REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

In the last two decades, a plethora of magnetic resonance (MR) techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), perfusion imaging, MR spectroscopy, etc. have come to play an indispensable role in biomedical research, as well as in clinical practice. In our laboratory, the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR) at the University of Minnesota, the evolution of such methods has been intricately tied with the development of high field MR, starting with 4 Tesla (T) in 1990 (one of first three installed at about the same time) and 7 Tesla in 1999 (the first such system), ultimately leading to the rapidly growing interest in 7 T both in the research community and the manufacturers of clinical MR platforms. Based on the dramatic improvements that can be realized at the ultrahigh fields due to combined gains in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast mechanisms, it is now anticipated that imaging at this magnetic field will also impact clinical practice and that such a "clinical" scanner is inevitable. The aim of this proposal is to explore these gains further and push the boundaries of MR research further by establishing a 10.5 Tesla (~450 MHz proton frequency) MR imaging and spectroscopy instrument with sufficiently large bore size (83 cm clear bore) to perform studies on the human brain as well as the human torso and extremities. 10.5 T represents a significant increase over the current, most commonly available ultrahigh field platform, i.e. 7 Tesla. No such instrument currently exists in the world. An 11.7 T, 68 cm bore (~500 MHz) "head only" system is planned for NIH intramural research and a major effort in France aims to develop a similar system based on a larger bore magnet. The rational for our request is based on the demonstration, largely coming from our laboratory, that (i) ultrahigh fields provide unique information that is not available at lower magnetic fields, (ii) such information can be obtained not only in the human brain but, with appropriate technological developments, in the human torso and extremities as well, and (iii) such information is useful both for basic biomedical and translational research as well as for clinical medicine. If successful, this HEI grant will place this advanced instrument in a laboratory that is funded as a Biotechnology Research Center (BTRC) for high field MR research and a laboratory with appropriate interdisciplinary expertise and infrastructure to maximally utilize it. Recognizing this, the University of Minnesota will provide the funds to acquire the magnet and build the necessary space to install it. Funds are requested in this HEI grant for the rest of the equipment to convert the magnet into an integrated MR system and for the appropriate RF and magnetic field shielding. ) PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Since its discovery, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has come to play an indispensible role in clinical medicine as a diagnostic tool and in biomedical research aimed at understanding normal organ functions and mechanisms underlying human diseases. This proposal aims to push the boundaries of MR technology further by establishing a 10.5 Tesla MR imaging and spectroscopy instrument with sufficiently large bore size (83 cm clear bore) to perform studies on the human body. This instrument will be first of its kind in the world and the highest field available for research in both the human brain as well as the human torso and extremities.

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