Human Imaging Equipment
Magnetom 7T Whole Body MRI
MRI uses magnetic fields and radio waves to generate images of internal organs by acting on protons in water molecules within soft tissue. Magnetised protons in soft tissue produce a signal when radio waves are applied which is then reconstructed by the instrument’s computer into images. It is an ideal tool for studying live subjects because it is non-invasive, safe and is able to generate data which cannot be obtained by other imaging methods.
MRI enables detailed information about the structure and function of the human body to be collected and allows visualisation of diseased and damaged tissue giving a clear idea of how the body functions when healthy and when unwell.
The Centre for Advanced Imaging houses 3T and 7T scanners that can be used to look at neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, brain tumours and the damage caused by stroke, as well as cancer, diseases of the musculo-skeletal system and metabolic disorders, such as diabetes and obesity.
CAI acquired the first human images in the southern hemisphere on a 7 Tesla whole-body MRI scanner in February 2014.
The Siemens Healthcare 7 Tesla Whole Body MRI system is the first in Australia and is also a Flagship instrument of the National Imaging Facility (NIF). The system includes a high-performance gradient with multi-receive and multi-transmit radiofrequency capabilities, which further increase sensitivity.
The 7T is used for a broad range of applications, including neuroscience, engineering, imaging and theranostics. Clinical applications that will benefit from the high spatial resolution achievable with this instrument include Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, musculoskeletal and liver diseases.
In addition to this state-of-the art equipment, a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and engineers contribute their expertise to studies run on the 7T MRI.
A few facts about the 7T
- The system was delivered in November 2013
- The 7T weighs 38 tonnes
- 20,000 litres of liquid Helium were used to cool down the magnet to -270°C
- The 7T uses the latest Magnetom platform, engineered by Siemens
For more information, please contact the Facility Manager.
Magnetom Prismafit 3T Whole Body MRI
The Siemens Magnetom Prisma 3T whole-body MRI provides an upgraded system with new MRI applications to deliver higher anatomical detail.
The facility has a wide range of coils and software for applications in neurology, cardiology, angiography, oncology, orthopaedics and paediatrics. The laboratory is able to provide tools for cognitive neuroscience studies.
The laboratory is also equipped with tools for cognitive neuroscience studies.
For more information, please contact the Facility Manager.
Acuson S3000 Ultrasound
Ultrasound is a non-invasive, real time imaging modality that uses sound waves to interrogate various organs and structures within the body.
It is used extensively in clinical practice and research, due its many benefits such as
- Does not use ionising radiation
- Very fast and portable
- Suitable for longitudinal studies
- Capable of imaging in any desired plane or orientation. This is extremely advantageous when following long structures such as tendons, nerves and blood vessels, as well as the assessment of the mobile fetus
- Superb detail of superficial structures where high frequency transducers can be employed. This makes ultrasound a mainstay in the assessment of musculoskeletal structures
- Shows images in real time, so that movement can be assessed e.g. heart valve function, tendon excursion or muscle contraction
- Doppler techniques can provide vascular information such as blood flow velocity and direction as well as organ perfusion
The Centre is equipped with a high performance Siemens/Acuson S3000 ultrasound scanner. The ultrasound can be used for a wide variety of studies including long structures such as tendons, nerves and blood vessels, fetal monitoring, the assessment of musculoskeletal structures, heart valve function, the excursion of a tendon or the contraction of a muscle, blood flow velocity and direction, as well as organ perfusion.
This latest generation system has the following features:
- B-mode, colour and pulsed wave Doppler, power Doppler, harmonic imaging
- Spatial compounding in B mode, colour and power Doppler
- Capability of multimodal review – for example to compare the ultrasound image to that of MRI/CT/PET on the same screen.
- Panoramic imaging of 240cm in length
- Off line transfer and data processing
- Elastography capabilities to assess tissue stiffness. This system is capable of real time voxel placement and shear wave velocity estimation, as well as the generation of corresponding colour coded tissue stiffness map.
For any enquiries about this equipment, please contact Gail Durbridge.
Biograph Horizon PET/CT Large Bore Scanner
Combining X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanners, this instrument enables registration and fusion of physiologic and anatomic information. The CT component is capable of providing three-dimensional computed tomography images. The PET scanner measures the distribution of PET radiopharmaceuticals. CAI has comprehensive cyclotron and radiochemistry facilities for the production of PET radiopharmaceuticals. The Biograph Horizon scanner system is equipped with Siemens multi-modality software, syngo. The scanner forms part of an ACRF Facility for human microdosing studies using molecular imaging.
Technical specifications:
- 700 mm CT-16/32 Slice
- PET axial Field of view (FOV) of 164 mm
- Time of Flight (TOF) reconstruction capability
- UltraHD
- PET3 + TrueV (combination of technologies that offers the potential for short scan time and PET scans).
- CT Safire (CT iterative reconstruction for up to 60% lower dose)
- Respiratory gatting option