Parallel Transmit Array for 7T MRI System

描述(申请人提供)：在过去的二十年里，磁共振成像(MRI)在生物医学研究中的应用有了爆炸性的增长，因此MRI目前在几乎涉及所有病理的患者的诊断和管理中发挥着重要作用。由于每单位扫描时间的MR图像质量在很大程度上由固有的信噪比决定，美国和海外的几家领先机构要么已经拥有7T全身系统，要么正在准备在不久的将来获得超高场扫描仪。一些实验室的初步结果表明，在7-9T的磁场强度下，MRI和MRS通过提供在较低磁场下无法获得的对人类的结构、功能和生理的洞察，具有巨大的前景。然而，众所周知，在这些场强下，组织中的射频场是高度不均匀的，这导致了组织对比度的空间相关性，从而掩盖了由于组织中的病理变化而导致的对比度的细微变化。尽管超高场磁共振成像有许多优点，但射频场的上述空间变化严重限制了我们最大限度地发挥高场优势的能力。已经表明，并行发射阵列使人们能够在很大程度上克服这些问题。在这份提案中，我们申请资金购买一个并行传输阵列，用于与宾夕法尼亚大学的7T全身核磁共振扫描仪接口。我们表明，拟议的系统升级将大大加强正在进行的23个R01、1个P41和四个中心的三个项目项目拨款：磁共振和光学成像中心(CMROI)、功能神经成像中心(CFN)、分子成像中心(CEMI)和结构核磁共振成像实验室(LSNI)。这四个实验室的生物医学成像研究涵盖了广泛的应用和新方法的开发，包括基础和临床神经科学的功能脑成像，神经退行性和代谢性疾病的研究，癌症检测和治疗监测的分子成像，心血管疾病和组织灌注的新方法，以及关节和骨骼疾病(关节炎和骨质疏松症)。7T系统被集成到宾夕法尼亚大学高级磁共振成像和光谱中心(CAMRIS)。该资源将由一个执行委员会(EC)管理，该执行委员会由目前的CAMRIS委员会主持。 公共卫生相关性：7T资源开发的成像技术将对基本理解、早期诊断和开发几种人类疾病的新疗法产生重大影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): During the past two decades, there has been an explosive growth in the utilization of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in biomedical research, such that MRI currently plays a significant role for the diagnosis and management of patients involving virtually every pathology. Since the MR image quality per unit scan time is largely determined by the intrinsic signal-to-noise ratio, several leading institutions in the US and overseas either already have 7T whole-body systems or are on their way to acquiring ultrahigh- field scanners in the near future. Initial results from a few laboratories suggest MRI and MRS at field strengths of 7-9T to have great promise by providing insight into structure, function and physiology in humans not obtainable at lower fields. However, it is well known that at these field strengths, radiofrequency field (RF) in the tissue is highly inhomogeneous which results in spatially dependent tissue contrast and thus masks subtle changes in the contrast due to pathological changes in the tissue. Despite many advantages of ultra high field MRI, the above-mentioned spatial variation of RF field severely limits our ability to exploit the high field advantages to fullest extent. It has been shown that parallel transmit arrays enable one to largely overcome these problems. In this proposal, we request funds for the acquisition of a parallel transmit array for interfacing with 7T whole-body MRI scanner at the University of Pennsylvania. We show that the proposed upgrade of the system will substantially enhance ongoing research in 23 R01s, one P41 and three program project grants at four centers: the Center for Magnetic Resonance and Optical Imaging (CMROI), the Center for Functional Neuroimaging (CfN), the Center for Molecular imaging (CEMI), and the Laboratory for Structural NMR Imaging (LSNI). Biomedical imaging research in these four laboratories covers a wide range of applications and new methods development involving functional brain imaging for basic and clinical neuroscience, the study of neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders, molecular imaging for cancer detection and treatment monitoring, novel approaches to cardiovascular disease and tissue perfusion, and joint and bone disease (arthritis and osteoporosis). The 7T system is integrated into the Center for Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy (CAMRIS) at the University of Pennsylvania. The resource will be run by an Executive Committee (EC) under the auspices of the current CAMRIS Committee. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Imaging technologies developed at the 7T resource will have substantial impact on fundamental understanding, early diagnosis, and development of novel therapies for several human diseases.