MRI technology for MR-guided therapies and surgeries in the AMIGO suite is unique. While the therapies and surgeries have the need for fast dynamic MRI as in past interventional MRI applications, the MR technology in the AMIGO suite also can benefit from information coming from other imaging modalities. Due to the number of high technology tools readily available to the interventionalist during procedures in the AMIGO suite, a premium is placed on designing the suite's tools'combined capabilities while preventing the technical aspects of use from becoming overwhelming to the interventionalist during a procedure. There must be information integration and ease of use without information overload to fully take advantage of the AMIGO suite. For this reason we propose an implementation-focused project. This project's dynamic MRI research is directed specifically at MRI needs posed by the unique aspects of the AMIGO suite. The project's main objective is to translate the latest 3D dynamic imaging technical advances - specifically published (previously characterized) techniques in Parallel MRI and reduced field-of-view methods - into practical functions on the 3T 16-channel MRI scanner that will be part of our AMIGO suite. The main objective will be accomplished taking advantage of available information from other imaging modalities, and implementing the functionality to address the AMIGO-specific features mentioned above. The imaging technical goal of this research is for high resolution, sub-second 3D imaging individually tailored for the applications of: MR-guided neurosurgery, prostate therapy, and robotic needle / probe placement. The implementations will be tested and evaluated by performing experiments with gel phantoms healthy adult volunteers and in vivo, working with Project 1, while immediate translation into IRB-certified human tests is possible under other funding and a currently active IRB. A major portion of the advanced technology that we will implement will contribute to forming a fully Broadband MRI (BbMRI) scanner in the AMIGO suite. BbMRI refers to a fully integrated scanner hardware and software system for fast, continuous 3D dynamic MR data acquisition in which each system component transmits or receives a broad band of spatial frequency information. This research is relevant to the public health in that it aims to implement improved dynamic imaging methods for continuous 'tv-like1 imaging, using the most advanced physics and computer technology. The Project aims to bring the new methods directly into the hospital so they are available to those in need. The research also aims to make this new technology easily usable for the physicians so they can better excel in their tasks of detection and diagnosis.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 187 publications
