CONSOLE REPLACEMENTS FOR AN IN-VIVO NMR FACILITY

亨利福特医院的高场体内核磁共振设备为各种NIH资助的项目提供服务，这些项目包括标准和专门的成像和光谱应用。该设施在11个NIH资助的研究人员的研究项目中发挥了重要作用，并且使用量正在增长。这对仪器的可靠性提出了很高的要求。在过去的3年里，梯度和RF子系统已经重建和升级到最先进的水平。NMR系统目前配备了萨里医疗仪器系统（SMIS）控制台。 不幸的是，尽管（在某些情况下是由于）控制台不断升级到最新的产品开发，但在这些仪器上的控制台的工程和维修中遇到了重大问题。虽然其成本低，设计灵活，但在确定和纠正控制台内的问题以及及时从制造商获得备件方面一直遇到困难。纠正这些控制台设计中的当前工程缺陷、改进服务、提高备件的可靠性和这些NMR系统的一致操作的最佳长期解决方案是从更可靠的制造商更换控制台。Varian Instruments在制造灵敏可靠的NMR研究控制台方面有着悠久的历史。Varian以射频链的稳定性和灵敏度而自豪。将SMIS控制台替换为Varian Inova成像/光谱控制台后，仪器的可靠性、灵活性和灵敏度将得到提高，这将为NMR设施的各种当前和未来NIH用户提供服务。此外，瓦里安是一家总部位于美国的公司，符合政府购买美国货的政策。

The high field in-vivo NMR facility at Henry Ford Hospital services a wide variety NIH funded projects incorporating standard and specialized imaging and spectroscopy applications. This facility is instrumental in the research programs of 11 NIH funded investigators, and use is growing. This puts great demands on instrument reliability. Within the last 3 years, the gradient and RF subsystems have been rebuilt and upgraded to state of the art. The NMR systems are currently outfitted with Surrey Medical Instrument Systems (SMIS) consoles. Unfortunately, major problems have been encountered in the engineering and servicing of the consoles on these instruments, despite (and in some cases due to) the consistent upgrade of the console to the latest product developments. While low cost and flexible in their design, consistent difficulties have been encountered in identifying and correcting problems within the consoles and obtaining spare parts from the manufacturer in a timely fashion. The best long-term solution for correction of current engineering flaws in the design of these consoles, improvements in service, reliability of spare parts and consistent operation of these NMR systems is console replacement from a more reliable manufacturer. Varian Instruments has a long history of manufacturing sensitive and reliable NMR research consoles. Varian prides itself on RF chain stability and sensitivity. The improvements in reliability, flexibility and sensitivity of the instruments which would result from replacement of the SMIS consoles with Varian Inova Imaging/spectroscopy consoles would serve the wide variety of current and future NIH users of the NMR facility. In addition, Varian is a USA based company, consistent with government buy American policies.