A Diamond system for real-time metabolic imaging

描述（由申请人提供）：我们建议购买GE Diamond动态核极化（DNP）系统，供7家具有良好合作记录的主要机构共享使用。该系统是使用超极化13C MRI对人类受试者进行体内代谢研究所必需的。此类研究具有揭示实时代谢信息的潜力，这些信息是使用任何其他成像或非成像方式无法实现的。提取这些信息将为在各种严重疾病的检测、分类和治疗方面取得重大进展铺平道路。虽然最近的研究表明，超极化13C MRI已经准备好应用于临床环境，但宾夕法尼亚大学目前使用的极化仪器存在固有的缺陷，这些缺陷正在削弱宾夕法尼亚大学和其他重要机构的研究人员将这项技术转化为人类受试者的能力。这些偏振器不能产生足够数量的偏振光样品，也不能维持足够的无菌条件以供人类研究。钻石偏光片纠正了这两个主要缺陷，同时也展示了其他几个优点。在宾夕法尼亚大学安装这一尖端系统将利用我们的功能和代谢成像小组在研究超极化MRI方面的丰富经验和技能，这是我们已经追求了近二十年的研究领域。该系统最初将由7家机构用于19个美国国立卫生研究院资助的项目，其中包括来自宾夕法尼亚大学、费城儿童医院、耶鲁大学、纽约大学、约翰霍普金斯大学、弗吉尼亚大学和天普大学的50多名研究人员。这些大学中受益的院系包括放射肿瘤学、放射学、生物学、药理学和耳鼻喉科。尽管这些机构对超极化13C MRI有很大的兴趣，但目前都没有必要的仪器来进行转化研究。宾夕法尼亚大学正在与这些不同机构和其他地方的许多各方合作，以确定和解决与设施访问、技术问题、专业知识和协议有关的任何挑战。该系统将被放置在宾夕法尼亚大学放射科，并将由一个由PI、共同调查员和主要用户组成的内部咨询委员会进行管理和指导。我们期望该设施对超极化13C研究的临床接受度和有效性产生广泛而持续的影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose the purchase of a GE Diamond dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) system for the shared use of 7 major institutions with well-established records of collaboration. This system is necessary for state-of-the-art in-vivo metabolic studies on human subjects using hyperpolarized 13C MRI. Such studies have the potential to reveal real-time metabolic information-data unachievable using any other imaging or non-imaging modality. Extracting this information will pave the way for significant progress in the detection, classification, and treatment of a wide range of serious disorders. While recent studies have indicated that hyperpolarized 13C MRI is ready to be applied to clinical settings, the polarization instruments currently in use at the University of Pennsylvania possess inherent shortcomings that are undermining the ability of researchers from Penn and other important institutions to translate this technique to human subjects. These polarizers do not produce sufficient quantities of polarized sample or maintain sufficiently sterile conditions to enable human studies. The Diamond polarizer corrects both of these major deficiencies while also exhibiting several other advantages. Installing this cutting-edge system at Penn will take advantage of the abundant experience and skill of our Functional and Metabolic Imaging Group in studying hyperpolarized MRI, a field of research that we have been pursuing for almost two decades. The system will initially be used by 7 institutions to carry out 19 NIH-funded projects featuring over 50 investigators from the University of Pennsylvania, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Yale University, New York University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Virginia, and Temple University. Departments within these universities that will benefit include radiation oncology, radiology, biology, pharmacology, and otolaryngology. None of these institutions currently possess the required instrumentation to pursue translational research in hyperpolarized 13C MRI, despite having substantial interest in the field. Penn is collaborating with a number of parties at these various institutions and elsewhere to identify and solve any challenges relating to facility access, technical issues, expertise, and protocol. The system will be placed in Penn's Department of Radiology and will be managed and directed by an internal advisory committee composed of the PI, co-investigators, and principal users. We expect the facility to have a broad and ongoing impact on the clinical acceptance and effectiveness of hyperpolarized 13C research.