Research Imaging Facility

NVCI's research imaging facility (RIF) is a resource that is available for use by researchers from the Nevada community and its academic institutions. Individuals with, or are seeking, research funding and who are interested in using our imaging resources should contact Michael Gach, Ph.D., Director.

Research Imaging is used for the:

• Detection, diagnosis and management of cancer.
• Support of clinical trials and research projects that depend on imaging.
• Development and evaluation of new anti-neoplastic agents and new therapies.
• Measurement of tissue and drug metabolism, function and tissue morphology in real-time and in a non-invasive manner.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) are the primary tools for our imaging research based on cost/benefit, non-invasiveness, safety of contrast agents and lack of ionizing radiation. However, research imaging uses all available imaging modalities.

NVCI's Research Facility Electronics Laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment including:

• Functional MRI (fMRI) paradigm presentation system.
• Computer controlled flow phantom.
• Network analyzer (radio frequency [RF] coil tuning and matching)
• Impedance analyzer (RF coil and nanoparticle measurements)
• 4-channel oscilloscope (circuit and pulse sequence development)
• Noise figure meter and source (preamp calibrations)
• RF power meter (waveform and RF dose measurements)
• High and low frequency waveform generators
• Discrete components and stocks

NVCI's research processing uses the best technology available for clinical and cancer study:

• Dual Xeon 64-bit processors and Linux server (simulations, image reconstruction and data analysis)
• Linux cluster (parallel image processing and data analysis)
• Multiple Matlab licenses and Interactive Data Language (IDL)
• Statistical parametric mapping and neuroimaging analysis tools
• VisualSuite (software and pulse sequence development)
• National Instruments (NI) Data Acquisition (Analog/Digital), Labview and NI VirtualBench

Research Imaging offers the following services:

• First-class imaging and data acquisition to support research projects
• Clinical trials imaging support and data transfer
• Basic imaging research support and implementation include the development of new technologies and protocols, and electronics
• Research image and data processing, tool development and analysis
• Radiologist review and analysis support

NVCI's main areas of research currently include:

• Quantitative neuroimaging including:
  • Perfusion MRI using continuous arterial spin labeling
  • Functional MRI using blood oxygenation-level dependent contrast
  • Structural and functional analysis using fully deformable registration
• Motion compensation using real-time tracking, free-breathing navigator in the abdomen
• Nanoparticle applications in imaging and therapeutics.
• MR spectroscopy (1H and 19F)