Research Ultrasound Imaging Upgrades

描述(由申请者提供)：需要资金来升级爱荷华大学心血管表型核心的超声成像能力。CORE于2002年在美国国立卫生研究院的支持下成立，已经完成了9000多项针对啮齿动物的研究超声成像研究，这些啮齿动物具有临床相关的疾病模型，如心肌病、癌症、肌肉遗传性疾病和妊娠毒血症。核心中的主力仪器，飞利浦Sonos 5500临床成像仪，适用于啮齿动物研究，已经过时。整个平台已经停产，供应商不再为某些组件提供服务。所要求的仪器是Visualsonics Vevo 2100成像仪，运行在专门为小动物以非常高的帧速率成像而设计的平台上。Vevo 2100操作的探头的空间分辨率高达现有设备的4.7倍，这将允许可视化用户所需的较小结构(例如心脏瓣膜和胎儿心腔)。Vevo将提供一致可靠的彩色多普勒成像和一致可靠的频谱多普勒测速仪，这两项都不是现有设备所能信任的。所请求的Vevo 2100使用开放架构格式管理图像数据，该格式允许使用标准计算机硬件和软件进行数据存档和分析。这将取代目前的系统，该系统是专有的，在硬件或软件发生故障时不再能由供应商提供服务。核心人员在心血管表型核心的范围内演示仪器时，通过对感兴趣的当地小鼠进行成像，确认了所请求的仪器的优越性，并确认所请求的仪器唯一能够满足用户未来需求的仪器。核心人员还确认了使用开源软件和通用硬件管理和分析图像数据的能力。对这项建议的实质性机构支持包括以下承诺：免除核心的管理费用、假设服务合同的成本、技术人员的工资支持以及以旧换新安装在封闭实验室中的现有成像仪，目的是降低NIH的购买成本。 与公共卫生相关：需要资金购买设备，以成像表现出突出的人类疾病状态的遗传和生理特征的啮齿动物的心血管功能。这种设备的应用将有助于更好地了解导致人类重大发病率和死亡率的疾病的原因和治疗方法。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Funds are requested to upgrade the ultrasound imaging capabilities of The Cardiovascular Phenotype Core at the University of Iowa. The Core was founded with NIH support in 2002, and has completed over 9,000 research ultrasound imaging studies in rodents with clinically relevant models of diseases such as cardiomyopathy, cancer, inherited diseases of muscle, and toxemia of pregnancy. The workhorse instrument in the Core, a Philips Sonos 5500 clinical imager adapted for rodent research, is obsolete. The entire platform has been discontinued, and some components are no longer serviceable by the vendor. The requested instrument is a VisualSonics Vevo 2100 imager, operating on a platform specifically designed for small animal imaging at very high frame rates. The Vevo 2100 operates probes with spatial resolution up to 4.7-fold higher than existing equipment, which will allow visualization of smaller structures (e.g. heart valves and fetal cardiac chambers) required by Users. The Vevo will provide consistent reliable color Doppler imaging and consistent reliable spectral Doppler velocimetry, neither of which can be trusted with present equipment. The requested Vevo 2100 manages image data using an open-architecture format, which allows data archiving and analysis using standard computer hardware and software. This will replace the present system, which is proprietary, and which is no longer able to be serviced by the vendor in the event of hardware or software failure. Core personnel have confirmed the superiority of the requested instrument by imaging local mice of interest during a demonstration of the instrument within the confines of the Cardiovascular Phenotype Core, and have affirmed that the requested instrument is uniquely capable of meeting the future needs of Users. Core personnel have also confirmed the ability to manage and analyze image data using open-source software and generic hardware. Substantial institutional support for this proposal includes the following commitments: waiver of overhead charges for the Core, assumption of the cost of the service contract, salary support for technical personnel, and trade-in of an existing imager housed in a closed lab, for the purpose of reducing the purchase cost to NIH. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Funding is requested to purchase equipment to image cardiovascular function in rodents which display salient genetic and physiologic features of human disease states. Application of this equipment will lead to improved understanding of the causes and treatments for diseases which cause major morbidity and mortality in humans.