4 Tesla Whole Body MRI MRSI System for Investigation of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Abstract
The overall long-term goal of imaging research to be performed with this 4 Tesla Siemens/Bruker MRI system is the development of improved diagnostic methods for accurate detection of neurodegenerative disease and responses to treatment. The 4T MRI system was installed and accepted at the end of December last year. During the past months, our physicists mainly focused on developing and testing new imaging sequences and on implementing a comprehensive imaging protocol to acquire pilot data on healthy volunteers and patients. The main research accomplishments were successful implementation of several key imaging techniques, especially high resolution structural MRI to study hippocampal subfields and volumetric arterial labeling perfusion MRT to measure brain function. Data obtained on a limited number of healthy volunteers (n=49) and a few patients (n=l5) indicate that the system performs within specifications and provides by far superior MRT quality than low field MRT systems. However, the gain in sensitivity to detect neurodegenerative disorders needs to be determined on more subjects. Our plans for the coming year are to study more subjects with the protocols currently implemented. In addition, our physicists will continue developing and refining perfusion, diffusion, functional, and susceptibility weighted imaging techniques and improving tools for data processing.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA438497
Entities
People
- Michael W. Weiner
Organizations
- Northern California Institute for Research and Education