Cardiovascular Imaging Research Center

Cardiovascular Imaging Research Center (CIRC)

CIRC is a state-of-the-art imaging core facility capable of in vivo imaging of human subjects and large animals for research purposes. It includes whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, whole-body X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanners, image post-processing hardware and software, and scientific and engineering personnel with expertise in human and large animal cardiovascular imaging. CIRC has access to CT and MRI (1.5T) equipment located in the Ross Heart Hospital, and to MRI (0.55T and 3T) equipment located at the Martha Morehouse Outpatient Center. CIRC is administrated through the Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute (DHLRI) and is a collaborative effort with the OSU Heart and Vascular Center (HVC). CIRC is under the direction of Drs. Orlando Simonetti and Yuchi Han and is available as a resource to all investigators at The Ohio State University (OSU), as well as at other academic institutions and commercial organizations.

CIRC offers the following services

Consultation – investigators meet with a representative from CIRC to identify the appropriate imaging modality and design the optimal imaging experiments to achieve their scientific objectives.
Guidance – the investigators are provided guidance on appropriate IACUC or IRB protocol requirements, and instructed on proper screening and preparation of the human subject or research animal for imaging, and assistance with scheduling.
Imaging – image acquisition is performed by one of the fully-trained CIRC research staff, or hospital MRI/CT technologists if appropriate.
Analysis and Interpretation – Quantitative image analysis performed by CIRC staff is available to investigators. Modality dependent image analysis software is available for both MRI and CT. Non-standard image analysis and data interpretation may be provided using additional software packages, or custom-designed software developed by CIRC scientific and engineering staff. CIRC staff will work with personnel from investigator laboratories to develop and implement image analysis workflows to meet their specific projects. Investigators have the option of receiving the raw image data and performing all image data analysis themselves without assistance from CIRC.

For more information on the services the CIRC may provide, please email iheartMRI@osu.edu.

Description		OSU Investigators		Outside Investigators / Industry Rates
Description		Amount	Unit	Amount	Unit
Project Initiation Fee	Up to 3 hours; >3 hours billed as Research Consultation	$600	Project	$1,000	Project
Project Closure Fee	Up to 3 hours; >3 hours billed as Research Consultation	$300	Project	$500	Project
MR/CT room prep and cleaning	Animal Studies only	$200	Per Case	$350	Per Case
CT (first hour)	Incl. personnel costs, minimum one hour	$400	Hour	$650	Hour
MRI (first hour)	Incl. personnel costs, minimum one hour	$500	Hour	$800	Hour
MR/CT (additional hrs)	Incl. personnel costs	$250	Hour	$400	Hour
Contrast Medium	Pass-through cost	Variable	Per Unit	Variable	Per Unit
Image Analysis (Level I)	e.g. global cardiac function	$50	Per Case	$75	Per Case
Image Analysis (Level II)	e.g. LGE, strain, mapping, flow	$125	Per Case	$200	Per Case
Data Transfer		$50	Per Case	$75	Per Case
Research Consultation		$150	Hour	$250	Hour
Transport of Research Subjects		$50	Each Way	$75	Each Way
Perceptorship – Physician		-	-	$1,000	Day
Perceptorship – Staff		-	-	$500	Day
Mini-fellowship		-	-	$3,200	Weekly
Site Visit (in-person)	Up to 4 hours	-	-	$1,500	Visit
Site Visit (virtual)	Up to 2 hours	-	-	$500	Visit

3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

The MAGNETOM Vida (Siemens Healthcare, Germany) is a 70 cm diameter whole-body magnet equipped with a high amplitude, fast gradient system (45 mT/m, 200 mT/m/ms) and multi-channel receiver system. The system is equipped for a broad range of cardiovascular imaging applications on human subjects and large animals. A physiological monitoring and gating system is available to monitor ECG, SaO2, non-invasive BP, and invasive BP. Receiver array coils are available for a variety of applications. The system is equipped with all the product software options necessary for advanced cardiovascular imaging, as well as pre-release “works-in-progress” sequences from Siemens, and other techniques developed in-house by OSU investigators.

1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

The MAGNETOM Sola (Siemens Healthcare, Germany) is a 70 cm diameter whole-body magnet equipped with a high amplitude, fast gradient system (45 mT/m, 200 mT/m/ms) and multi-channel receiver system. The system is equipped for a broad range of cardiovascular imaging applications on human subjects and large animals. A physiological monitoring and gating system is available to monitor ECG, SaO2, non-invasive BP, and invasive BP. Receiver array coils are available for a variety of applications. The system is equipped with all the product software options necessary for advanced cardiovascular imaging, as well as pre-release “works-in-progress” sequences from Siemens, and other techniques developed in-house by OSU investigators.

0.55 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

The MAGNETOM Free.Max (Siemens Healthcare, Germany) is an 80 cm diameter whole-body magnet running Numaris XA50 software. The system is equipped for a broad range of cardiovascular imaging applications on human subjects and large animals. A physiological monitoring and gating system is available to monitor ECG, SaO2, non-invasive BP, and invasive BP. Large, medium, and small surface array coils are available to be paired with the built-in spine array. Besides being capable of routine cardiovascular imaging, the 0.55T Free.Max is ideally suited to pulmonary imaging, MRI-guided interventions, imaging around implanted metallic devices, and studies in larger patients and animals where the 80 cm bore diameter is advantageous.

Computed Tomography (CT)

Siemens Naeotom Alpha Photon-counting 288-slice CT scanner is installed in the Ross Heart Hospital in late 2023. The Naeotom Alpha is the world’s first commercially available photon-counting CT scanner. Slice thickness of 0.4mm and temporal resolution of 67 ms will enable high resolution imaging of the coronary arteries and other heart and vascular structures.

MRI-compatible exercise stress testing equipment

LODE on-table cycle ergometer
Ergospect on-table Cardiostepper

Scheduling Submit a project application

Cardiovascular Imaging Research Center