University of Pittsburgh
Grant: $2,000,000 - National Institutes of Health - Apr. 28, 2009
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Award Description: A clinical animal MR imager designed for translational research: the 7T Clinscan' Summary: The purpose of this American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) award 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 is part of a new small animal magnetic imaging (MRI) product line offered jointly by Bruker and Siemans. The ClinScan systems are clinically oriented animal MRI scanners designed for translational research and molecular imaging. This system is designed for the fast transfer of preclinical studies on animal models to clinical studies on humans and back again. The ClinScan uses the clinical user interface syngo(r) and this makes its operation identical to the 7T and two 3T Siemens MAGNETOM TIM human 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. In addition to the standard features, this system includes methods for flow quantification including the measurement of mean and maximum velocity of blood flow, vessel view including the automatic determination and measurement of vessel cross-sections, inline diffusion and perfusion including diffusion and dynamic susceptibility contrast and single shot EPI for perfusion, diffusion weighted, and multidirectional diffusion imaging with neuro perfusion evaluation packages for time to peak (delay in contrast bolus arrival) relative cerebral blood volume, mean transit time, and cerebral blood flow, perfusion weighted maps and arterial input functions. Additional features also include inline bold imaging including a functional imaging package with gradient echo single shot EPI and retrospective motion correction. A spectroscopy package is also included in the quote with ultra short echo time (< 10 ms) capabilities, single voxel spectroscopy, and both 2 and 3 D CSI. The additional research package enables the use of multivoxel spectroscopy and intracellular sodium imaging methods being installed on the human systems to be added to the animal system. 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 micro 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 the maximum tolerate dose (MTD) and predict minimal biologic effective doses. 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. Thus research obtained through the implementation of the research agreements package on both the animal and human systems allow for the rapid adaptation of any new method designed on one machine to be easily transferred to the other machine and visa versa. 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.
Project Description: The overall purpose of this ARRA award is the purchase of a 7 tesla Clinscan MRI instrument. A number of significant deliverables are associated with the project. Prior to ordering the instrument the site must be renovated. This requires architectural and engineering analysis and drawings. Once these are obtained then both the construction must be completed and the instrument ordered. This provides at least for sets of deliverables or expected outputs and outcomes: Architectural and engineering diagrams; reports and analyses of the magnetic field fluctuations of the site; completed construction of the instrument site, and instrument delivery. During the present quarter the University of Pittsburgh has leverage the funding from the ARRA by hiring an architectural firm to provide us with the lowest cost option for siting the magnet. This has provided a set of blue prints outlining the new site for the instrument and what needs to be done to add this site to the barrier of the animal facility. The representative from the MRI instrument company has come and analyzed the site and provided a report indicating that the site was acceptable. That is we have received the first two outputs or deliverables associated with this project.
Jobs Summary: Equipment award - no vendor jobs to report at this time. (Total jobs reported: 0)
Project Status: Less Than 50% Completed
This award's data was last updated on Apr. 28, 2009. Help expand these official descriptions using the wiki below.
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