，完成内部功能）和支持初始运营成本，新系统将在赠款授予后6个月内安装和运行。该MRI扫描仪的安装将导致在授予系统的直接操作支持的前6个月内在St. Jude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，以支持参与研究人员的扩展研究计划。获得研究专用扫描仪还将有助于确保目前由NIH用户赠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》中投资于这一工具的资金将迅速用于引人注目的研究项目，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MRI扫描仪，以改善癌症、镰状细胞病和艾滋病毒/艾滋病儿童以及这些疾病的成年幸存者的生活。该研究的目的是了解疾病的原因，改善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生存率和生活质量。购买磁共振成像扫描仪，西门子Verio的设计和制造，以减少对环境的不利影响，将在两年内为圣犹达儿童研究医院创造4个就业机会，支持圣犹达的建设活动，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.