The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Small Animal Cancer Research Imaging Facility is a core institutional resource that provides imaging instrumentation and operational support for investigations that require imaging based measurement of small animal models of cancer. A four channel, 4.7T Bruker Biospec experimental NMR/MRI scanner is a major component of this program. This instrument is highly utilized with significant demand for the imaging of larger numbers of animals. The objective of this proposal is to implement and evaluate parallel imaging strategies that accelerate datacquisition rates, thereby reducing scan times, increasing the number of animals that can be scanned per unit time, allowing greater access to the instrument, and reducing the overall cost per data point incurred to investigators through facility charge back policies. Parallel acquisition strategies will be implemented that allow the simultaneous acquisition of imaging data from several animals at once. A very simple implementation of an array of volume coils, manufactured entirely from components that are commercially available will be assembled and evaluated in terms of application limitations and overall increase in animal throughput. Such a straightforward configuration would allow UTMDACC and virtually any site with multichannel capabilities to immediately achieve high-resolution imaging of multiple volumes with minimal investment in development time. This collaborative effort has been established between UTMDACC and Bruker Biospin MRI out of common interest in enhancing throughput using these instruments.
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