Development of quantitative MRI and PET techniques for biological applications

磁共振成像是研究组织基本特性的最通用的成像技术之一。其固有的非侵入性特性使其特别适合研究人类和动物生物学。虽然它可以生成具有非常高的空间分辨率的图像，但其灵敏度有些有限。正电子发射断层扫描是一种成像技术，使用专门设计的放射性示踪剂在分子水平上研究特定的生物过程。与MRI不同，PET成像非常敏感;然而，它的空间分辨率有限。由于MRI和PET通常提供互补的信息，因此对同一动物进行MRI/PET联合研究将提供比单独使用每种技术手段显著提高的研究能力。建议研究计划的长远目标是发展定量MRI和PET技术，以及MRI/PET组合技术在生物应用方面的实验装置。建立在同一动物上几乎同时进行MRI/PET研究的实验装置.建立定量T2 MRI技术，研究动物中枢神经系统中水的物理性质.发展及应用定量磁共振成像技术，以测量活体内的血流。拟议的研究计划旨在扩展在动物生理学多方面的非侵入性研究领域的研究能力。定量，多模式的非侵入性成像技术在整个程序开发将有助于扩大我们的正常和病变组织的生物学的理解。此外，该方案将提供极好的机会，培养研究生和博士后研究员在一个跨学科的环境。

Magnetic Resonance Imaging is one of the most versatile imaging techniques for studying fundamental properties of tissue. Its intrinsically non-invasive character makes it particularly suitable to study human and animal biology. Although it can generate images with very high spatial resolution, its sensitivity is somewhat limited. Positron Emission Tomography is an imaging technique that uses specially designed radiotracers to study specific biological processes at a molecular level. Unlike MRI, PET imaging is very sensitive; however it suffers from limited spatial resolution. Since MRI and PET provide often complementary information, carrying out combined MRI/PET studies on the same animal will provide research capability that is significantly improved over the means of each technique alone. Long term objective of the proposed research programme is to develop quantitative MRI and PET techniques and experimental setup for the combined MRI/PET technology for biological applications.Short term objectives of the proposed research are:1. To develop experimental setup for nearly simultaneous MRI/PET studies in the same animal.2. To develop quantitative T2 MRI techniques to study physical properties of water in animal Central Nervous System.3. To develop and implement quantitative MRI techniques for blood flow measurements in vivo.The proposed programme aims to expand research capabilities in the area of non-invasive studies of many aspects of animal physiology. Quantitative, multi-modal non-invasive imaging technology developed throughout this programme will help to broaden our understanding of biology of normal and diseased tissue. In addition this programme will provide excellent opportunities for training graduate students and post-doctoral fellows in an interdisciplinary environment.