High Field MRI Scanner for Animal Studies

University Of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston, Houston TX

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application seeks funding for a 7 Tesla, 30 cm bore magnetic resonance (MR) scanner for in vivo imaging and spectroscopy of small animals. This scanner will be housed in the University of Texas-Houston Medical School, which is located in the Texas Medical Center, home of four major research institutions and five major hospitals. Small animals ranging from mice to rhesus monkeys can be studied with this scanner. This instrument will be equipped with three imaging gradient coils that are capable of generating maximum gradient strengths of 200 mT/m, 400 mT/m, and 950 mT/m with slew rates ranging from 80 ps to 200 ps. The strong and fast gradients allow implementation of advanced techniques such as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and perfusion, all based on ultrafast imaging. The high field along with a high performance gradient system should allow the implementation of a variety of sophisticated in vivo imaging, including MR angiography (MRA) and spectroscopic techniques at short echo times. Three volume resonators of varying sizes (152 mm, 112 mm, and 35 mm id) will be included with this scanner. Multiple tuned RF coils and receivers necessary for performing in vivo, localized (single voxel and multi-voxel) multi-nuclear (1H, 13C, 19F, and 31P) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) will also be included. In the current application eight major projects are described. The projects are: (1) spinal cord injuries in rats; (2) chronic pain in spinal cord injury in rats; (3) brain structure-functional relationship in rhesus monkeys; (4) calcium blockers and related therapy for cerebral ischemia in rats; (5) etiology of cellular damage after experimental stroke in rats; (6) role of ACC2 in the regulation of fatty acid oxidation and lipid metabolism in mice; (7) MRI and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies in genetically engineered mice for a rational interpretation of the observed dynamic neurochemical changes and directional water diffusion in multiple sclerosis (MS) in humans; (8) genetic approaches to mitochondrial VDAC function in mice; (9) vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques in Apo-E deficient mice; and (10) glucose metabolism in central and peripheral systems in rats. Eight of these ten projects are based on NIH funded grants and the other two are federally funded studies. Institutional commitment and plans for long term maintenance of this instrument are documented. Organizational and financial plans for administering and maintaining the scanner are described. To the best of the PI's knowledge, this will be the only facility of its kind in Houston and the Southwest part of the USA.