Throughout the development of in vivo NMR spectroscopy and imaging, there has been a push towards the utilization of higher field strengths and their inherent advantages of increases SNR and spatial and spectral resolution. However, only recently has it been demonstrated that the technical hurdles associated with high field NMR studies of humans can be overcome to accrue these advantages. This demonstration of the advantages of high field human NMR has in turn fueled the growth of high field (3 and T) systems. The majority of the users of these systems have focused their efforts on functional imaging of brain, with significantly less effort expended on the development and application of spectroscopic imaging, quantitative imaging and cardiac imaging into clinically useful protocols. To fully utilize the advantages of high field NMR in these areas, significant technological development and validation in meaningful clinical studies must occur. Therefore, the overall goal of this proposal is to develop a high field clinical NMR spectroscopy and imaging research resource. To achieve this goal we will focus on the development and implementation of : 1) advanced and novel methods to acquire unique data (such as the TA cycle rate, or ultra high temporal and spatial resolution functional images) which are either not possible or not routinely available on most commercial systems (both high and low field) and 2) enhance our ongoing clinical collaborations with novel methods for quantitative imaging and spectroscopy, thereby extending the state of the art in clinical NMR studies. Specifically, we will: 1) develop new spectroscopic imaging measurement to acquire ultra high redolution spectroscopic images of metabolites and map the TCA cycle rate: 2) improve the state of the art in rapid functional imaging through novel approaches of spiral scan imaging: 3) extend the current state of the art in high field imaging to permit quantitative imaging and its application in patients; 4) develop and implement clinically useful cardiac imaging methods; and 5) provide a common resource for the development of sophisticated metabolic modeling, experimental design and analysis software tools fro these protocols. These goals are intended to advance the state of the art in high field imaging and spectroscopy from a research curiousity to a powerful and clinically viable investigation tool.
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