The objective of this project is to develop novel, open-source, DICOM compliant, cross-platform software tools for reconstructing, quantifying and visualizing hyperpolarized MR data as driven by the HMTRC Collaborative Projects and to maintain, disseminate, and refine the SIVIC package to meet the broad needs of this rapidly expanding field. The unique challenges associated with the acquisition and interpretation of such data has meant that new strategies are required for reconstruction, quantitative analysis and integration with other imaging modalities. There are currently no commercial packages available to meet these needs. The dissemination of new methodologies and applications being investigated by TR&D1 and TR&D2 is critically dependent upon having a rapid feedback between theoretical concept, experiment and interpretation of results. The progress that TR&D3 has made in the last three years in satisfying these requirements has been a major factor in meeting the needs of the Research, Collaborative and Service Projects. The SIVIC package and new, custom designed capabilities have been disseminated through one-on-one interactions, in highly successful, hands-on sessions at the HMTRC workshops and using the comprehensive on-line portal. In translating the hyperpolarized C-13 technology from in vitro to pre-clinical and human studies, we have identified several areas where new approaches would have a major impact for our users. In the next funding cycle we propose to accelerate the pace of discovery and translation in three main areas:
Aim 1 : To expand and enhance the capabilities of the SIVIC software package to support development, analysis and validation of the new data acquisition strategies being developed in TR&D1 and TR&D2.
Aim 2 : To develop new algorithms and pipelines for analyzing hyperpolarized MR data for applications that are being driven by investigators in the Collaborative and Service Projects.
Aim 3 : To disseminate, support and provide ongoing refinements for software tools, analysis methods and novel algorithms being developed in SIVIC for interpretation of hyperpolarized MR data for the Research, Collaborative and Service Projects, as well as the broader research community.
The purpose of this TR&D project is to develop and distribute novel software tools for acquiring, reconstructing, and post-processing hyperpolarized C-13 MR metabolic imaging and spectral data. Driven by the needs of our Collaborative Projects, we will implement new capabilities that are based upon the SIVIC platform, are accessible to non-experts, and will allow rapid dissemination of this exciting technology to the Service Projects and the broader research community.
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