A 7 Tesla MRI Scanner for Small Animal Imaging Research

描述（由申请人提供）：申请高端仪器拨款支持，以资助购买最先进的布鲁克Biospec 7特斯拉，20厘米，孔径小动物MRI扫描仪和相关硬件和软件，以加强，推进和刺激nih资助的波士顿儿童医院（CHB）基础科学研究。该仪器将包括SAIL的一个新的关键组成部分，即CHB的小动物成像实验室。在SAIL现有的小动物成像仪器套件（微pet、微ct和小动物超声）中增加这台仪器将极大地扩展该设施的能力，并使其能够履行为基础科学研究界提供小动物成像支持的使命。该仪器将扩展CHB研究任务的能力，允许研究人员1)获得软组织的高对比度图像，以原位测量原位脑肿瘤模型的进展；2)通过扩散、灌注和血流显像检查抗血管生成等治疗对肿瘤模型的影响以及大鼠幼崽缺氧/缺血性脑损伤的程度；3)利用磁共振波谱（MRS）研究心肌肥大时的心肌能量学，骨质疏松症和骨软化症时的骨矿化，用1H和31P（及其他）核进行磁共振波谱（MRS）研究；4)进行高空间分辨率弥散张量成像（DTI）研究，以确定这些疾病的动物模型中与结节性硬化症（TSC）和先天性颅神经支配障碍（ccdd）相关的神经元连接错误连接的程度。在许多情况下，这些项目将利用微型pet和小动物MRI相结合来获得互补的功能和解剖数据。将受益于这些新功能的研究部门包括血管生物学、心脏病学、心脏外科、神经生物学、传染病学、骨科、病理学、麻醉学、血液学/肿瘤学和放射学。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): High End Instrumentation Grant support is requested to fund the purchase of a state- of-the-art Bruker Biospec 7 Tesla, 20 cm, bore small animal MRI scanner and the associated hardware and software necessary to enhance, advance, and stimulate NIH-funded basic science research at Children's Hospital Boston (CHB). This instrument will comprise a new and critical component of SAIL, the Small Animal Imaging Laboratory at CHB. The addition of this instrument to the suite of small animal imaging instrumentation currently available in SAIL (microPET, microCT, and small animal ultrasound) will greatly expand the capabilities of the facility and allowing it to fulfill its mission of providing small animal imaging support to the basic science research community. This instrument will extend the capabilities of the CHB research mission by allowing researchers 1) to obtain high-contrast images of soft tissue to measure progression of orthotopic brain tumor models in situ; 2) to perform diffusion, perfusion, and flow imaging to examine the effects of anti-angiogenic and other therapies in tumor models and the degree of hypoxic/ischemic cerebral injury in rat pups; 3) to use magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to study cardiac muscle energetics in myocardial hypertrophy and bone mineralization in osteoporosis and osteomalacia and perform magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies with 1H and 31P (and other) nuclei; and 4) to perform high spatial resolution diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies to determine the degree of miswiring of neuronal connections associated with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and congenital cranial dysinnervation disorders (CCDDs) in animal models of these conditions. In many cases, these projects will utilize a combination of microPET and small animal MRI to obtain complementary functional and anatomic data. The research departments that will benefit from these new capabilities will include Vascular Biology, Cardiology, Cardiac Surgery, Neurobiology, Infectious Disease, Orthopedics, Pathology, Anesthesiology, Hematology/Oncology, and Radiology. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: In the 20th century, research at CHB was instrumental in eradicating diseases that had, in many cases, threatened children for hundreds of years. Today, CHB researchers are again leading the way in research areas such as cancer, infectious disease, and genetics using state-of-the art small animal imaging tools (including the instrument requested here) to advance these fields. The deployment of a small animal MRI scanner at CHB will dramatically enhance small animal imaging capabilities at CHB, accelerating basic science research efforts, ensuring similarly spectacular progress well into the 21st century.