The University of Pennsylvania seeks to acquire a Varian INOVA console for a GE 4T whole-body MRI scanner. The current GE console on the 4T system is outdated, and there is no user interest or funds for upgrading it to the latest version. The instrument is dedicated 100 percent to research, and it will operate 100 percent of the time with the proposed Varian console. There will be seven major user programs, 15 Principal Investigators, supported by 23 NIH grants ($9,368,824 current year, $40,095,857 funding cycle). The proposed console will facilitate translation to clinical applications of unique pulse sequences developed for studies of small animals on experimental Varian INOVA spectrometers and other instruments both at Penn and at other institutions. Programming pulse sequences on the GE console has been prohibitively difficult and time consuming and has impeded progress on critical projects ultimately directed at detection and treatment of human diseases. Access to clinical instruments is currently saturated and is inadequate to support the user projects. Many of the projects require accessories for simultaneous near infrared imaging, electroencephalography (EEG or ERP) and inmagnet exercise routines that cannot be performed in clinical instruments. Placement of a Varian console on a 4T instrument will greatly facilitate development of clinical spectroscopy and imaging applications relevant to arthritis, cancer, neurological disorders, gene therapy of muscular dystrophy and lysosomal storage diseases, and basic human physiology. For instance, Project I focuses on translation to human subjects of single and multiple quantum Na MRI and 1H MRI of cartilage developed on animal models of arthritis. Project II is directed at prediction and detection of human tumors to chemotherapy and radiation in humans with non- Hodgkin's lymphoma and head and neck cancer and selection of melanoma patients for isolated limb perfusion/ chemotherapy/hyperthermia. Proton MRS/MRI lactate and choline imaging require programming of special pulse sequences, and 31P MRS requires the improved resolution and sensitivity achieved at high field. Project 5 involves the development of simultaneous MRI/MRS and NIR on human subjects for examination of muscle physiology during in-magnet exercise, functional imaging of adolescent brains during cognitive task performance and detection of breast cancer. This project requires access to a dedicated research instrument in order to develop these dual imaging and imaging-exercise capabilities. Muscle 31P MRS studies need 4T for the resolution required to monitor specific muscle fibers, Each of the other four project areas will similarly benefit from access to the 4T equipped with the new console.
