Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Neural Implants

? DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): My career goal is to develop and apply new MRI technologies that will help us understand and address important issues in Healthcare. This award will allow me to train under the guidance of Prof. Vaughan, Prof. Ugurbil, Prof. Vitek and Dr. Harel and then as an independent scientist. Center for Magnetic Resonance Research at the University of Minnesota is one of the largest MRI research centers in the world. I believe that I can develop a strong research program in collaboration with valuable scientists in this institute with the support of this award. My background is in electrical engineering. I have expertise in the analysis of electromagnetic interactions of the fields in MRI with the human body. As part of this project, I would like to learn more about the clinical practice of deep brain stimulation (DBS). I believe that this will be a unique research direction that will distinguish my research from my current mentor as an independent researcher in the future. If we can develop safe methods related to this goal, this may create many new research directions related to imaging patients with various neurological diseases and treating them with DBS technology. I also would like acquire additional experience in thermodynamic modeling to assess the safety issues related to temperature increases in the living tissue. In addition I also plan to gain expertise in animal experiments for testing MR safety. We propose to develop a workflow that utilizes parallel RF transmitter arrays scan animals with implanted devices. We hypothesize that adding new degrees of freedom by increasing the number of channels will enable a safer, artifact-free imaging session. Multi-Channel excitation with RF coil arrays will enable temperature reduction around the implants. We hope that the workflow that we will develop with animal studies will pave the way for imaging patients with neural implants safely and efficiently in future clinical settings. This project will have an overall public health impact. If we can successfully complete the specific aims of this project, we will develop a workflow that may enable safe scanning of millions of patients who currently cannot be scanned. If we can enable MRI to safely use with the patients with neural implants we will be able to optimize the implant placement procedures. In addition we will be able to optimize the implant devices and the stimulation methods to treat neurological diseases like depression, bipolar disorder and Parkinson's disease. Based on my strong analytical background and my training in MRI and the guidance of my mentors, I believe that I can conduct the research that is proposed in this grant application.