Welcome to the MR Core of the General Clinical Research Center:

The mission of the core is to provide researchers perfoming clinical research access to the human high-field MR systems located at the Center for MR Research (CMRR). Access is established by providing advice on this new emerging technology and by providing guidance to the possibilities and research opportunities at the CMRR, and to provide assistance in setting up scan protocols, experimental design and conducting some of the studies and consults on safety issues for MR Scans, organizes CPR training for personnel at the CMRR.

Core Personnel:

Rolf Gruetter, Associate Director, Department of Radiology and Neuroscience, Core Director
Ivan Tkac, Research Associate, Department of Radiology

Facilities:

The MR Core provides access to the following infrastructure at the Center for MR Research:

Glucose analyzer and microfuge
Infusion pumps for administering substances such as glucose, insulin, somatostatin
Fully equipped InVivo Research Patient monitoring system integrated into the 4 Tesla scanner (end-tidal CO2, pulseoxymetry, ECG, and blood pressure monitoring) and additional stand-alone pulseoxymeter and blood pressure monitoring devices

The MR Core administeres the following space at the CMRR:

Patient Room (Rm 111E) - providing two full hospital beds, equipped to handle two simultaneous overnight studies at the Center
Clean Storage Room (Rm 111B) - Storage of monitoring equipment, supplies and linen
Soiled Storage Room (Rm 111G) and ambulance bay (Rm. 111D)
Patient Bathroom (Rm 111H) -
Procedure Room (Rm 117A) - provides the infrastructure to conduct glucose infusions in the human 7 Tesla and 4 Tesla magnets, houses glucose analyzer, infusion pumps
Physician's Room (Rm 111A) - desk space for clinical collaborators, provides access to the internet and computing resources at the CMRR

Supported GCRC protocols:

482
508
536
569
593
636
677
678
680
724

From our ongoing activities:

Sample publications that resulted from activities of this core:

Gruetter R, Seaquist ER, Ugurbil K (2001) A mathematical model of compartmentalized neurotransmitter metabolism in the human brain. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 281, E100-12.
Gruetter R, Ugurbil K, Seaquist ER (2000) Effect of acute hyperglycemia on visual cortical activation as measured by functional MRI. J Neurosci Res 62, 279-85
Seaquist ER, Tkac I, Gruetter R (2001) Glucose transport kinetics in cerebral gray and white matter during physiologic insulinemia. Diabetes 50, 2203-9
Chen W, Zhu X, Gruetter R, Seaquist E, Adriany G, Ugurbil K (2001) Study of Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Flux Changes in Human Visual Cortex during Hemifield Visual Stimulation using 1H-{13C} MRS and fMRI. Magn Reson Med 45, 349-55
Gruetter R, Seaquist E, Kim S-W, Ugurbil K (1998) Localized in vivo ¹³C NMR of glutamate metabolism. Initial results at 4 Tesla. Dev Neurosci 20, 380-8
Gruetter R, Ugurbil K, Seaquist ER (1998) Steady-State Cerebral Glucose Concentrations And Transport In The Human Brain. J Neurochem 70, 397-408
Seaquist ER, Gruetter R (1998) Identification of a high concentration of scyllo-inositol in the brain of a healthy human subject using ¹H and ¹³C NMR. Magn Reson Med 39, 313-6

Ugurbil K, Adriany G , Peter Andersen P ,Wei C, Gruetter R, Hu X, Merkle H, Kim DS , Seong-Gi Kim SG , John Strupp J , Zhu XH, and Ogawa S (2000) Magnetic Resonance Studies of Brain Function and Neurochemistry Annu. Rev. Biomed. Eng. 62, 633-60

Glucose/insulin clamp procedure in the 4Tesla human system (#482) 4tclamp.jpg (43015 bytes)

Healthy volunteers :

Information (click here): How do I sign up for MR Scans ?

Volunteer reimbursement: We need the W-9 [24k] (W-9 instructions [32k]) filled out and signed.

Patients and Volunteers (IMPORTANT)

While MR does not contain any known biological risks and thus is one of the safest diagnostic modalities, an MR scan is not without danger. The major danger comes from magnetic objects being introduced into the magnet room or by scanning patients that do not match our inclusion criteria. With appropriate questioning and screening these dangers can be minimized. We therefore ask that you consult with the following two forms:

Potential research subjects, please consult the Screening questionnaire

If you are planning to enter the Center (whether as a subject or a patient or accompanying medical personnel), be sure to strictly adhere to the following safety guidelines and required actions. At all times you must comply with Center personnel instruction while in the building. (Directions to the Center for MR Research)

Upon completion of the scan, you must fill out the Exit form.