MRI CORE
Penn State College of Medicine’s MRI Core has 3,000 square feet of laboratory space, which includes biochemical, mechanical, electronic small-animal handling and surgical suits and a fully equipped machine shop with CNC. The CNC CM-1 Compact Mill is a small-footprint, high-accuracy solution for producing and prototyping small, high-precision 2D and 3D parts.
EQUIPMENT
The College of Medicine MRI Core has two MRI systems dedicated for research.
•3T Siemens PRISMA-Fit scanner with a bore size of 60 cm equipped with True 2 Channel Tx and 64 Channel Rx. This can be used for human and large-animal MRI studies. The latest RF coil set includes 16 coils (e.g., Siemens 20- and 64-channel head and neck receive coils, and knee, elbow, liver, etc. coils) and software packages with fully clinical capability, which can provide high-SNR images of the whole body.
•7T Biospec 70/20as small-animal imaging system with a bore size of 20 cm (Bruker Biospin, Ettlingen, Germany), equipped with the latest hardware and software (Avance NEO with Paravision 360).
The core also has multi-sensory fMRI stimulation and monitoring systems:
• Nordic Neuro Lab (NNL) and Current Designs Birch Optical Interface Unit which includes an MRI-compatible LCD visual display (NNL), audio system, several button response units (Current Designs) and software (E-Prime) for creating experiments, patient management, protocol planning, precise delivery of stimuli, and behavioral analysis.
• ETT Olfactometer features an easy-to-use, interactive interface software solution. The Olfactometer connects to an odorant carrier that can hold up to 6 different odorants. Experiments can be programmed and saved to a computer. Stimulus delivery can be sequential or simultaneous and can be set to either monorhinal or dirhinal. Respiration can be monitored and recorded. Additionally, odorant delivery can be triggered by respiration or MRI-TTL pulses. This makes it convenient to simultaneously run visual prompts and record feedback. The Olfactometer can run independently or be paired with fMRI studies.
•The Olfact Smell Test System (Osmic Enterprises Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio) is a computerized instrument to test the smell functions of human subjects. The smell functions that can be tested are odor threshold, odor identification and odor memory.
•ETT Gustatometer with seven fully programmable independent channels for taste stimulation (ETT LLC, Hershey, Pa.).
•Eye Link 1000 Plus system via SR Research. The Eye-Link 1000 Plus Host PC performs real-time eye tracking at 250, 500, 1,000 or 2,000 samples per second while computing true gaze position on the display viewed by the participant. The Host PC also performs online detection and analysis of eye-motion events such as saccades, blinks and fixations. In addition to the sample data, these events are stored in a data file on the Host PC. They can be sent through the Ethernet link to the Display PC with a minimal delay or output as analog signals (if the optional analog/digital I/O card is installed). From the Host PC, the operator performs participant setup, monitors their performance and can communicate with applications running on a Display PC.
• Olfactory Threshold and Identification devices (Osmic Enterprises Inc.). The OLFACT family of instruments delivers computerized, self-administered tests for assessing odor thresholds, odor identification and odor memory. The tests are currently being used by physicians, researchers and commercial businesses to test for anosmia, hyposmia and many aspects of normal olfactory function. Additionally, the tests are being used to evaluate personal preferences for various fragrances, odor interactions/masking and the relationship between taste and smell. Scientists are also discovering unique relationships between neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and the sense of smell.
•Patient Monitoring System/Philips MR400 MRI Compatible. SPO2, ECG, NIBP, Pulse and ECG recordings.
• BioPac wired and wearable wireless physiology measurement and interpretation solutions. The main hardware and software are the 16-channel data acquisition system and the MP160WSW EDA100C-MRI amplifier used for electrodermal activity. The INISO-TRIGA: TTL Trigger Isolation Adapter is ideal for recording trigger signals produced by MRI scanners. The NIBP-MRI is a wireless and noninvasive physiological monitoring system that tracks blood pressure, using pulse-decomposition analysis technology as well as heart rate. The PPG100C “Photo Plethysmogram Amplifier” adapter is for recording the pulse pressure wave and provides an indication of blood pressure, blood density or vasoconstriction. Front panel controls allow selection of either absolute or relative plethysmographic measurements.