The purpose of this grant application 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 has the same field strength and operating system as the 7T and two 3T human MR imaging 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 which makes the machine a key instrument in the ability to translate animal research into the clinic. 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 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.Public Health Relevance
