A clinical animal MR imager designed for translational research: the 7T Clinscan

描述（由申请人提供）：本资助申请的目的是提供资金，用于购买具有额外研究能力的小动物临床磁共振（MR）成像仪。该仪器为7T ClinscanTM，其场强和操作系统与磁共振研究中心（MMRC）的7T和两个3T人体MR成像系统相同。该系统的关键部件是16个并行接收通道和操作系统，使机器成为将动物研究转化为临床的关键仪器。该仪器的临床性质提供了新的MRI生物标志物，用于在临床前研究阶段监测肿瘤对新癌症治疗的反应。研究能力使MRRC开发的用于采集MR图像的新方法成为可能，该方法提供了极高的空间和时间分辨率，同时通过使用超短（< 500 <s）回波时间来减少磁化率的贡献。这使我们能够在更高的场强下收集与肿瘤及其血管相关的生理数据。这将使我们能够确定这些化合物的最大耐受剂量（MTD）并预测最小生物有效剂量。将阐明肿瘤成像与生物效应的相关性（弛豫DCE MRI和MRI&S），并将其应用于识别用于人类的早期治疗反应的相关性。动物成像仪和安置在MRRC中的人类成像仪的操作系统的一对一身份使得在两台机器之间高效地转移新的成像脉冲序列。仪器之间的这种转换无法在基本的布鲁克研究仪器上完成。事实上，Clinscan是唯一一款专为转化研究设计的MRI。 公共卫生相关性：该仪器是一种关键的平移仪器，可实现从工作台到床边再返回。通过能够识别MTD，诱导生物学反应的最高剂量，并识别早期肿瘤对治疗反应的成像相关性，我们可以识别那些无反应的患者，使他们更早地接受更有效的治疗，减少不必要的使人衰弱的副作用，并降低治疗的总成本。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this grant application is to provide funds towards the purchase of a small animal clinical magnetic resonance (MR) imager with additional research capabilities. The instrument is a 7T ClinscanTM which has the same field strength and operating system as the 7T and two 3T human MR imaging systems housed at the Magnetic Resonance Research Center (MMRC). The key components of this system are the 16 parallel receive channels and the operating system which makes the machine a key instrument in the ability to translate animal research into the clinic. The clinical nature of the instrument provides new MRI biomarkers for monitoring the response of tumors to new cancer treatments in a preclinical phase of research. The research capability enables new methods for acquiring MR images that were developed at the MRRC and which provide for collecting images with extremely high spatial and temporal resolution while allowing for the reduced contribution from susceptibility by using ultrashort (< 500 <s) echo times. This lets us collect physiological data relevant to tumors and their blood vessels at this higher field strength. This will allow us to determine maximum tolerate dose (MTD) and predict minimal biologic effective doses for these compounds. Tumor-imaging correlates of biologic effect (relaxivity DCE MRI and MRI&S) will be clarified, and applied in identifying correlates of early treatment response for use in humans. The one to one identity of the operating systems of the animal imager and the human imagers housed at the MRRC make shifting new imaging pulse sequences between the two machines highly efficient. This sort of translation between instruments cannot be accomplished on a basic Bruker Research instrument. In fact the Clinscan is the only MRI designed for translational research. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This instrument is a key translational instrument and enables bench to bedside and back again. By being able to identify MTD, the highest dose that induces a biological response, and identify imaging correlates of early tumor response to treatment we can identify those non responding patients, move them onto more effective therapies earlier, reduce needless exposure to debilitating side effects, and reduce the overall cost of treatment.