Although the Trio systems have served as the primary high-end research system for Siemens 3T MRI users for the past decade, the system is no longer state of the art. In addition to limitations with regards to numbers of receivers, gradient performance and SNR, the reconstruction computers and computational pipeline were designed prior to the development of multi-band methods and are prone to failure, which results in data loss. To address these limitations the Prisma line, was developed as part of the Human Connectome project. The Prisma line features a new gradient system capable of twice the amplitude and twice the slew rate. This is critical for: 1) minimizing readout times for high resolution EPI based imaging (fMRI and DTI) to reduce spatial distortion; 2) minimizing TE for DTI studies, to maximize SNR. The Prisma system also features new receiver technologies; 3) moving the initial mixing stage to the RF coil along with 4) high density signal encoding (two receive channels in one) improving both intrinsic SNR and enabling higher channel count coils. While the gradient speed improvements enable higher resolution fMRI and DTI measures of connectivity, the receiver improvements are critical to return the SNR exchanged for higher resolution imaging. Finally, the Prisma system offers (5) 64-channel capability and head coils. The higher channel count enables higher multi-band factors to be used that are necessary to minimize acquisition times to improve statistical power for fMRI and resting state acquisitions. In summary, the Prisma system was designed as part of the Human Connectome project to advance the state of the art for fMRI and DTI imaging of the brain. As such, it has set the standard for human imaging work going forwards. The Magnetic Resonance Research Center (MRRC) is located on the 8th floor of Presbyterian Hospital on the Medical Campus for the University of Pittsburgh with more than 12000sq of space. Currently the MRRC acquires MRI data for more than 50 different active projects from more than 40 investigators in 10 different departments at the University of Pittsburgh and collaborating institutions. The vast majority of these projects, greater than 80%, are focused on neuroimaging, with the vast majority of those utilizing task based fMRI, resting state fMRI, diffusion tensor imaging and tractography to evaluate the relationship between brain structure, function and behavior across a variety of patient groups. Many of these studies are carried out with the Department of Psychiatry, which is internationally recognized for its excellence in both academic and clinical medicine, ranking 1st in NIH funding (2015 report), with the Medical School as a whole ranking 9th in NIH funding. Thus the Prisma system with its roots in the Connectome project was designed to carryout the very work that our center is focused on and supports.
Although Siemens 3T Trio systems have served as the primary high-end research system for many MRI users for the past decade, the system is no longer state of the art. In addition to limitations with regards to numbers of receivers, gradient performance and SNR, the reconstruction computers and computational pipeline were designed prior to the development of multi-band methods and are prone to failure, which results in data loss. To address these limitations and enable detailed investigations of the neural networks that define human brain function, the Prisma line was developed as part of the Human Connectome project. The University of Pittsburgh Magnetic Resonance Research Center acquires MRI data for more than 50 different active projects from more than 40 investigators in 10 different departments at the University of Pittsburgh. The vast majority of these projects are focused on neuroimaging, utilizing task based fMRI, resting state fMRI, diffusion tensor imaging and tractography to evaluate the relationship between brain structure, function and behavior across a variety of patient groups. To continue to continue to provide state of the art imaging to our colleagues and support their investigations of brain networks, we are requesting funds to upgrade our current Siemens 3T Trio to a Siemens 3T Prisma.
