Facility Description
3T / 7T MRI Suite. All human studies on the CFMM MRI systems are conducted by certified MRI technologists who all have years of experience running research studies at high and ultrahigh field MRI.
The decommissioning of the original CFMM MRI system (4T whole body human) in 2007 led to the $10.5M renovation and expansion of Canada’s first Siemens 3T Tim Trio and first ever ultrahigh field 7T human MRI systems in 2008. By 2013 the 3T was upgraded to the first customer installed Siemens Prisma Fit platform. Most recently, the CFMM houses a newly upgraded (2019) and first in the world Siemens MAGNETOM 7T Plus MRI allowing for the visualization of anatomical detail and functional information as never before – capable of ultra-high resolution, enhanced fMRI, and proton spectroscopy, while supporting neuroscience studies and clinical research with ultra-deep insights.
The Siemens platform is a robust research instrument that is not only powerful in its visualization capacity, but also open for further research development applications. The CFMM was instrumental in establishing the institutional Master Research Agreement between Western and Siemens and has a long-standing partnership with the company for the development of hardware and software related to the advancement of UHF MRI applications.
9.4 T MRI Suite. The ultrahigh field 9.4T MRI small animal imaging system was delivered in 2005, the first of its kind in the world. Used for functional, anatomical and metabolic in rodent (mice, rats) and non-human primate (marmoset) models, this unique platform allows investigations with very high sensitivity and specificity. Over the years, the system has been through multiple upgrades, the most recent in the fall of 2022 which saw the system upgraded to Bruker Neo console controlled through Paravision 360 (Bruker BioSpin Corp, Billerica, MA), with 2 transmitters, 8 receivers, as well as a mouse dedicated Bruker Cryocoil. A high performance, marmoset optimized, 15-cm gradient coil set, designed and built in the Western Physics Department, by the Chronik lab (xMR), has also been installed.
15.2 T MRI Suite. The Bruker 15.2T MRI system is primarily used for research focused on understanding brain structure-function relationships in humanized mouse models of neurological disease. The unprecedented spatial resolution and unique image contrasts available at 15.2T will help advance our understanding of neurological processes and disorders and assess new therapeutics. New areas of focus will be in studying the important role of the immune system in neurological disorders and developing new forms of molecular MRI.
The facility will operate at Biosafety Containment Level 2 (CL2) in line with the other MRIs at the CFMM. The CL2 capable facilities allow for expanded research capabilities in animals with infectious agents, and the potential to perform drug discovery on these animals. The CL2 operating environment ensures a secure setting for handling biological materials which will contribute to the advancement of therapeutic interventions.
RF and Hardware Design Suite. As one of the core’s primary support facilities, unit is well equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation for design, construction, testing and servicing of RF and other hardware devices. Custom solutions to investigators are available for research projects.
The equipment housed in the suite includes vector network analyzers, impedance analyzers, noise figure analyzer, spectrum analyzers, digital oscilloscopes, frequency generators, material measurement systems, power supplies, and a myriad of tools necessary for any sophisticated RF project. CFMM has access to a variety of advanced electrical and mechanical manufacturing facilities. The suite is equipped with various CAD tools for mechanical modeling (Solidworks and MasterCam), printed circuit board (PCB) design, measurement automation and data acquisition (Labview and Matlab), and full-wave numerical electromagnetic modeling/analysis (CST). An NC mill and machine shop, housed in the basement of the facility, serves as an extension to the RF suite, giving us complete electro-mechanical capability in RF coil/system production.
In Summary. The Centre is dedicated to establishing the anatomical, metabolic and functional characteristics of normal brain development and healthy ageing across the lifespan; as well as establishing the brain basis of developmental, neuropsychiatric and neurodegenrative deficits in humans and animal models.
Services
The CFMM offers a wide range of services, equipment, and personnel to support facility users.
Full Collaboration: Collaboration with researchers in other disciplines. Involves both parties working together to develop, perform and follow through to publication.
Partial Collaboration: Varying levels of assisstance with setup, data acquisition, and analysis.
Contract Studies: Available to interested industry partners requiring full-service MRI projects including clinical trials. Our research team will help implement or develop protocols to meet your needs.
MRI Hardware Equipment: Committed to innovation, we offer RF and gradient coil design, RF measurements and instrumentation, RF system design, and numerical electromagnetic modeling.
Device Testing: A comprehensive testing and development facility for MR-compatible medical devices.
The scanner schedule is available online at https://schedule.cfmm.uwo.ca. Please check the schedule for openings and then request slots by emailing cfmm-bookings@uwo.ca
Slots are booked on a first-come first-served basis and are subject to Cancellation / No-Show Policy as outlined in MRI Scheduling, Rates and Invoicing . MRI Technologist are available to scan Mon – Fri 9 AM- 5 PM. Evening and weekend scans are available pending Technologist/Operator availability.
