Grant: Engage Grants Program

Magnetic resonance imaging or MRI creates images of the brain with amazing contrast for anatomical detailsof brain structures. Tumors, lesions, swelling and shrinkage (or atrophy) can be seen with great detail. Positronemission tomography or PET creates images which explain the function of the brain. PET images are highlysensitive to small biochemistry and metabolic changes. Combining the two types of images provides a uniqueand powerful tool to study the anatomy and function of the brain which will allow a better understanding ofhealthy brains as well as brains affected by many disorders.Cubresa is a company that develops and markets preclinical molecular imaging solutions. Their core productline includes a series of compact single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scanners for mouseimaging. At a fraction of the size of a typical floor standing system, the scanners provide impressiveperformance, and also integrate with microCT systems, transforming them into multimodality molecularimaging systems for drug discovery and translational research applications.Cubresa is expanding their core product line to include PET imaging which has many advantages. They aremarketing a state-of-the-art PET insert to a MRI system which will allow for the combination of anatomical(from MRI) and functional (from PET) imaging which can revolutionize the field of imaging.Currently the system Cubresa has is designed for mouse imaging. Researchers need the capabilities of imagingmany different types of animals, including rats. With neuroimaging showing the most promise for PET-MRIstudies an RF coil designed to image rat brains and to fit inside Cubresa's PET insert would drastically increasethe marketability of their product.This grant will be used to design and create the RF coil for imaging rat brains which will allow Cubresa theability to expand into the PET/MR market with a versatile product needed by the imaging and neurosciencecommunities.