We propose the purchase of a self-shielded magnetic gradient package to update our General Electric NMR CSI 2-Tesla Imager/Spectrometer system. The gradient upgrade consists of high-strength (7 Gauss/cm) self-shielded X,Y, and Z gradient coils, new gradient amplifiers, and a higher resolution digital interface to the existing NMR instrument. The present unshielded magnetic-gradient system is subject to severe eddy- current distortions, which generate artifacts in both localized volume NMR spectroscopy and in short echo-time imaging. In addition, their low field- strength (+/-2 Gauss/cm) prevents high-resolution, small field-of-view imaging. The gradient upgrade will solve both problems. Currently, researchers must devote a substantial portion (often over half) of their allocated NMR instrument time to data analysis, since the CSI is a single user system, and users its computer hardware and software for both acquisition and general purpose computer in the Imaging Research Laboratory. This instrument in the Imaging Research Laboratory constitutes a shared facility whose operations is audited and managed according to University policy.
