Small Animal 11.75 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Scanner

描述（由申请人提供）：小型实验室动物模型，如小鼠、大鼠和仓鼠广泛用于圣路易斯华盛顿大学（WU）和其他科学机构的整个生物医学研究界。 随着分子生物学的发展，转基因实验动物模型，特别是小鼠，已经成为生物医学研究中不可或缺的一部分。识别和开发用于分析和评价动物模型中感兴趣特征的方法仍然是一个重大挑战。 这对于纵向研究尤其如此，在纵向研究中，样本人群的成员被跟踪了很长一段时间。 显然，侵入性和/或破坏性手术-特别是那些需要牺牲受试者的手术-与此类研究不相容。 在这些情况下，非破坏性成像程序，如磁共振成像（MRI）提供的程序，是特别有价值的。 来自WU生物医学磁共振实验室（BMRL）的这一提案要求资金购买11.75特斯拉小动物MRI扫描仪。 BMRL通过其两台4.7T小动物MRI扫描仪支持成像科学前沿的资源。 然而，其用户群的领先科学家，代表了各种各样的生物和生物物理学科，有要求，只能通过属性满足超高场扫描仪。 信噪比和光谱色散的相关改善为小动物MRI提供了重要优势，特别是对小鼠的成像。 该提案提供了需求、既往成像性能、组织和培训能力以及机构承诺的文件。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Small laboratory animal models such as mice, rats and hamsters are widely used throughout the biomedical research community at Washington University (WU) in St. Louis and other scientific institutions. With the recent revolution in molecular biology, transgenic laboratory animal models - in particular mice - have become an indispensable part of the biomedical research armamentarium. The identification and development of methods for analyzing and evaluating the characteristics of interest within animal models remains a significant challenge. This is especially true for longitudinal studies, in which members of a sample population are followed over an extended period of time. Clearly, invasive and/or destructive procedures - especially those that require sacrifice of the subject - are incompatible with such studies. Under these circumstances, nondestructive imaging procedures, such as those offered by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are especially valuable. This proposal from the Biomedical Magnetic Resonance Laboratory (BMRL) at WU requests funds to purchase an 11.75 tesla small animal MRI scanner. The BMRL supports resources at the forefront of imaging science through its two 4.7T small-animal MRI scanners. However, its user base of leading scientists, representing a diverse range of biological and biophysical disciplines, has requirements that can only be met through the attributes an ultra high field scanner. The associated improvements in signal-to-noise ratio and spectral dispersion provide important advantages for small animal MRI and, in particular, for the imaging of mice. This proposal provides documentation of need, past imaging performance, organizational and training competence, and institutional commitment.