In this planning grant we propose several engineering developments to advance Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) to replace MRI as the next-generation functional brain imaging tool for human neuroscience. We assemble a group of technology experts to solve a myriad of identified and unidentified barriers, we employ simulation and bench-top experiments to characterize and test solutions for these technical obstacles and validate solutions by bench testing specific sub-sections of the imager. Finally we simulate the overall performance of the planned device and assess its benefit for human functional brain imaging. MPI is a young but extremely promising technology that uses the nonlinear magnetic response of iron- oxide nanoparticles to localize their presence in the body. MPI directly detects the nanoparticle's magnetization rather than using secondary effects on the Magnetic Resonance relaxation times. Thus, while MPI and MRI share many technologies, the MPI method does not use the MR phenomena in any way. Our plan is to detect the activation-induced and resting-state changes in the iron-oxide concentration in the cerebral capillary network by monitoring the local iron oxide concentration (and thus local Cerebral Blood Volume, CBV). This CBV-contrast source is well-proven in animal and human fMRI studies which detect CBV changes by MRI using the same iron-oxide agents. But, by developing MPI as the detection modality, we show that there is a potential 120-fold increase in the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of neuronal activation. This astronomical detection benefit dwarfs any potential benefit envisioned by improving MRI technology. For example, given that the BOLD CNR scales with the square of the magnet strength, this increase in CNR would be equivalent to a 30 Tesla MRI scanner, which is clearly infeasible. We envision the sensitivity boon will have an instantaneous and revolutionary impact on neuroscience. It will eliminate the need to perform group averaging to see an activation or networks, bringing analysis to the individual level needed to impact clinical medicine. By improving the basic detection methodology by 100 fold, we hope to revolutionize non-invasive functional imaging methods applicable to the human brain in health and disease.

Public Health Relevance

In this planning grant, we will provide a roadmap that will allow us to develop Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) as a method for imaging the function of the human brain in health and disease. By producing a method that allows us to 'see' the brain in operation with a clarity of up to 100-fold higher than existing MRI based methods, we hope to significantly impact our understanding of disease mechanisms.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Resource-Related Research Projects (R24)
Project #
5R24MH106053-03
Application #
9085396
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZMH1)
Program Officer
Churchill, James D
Project Start
2014-09-26
Project End
2017-05-31
Budget Start
2016-06-01
Budget End
2017-05-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2016
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Massachusetts General Hospital
Department
Type
DUNS #
073130411
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
Lu, Kuan; Goodwill, Patrick; Zheng, Bo et al. (2018) Multi-Channel Acquisition for Isotropic Resolution in Magnetic Particle Imaging. IEEE Trans Med Imaging 37:1989-1998
Polak, Daniel; Setsompop, Kawin; Cauley, Stephen F et al. (2018) Wave-CAIPI for highly accelerated MP-RAGE imaging. Magn Reson Med 79:401-406
Cooley, Clarissa Zimmerman; Mandeville, Joseph B; Mason, Erica E et al. (2018) Rodent Cerebral Blood Volume (CBV) changes during hypercapnia observed using Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) detection. Neuroimage 178:713-720
Polimeni, Jonathan R; Wald, Lawrence L (2018) Magnetic Resonance Imaging technology-bridging the gap between noninvasive human imaging and optical microscopy. Curr Opin Neurobiol 50:250-260
Orendorff, Ryan; Peck, Austin J; Zheng, Bo et al. (2017) First in vivo traumatic brain injury imaging via magnetic particle imaging. Phys Med Biol 62:3501-3509
Tay, Zhi Wei; Hensley, Daniel W; Vreeland, Erika C et al. (2017) The Relaxation Wall: Experimental Limits to Improving MPI Spatial Resolution by Increasing Nanoparticle Core size. Biomed Phys Eng Express 3:
Yu, Elaine Y; Chandrasekharan, Prashant; Berzon, Ran et al. (2017) Magnetic Particle Imaging for Highly Sensitive, Quantitative, and Safe in Vivo Gut Bleed Detection in a Murine Model. ACS Nano 11:12067-12076
Yu, Elaine Y; Bishop, Mindy; Zheng, Bo et al. (2017) Magnetic Particle Imaging: A Novel in Vivo Imaging Platform for Cancer Detection. Nano Lett 17:1648-1654
Zheng, Bo; Goodwill, Patrick W; Dixit, Neerav et al. (2017) Optimal Broadband Noise Matching to Inductive Sensors: Application to Magnetic Particle Imaging. IEEE Trans Biomed Circuits Syst 11:1041-1052
Khandhar, A P; Keselman, P; Kemp, S J et al. (2017) Evaluation of PEG-coated iron oxide nanoparticles as blood pool tracers for preclinical magnetic particle imaging. Nanoscale 9:1299-1306

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