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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/G003076/1
Title: The development of 129Xe polarisation optimised MRI techniques for functional lung imaging.
Principal Investigator: Morris, Professor PG
Other Investigators:
Hall, Professor I
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Dr J Barlow
Project Partners:
GE Healthcare
Department: Sch of Physics & Astronomy
Organisation: University of Nottingham
Scheme: Standard Research
Starts: 01 October 2008 Ends: 30 September 2011 Value (£): 1,038,860
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Med.Instrument.Device& Equip.
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Healthcare
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Panel DatePanel NameOutcome
22 Apr 2008 Healthcare Engineering Panel (ENG) Announced
Summary on Grant Application Form
Lung disease is the 4th largest cause of death worldwide and also creates a massive burden of ill health. Current methods for monitoring the extent and progression of lung disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ans interstitial lung disease (ILD) are limited to anatomical information derived from high resolution CT scanning or functional information from pulmonary function testing. There is a major need for a method to noninvasively monitor regional variations in ventilation and gas transfer using nonradioactive techniques in order to provide a sensitive way to aid diagnosis and monitor therapy. The aim of this proposal is to utilize advances made at the University of Nottingham in the field of hyperpolarized gas technology, coupled with state of the art magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, to develop new, clinically valuable methods to monitor the extent and progress of lung disease in patients.This proposal will achieve this aim through a new collaboration between internationally recognized researchers in the Sir Peter Mansfield MR centre (Prof P Morris, Dr M Barlow and colleagues) and a clinical academic with specific expertise in lung disease (Prof IP Hall), both in the University of Nottingham, and collaborators at GE Healthcare, a major international manufacturer of clinical imaging equipment. Specifically, during this programme of research we will (i) optimize methods for the standardized production of hyperpolarized Xenon to underpin these novel imaging techniques, (ii) develop equipment, software and MR techniques to achieve high resolution functional images of ventilation and gas transfer in normal subjects, and (iii) establish an academic imaging facility embedded in the Medical School to facilitate initial physiological imaging of both in and out patients with specific lung diseases in an appropriate clinical environment using optimized MR methodology. This project therefore offers the possibility of providing novel clinical tools for the diagnosis and monitoring of pulmonary diseases.
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Organisation Website: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk