AIRC Core Facilities

Human MRI Core Facility

The Advanced Imaging Research Center (AIRC) Human MRI Core is dedicated to advancing MR technology for the basic understanding and treatment of a wide range of human diseases in collaboration with researchers at UT Southwestern and surrounding areas. To provide high quality research data, our facility uses higher field strengths, advanced imaging techniques, faster gradients, improved coil technology, and more robust sequence protocols to take diagnostic and treatment protocols from the research setting to the clinical setting. The AIRC Human MRI Core is equipped with whole-body 3T and 7T scanners, a clinical polarizer, as well as a mock scanner and support rooms including a procedure room, exam room, and interview/practice rooms. The facility provides technical (i.e., data acquisition/analysis, protocol development) and nursing support to whole-body 3T and 7T scanners.

Major Equipment

• 3T Siemens Prisma MR system (3TA)
• 3T Philips Achieva MR system (3TB)
• 3T GE Discovery 750w MR system (3TC)
• 7T Philips Achieva MR system
• GE 5T SPINlab clinical polarizer

How-To Guide

1. Discuss your research idea with Binu Thomas, Ph.D. via Binu.Thomas@utsouthwestern.edu

2. Submit your project to the UT Southwestern Institutional Review Board (IRB). In parallel, submit an AIRC Application for Research with Humans for New 3T or 7T Projects to Jeannie Baxter via Jeannie.Baxter@utsouthwestern.edu for protocol review by the Protocol Review Committee (PRC).

3. Assure that all personnel in the research team have applicable training for their work in the AIRC. This should include registering the PI and all research team members requiring access to the AIRC facility for MR Safety Training/AIRC Orientation. Contact Leticia Lopez via Leticia.Lopez@utsouthwestern.edu for more information.

4. Once your application is approved, schedule an implementation meeting with Jeannie Baxter via Jeannie.Baxter@utsouthwestern.edu prior to enrolling your first research participant. Topics for the implementation meeting include:

   • Scheduling a 3T or 7T Scan in iLab
   • Confirming badge access
   • Procedures during a scan
   • Billing

• Fee Structure

  Service or Instrument	Internal UT System Price	External Price	Commercial Price	Notes
  Human MRI - Full-Service Mode/per hour	$530.25	$1,060.50	$1,590.75	Scan time plus 15 minutes for setup and data transfer; extra 15 minutes for complex setups or large amounts of data; minimum use 30 min; operator training and safety training falls into this service line. Includes service of one MR Technologist
  Human MRI - Self-Service Mode/per hour	$404	$808	$1,212	Scan time plus 15 minutes for setup and data transfer; minimum use 30 minutes. Restricted to scan time blocks without MR Tech coverage
  Technical Development Mode/per hour	$252.50	$505	$757.50	Scan time plus 15 minutes for setup and data transfer; minimum use 30 minutes. Must schedule all scanner use. Failure to schedule scanner may result in loss of operator privilege
  Cancellations/per hour of scheduled time	Applicable	Applicable	Applicable	Cancellations under 24 hours, no show, and aborted scans for claustrophobia, failed MR screen, etc., charged the full rate of the scheduled service mode. Fee waived if another team could use the scanner. No fee applies for cancellations related to equipment malfunction
  Clinical Research Group Support/per person per hour	$80.80	$161.60	$242.40	Minimum 30 minutes; includes Research Nurse, Coordinator, or Assistant. Includes blood draws, EKG, sample processing, etc.
  Physician Services/per hour	$202	$404	$606	Minimum 15 minutes; includes contrast agent coverage and other physician oversight
  Single Phlebotomy/flat fee	$30.30	$60.60	$90.90	Tubes and processing not included
  Single EKG/flat fee	$30.30	$60.60	$90.90	Physician interpretation not included
  Gas Inhalation Study/flat rate	$50.50	$101	$151.50	Includes material supplies and gas
  MRI Data Analysis Service & MR Physics Support/per hour	$121.20	$242.40	N/A	Analysis of anatomical, functional, perfusion MRI & MR spectroscopy; sequence development service
  Human Hyperpolarization Exam/ per exam	$1,414	$2,828	$4,242	Includes SPINlab operator
  Animal Hyperpolarization Exam/per day	$1,010	$2,020	$3,030	Does not include SPINlab operator
  Fluid Path for Human HP Studies/flat rate	$1,979.60	$3,959.20	$5,938.80	Includes GMP pyruvate, technician time, and supplies
  Fluid Path for Animal HP Studies/flat rate	$70.70	$140.40	$212.10	Does not include pyruvate or other substrates
  Recharge Items/per market cost	Applicable	Applicable	Applicable	Typical recharge items include gadolinium, glucose gel, medical and other supplies

Contact:

Jeannie Baxter, R.N., Core Manager
Jeannie.Baxter@UTSouthwestern.edu

Binu Thomas, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Binu.Thomas@UTSouthwestern.edu

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Pre-Clinical Imaging Core Facility

The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (RP210099) supports the AIRC Pre-Clinical MRI Core and provides pay per use, state-of-the-art pre-clinical MRI services for investigators at UT Southwestern and other campuses in the Dallas area. The Pre-Clinical Imaging Core provides the following services:

• Conduct MRI experiments on small animal models
• Analyze image data
• Establish MRI protocols
• Develop and implement new imaging and analysis methods
• Train MR operations
• Collaborate on research grants

Major Equipment

The renovated Pre-Clinical Imaging Core installed state-of-the-art MRI scanners in 2023. All scanners feature a broadband transmitter/receiver channel supporting ¹H and X-nuclei (¹⁹F, ¹³C, ³¹P, ²³Na, ¹²⁹Xe) MRI/MRS with ¹H decoupling, up to third-order shims, and RF interface adapter for third-party or home-built RF coils.

How-To Guide

• Submission of a Project Application: In the application, please provide a detailed description of the types of MRI scans to be performed, including relevant imaging parameters. If replicating a published study, please provide a reference. If it is not a routine protocol, the core may require additional time to develop a scan protocol for your specific study. After reviewing the Project Application, the core will contact you to discuss your MRI protocol, including the feasibility of the project, need for new developments (if any), revisions to the proposed MRI methods, scan time, number of animals, timeline of implementation, etc.
• Animal Protocol: Make sure your IACUC protocol includes MR imaging. The Core has its own protocol in which relevant imaging methods are stated.
  • 2016-101756 core - mice
  • 2016-101762 core - rat
• Operator training: We offer training for the operation of MRI scanners for those who wish to conduct MRI experiments by themselves. The fees for self-operated scans are substantially less than that for the staff-operated scans.
• Reservations: After confirming the MRI protocol, reserve time on the appropriate equipment on days/times as directed by the core. All scanner reservations are made on iLabs. If you do not have an iLab account, please follow the guide to registering for an iLab account. Go to Pre-Clinical MRI Research core on iLab following the link below and reserve time on the appropriate scanner using your lab’s credentials. Please see the guide to making reservations on the iLab and click on “MRI” and then on the equipment (e.g., “7T Bruker”).
• Animal Transfer: Request ARC to transfer the mice to NE2.526. Transfer the animals at least 3 days prior to the date you book the scanner.

• Fee Structure

  		Hourly/Flat	Internal	External	Commercial	Notes
  1	Staff-operated scans	Hourly	$190.00	$380.00	$570.00
  2	Self-operated scans weekday peak hrs (8 am – 6 pm)	Hourly	$120.00	$240.00	$360.00
  3	Self-operated scans weekday off peak hrs & weekend	Hourly	$100.00	$200.00	$300.00
  4	Overnight scans (6pm – 8am)	Flat	$300.00	$600.00	$900.00	Unattended ex vivo and phantom scans only
  5	Operator training	Hourly	$190.00	$380.00	$570.00
  6	Method/Protocol Development scans	Hourly	$50.00	$100.00	$150.00	newly introduced service
  7	Data Analysis Service	Hourly	$120.00	$240.00	$360.00	newly introduced service
  8	Cannulations and terminal surgical procedures	Flat	$100.00	$200.00	$300.00	newly introduced service
  9	Hypolarizer (SpinAligner) per day	Flat	$200.00	$400.00	$500.00	newly introduced service
  10	Cryoprobe (9.4T Bruker) per day	Flat	$50.00	$100.00	$150.00	newly introduced service

Contact:

Janaka Wansapura, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Janaka.Wansapura@UTSouthwestern.edu

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NMR Metabolomics Core Facility

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR), an informative analytical technique, proves ideal for metabolomics research. The AIRC NMR Metabolomics Core offers both targeted and non-targeted metabolomics approaches. Non-targeted analyses of metabolites are primarily for researching biochemical networks and undiscovered metabolic pathways, while targeted analyses of established metabolite sets benefit in early disease diagnosis or therapy response monitoring. The NMR Metabolomics Core also provides NMR-based stable isotope-resolved metabolomics (SIRM) using ¹³C and ²H labelled tracers, an approach that analyzes the metabolic fate of individual atoms from stable isotope-enriched precursors to products.

The core delivers all NMR-related metabolomics services on cells, perfused organs, animal tissues, human biopsies, and bodily fluids. The NMR metabolomics core offers NMR spectroscopy service of the following samples:

• Cells extract/cell secretions (media)
• Extracts from perfused isolated organs
• Animal tissue extracts and biofluids
• Human biopsy extracts and body fluids
• In-silico methods for metabolic flux analyses
• Contrast-agent development

Major Equipment

• Three 600 MHz vertical bore high resolution NMR spectrometers – available probes: 3 mm and 5 mm broad band, 3 mm inverse detect probes, a 5 mm cryoprobe (¹³C only)
• 400 MHz vertical bore walk up NMR spectrometer for chemistry applications – available probes: a 5 mm broadband probe auto tunable to ¹⁹F, ¹³C, ³¹P, ¹⁷O and ¹⁵N

How-To Guide

Qiong.Wu@UTSouthwestern.edu Qiong Wu for training and user access.

• Fee Structure

  		Hourly/Flat	Internal	External	Commercial	Notes
  1	NMR 400 MHz – instrument time	Hourly	$25.00	$40.00	$60.00
  2	NMR 600 MHz room temperature I – instrument time	Hourly	$25.00	$40.00	$60.00
  3	NMR 600 MHz room temperature II – instrument time	Hourly	$25.00	$40.00	$60.00
  4	NMR 600 MHz cryo-probe – instrument time	Hourly	$25.00	$40.00	$40.00
  5	NMR Sample Preparation Service	Hourly	$60.00	$120.00	$180.00	newly introduced service
  6	NMR Data Acquisition Service – protocol setup	Hourly	$100.00	$200.00	$300.00	in addition to scan time
  7	NMR Data Analysis Service	Hourly	$100.00	$200.00	$300.00	newly introduced service

NMR Metabolomics Core Contact:

Qiong Wu, Ph.D., Core Manager
Qiong.Wu@UTSouthwestern.edu

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Other AIRC Research Infrastructure

AIRC Chemistry Lab

The chemistry lab at the AIRC occupies one large, open room containing 12 chemistry benches, 12 vacuum hoods, and 24 desks for students and technicians. We equipped the chemistry lab with standard equipment for synthetic and analytical chemistry. Major equipment include:

• Waters Alliance LC system coupled to Waters Xevo QtofMS
• Waters Delta Prep preparative chromatography
• Lyophilizer
• Rotavaps
• Hotplates
• Vacuum pumps
• Centrifuges
• pH meters, relaxometers