CONSOLE FOR 10.5 TESLA WHOLE BODY MRI SYSTEM

描述(申请人提供)：在过去的二十年里，大量的磁共振(MR)技术，如功能磁共振成像(FMRI)、灌注成像、磁共振波谱等，在生物医学研究和临床实践中发挥了不可或缺的作用。在我们的实验室，明尼苏达大学磁共振研究中心(CMRR)，这种方法的发展一直与高场磁共振的发展错综复杂地联系在一起，从1990年的4特斯拉(T)(几乎同时安装的前三个系统之一)和1999年的7特斯拉(第一个这样的系统)开始，最终导致研究界和临床磁共振平台制造商对7T的兴趣迅速增长。由于信噪比(SNR)和对比度机制的综合提高，在超高场可以实现的显著改善，现在预计在这种磁场下的成像也将影响临床实践，这样的“临床”扫描仪是不可避免的。这项提议的目的是通过建立10.5特斯拉(~450 MHz质子频率)的磁共振成像和光谱分析仪器来进一步探索这些成果，并进一步推动磁共振研究的边界，该仪器具有足够大的口径(净口径83厘米)，可以对人脑以及人体躯干和四肢进行研究。10.5T比目前最常见的超高场平台(即7特斯拉)有显著增加。目前世界上还不存在这样的工具。一个11.7T、68厘米直径(~500 MHz)的“纯磁头”系统计划用于NIH内部研究，法国的一项主要工作旨在开发一个基于更大口径磁铁的类似系统。我们提出要求的理由主要来自我们的实验室，即(I)超高场提供了在较低磁场下无法获得的独特信息，(Ii)这种信息不仅可以在人脑中获得，而且在适当的技术发展后，也可以在人体躯干和四肢中获得，以及(Iii)这种信息对基础生物医学和转化研究以及临床医学都很有用。如果成功，这笔HEI赠款将把这种先进的仪器放在一个由生物技术研究中心(BTRC)资助的实验室，用于高场磁共振研究，以及一个拥有适当的跨学科专业知识和基础设施的实验室，以最大限度地利用它。认识到这一点，明尼苏达大学将提供资金购买磁铁，并建造必要的空间来安装它。这笔HEI赠款要求提供资金，用于将磁铁转换为集成磁共振系统的其余设备，以及适当的射频和磁场屏蔽。) 公共卫生相关性：自发现以来，磁共振成像(MRI)作为一种诊断工具，在临床医学和生物医学研究中发挥着不可或缺的作用，旨在了解人类疾病的正常器官功能和机制。这项提议旨在通过建立一台10.5特斯拉磁共振成像和光谱分析仪器来进一步推动磁共振技术的边界，该仪器具有足够大的口径(净口径83厘米)，可以在人体上进行研究。该仪器将是世界上第一台此类仪器，也是可用于人脑以及人体躯干和四肢研究的最高领域。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In the last two decades, a plethora of magnetic resonance (MR) techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), perfusion imaging, MR spectroscopy, etc. have come to play an indispensable role in biomedical research, as well as in clinical practice. In our laboratory, the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR) at the University of Minnesota, the evolution of such methods has been intricately tied with the development of high field MR, starting with 4 Tesla (T) in 1990 (one of first three installed at about the same time) and 7 Tesla in 1999 (the first such system), ultimately leading to the rapidly growing interest in 7 T both in the research community and the manufacturers of clinical MR platforms. Based on the dramatic improvements that can be realized at the ultrahigh fields due to combined gains in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast mechanisms, it is now anticipated that imaging at this magnetic field will also impact clinical practice and that such a "clinical" scanner is inevitable. The aim of this proposal is to explore these gains further and push the boundaries of MR research further by establishing a 10.5 Tesla (~450 MHz proton frequency) MR imaging and spectroscopy instrument with sufficiently large bore size (83 cm clear bore) to perform studies on the human brain as well as the human torso and extremities. 10.5 T represents a significant increase over the current, most commonly available ultrahigh field platform, i.e. 7 Tesla. No such instrument currently exists in the world. An 11.7 T, 68 cm bore (~500 MHz) "head only" system is planned for NIH intramural research and a major effort in France aims to develop a similar system based on a larger bore magnet. The rational for our request is based on the demonstration, largely coming from our laboratory, that (i) ultrahigh fields provide unique information that is not available at lower magnetic fields, (ii) such information can be obtained not only in the human brain but, with appropriate technological developments, in the human torso and extremities as well, and (iii) such information is useful both for basic biomedical and translational research as well as for clinical medicine. If successful, this HEI grant will place this advanced instrument in a laboratory that is funded as a Biotechnology Research Center (BTRC) for high field MR research and a laboratory with appropriate interdisciplinary expertise and infrastructure to maximally utilize it. Recognizing this, the University of Minnesota will provide the funds to acquire the magnet and build the necessary space to install it. Funds are requested in this HEI grant for the rest of the equipment to convert the magnet into an integrated MR system and for the appropriate RF and magnetic field shielding. ) PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Since its discovery, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has come to play an indispensible role in clinical medicine as a diagnostic tool and in biomedical research aimed at understanding normal organ functions and mechanisms underlying human diseases. This proposal aims to push the boundaries of MR technology further by establishing a 10.5 Tesla MR imaging and spectroscopy instrument with sufficiently large bore size (83 cm clear bore) to perform studies on the human body. This instrument will be first of its kind in the world and the highest field available for research in both the human brain as well as the human torso and extremities.