New MRI installation on campus expands imaging technology and research at Ohio State
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has partnered with Siemens Healthineers to bring advanced imaging technology to enhance translational research and clinical care at the academic medical center.
A research-dedicated Siemens MAGNETOM Cima.X scanner, which is the strongest 3T MRI system on the market, is at the heart of the new Center for Neuroimaging, Neurophenotyping, Neurocomputation and Neuromodulation (C4N). This new scanner at The Ohio State University is only the 7th of it’s kind, putting the academic medical center at the forefront of new discoveries.
Nina Kraguljac, MD, MA, professor and executive vice chair in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, and founding director of the C4N at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, says the Cima.X MRI fills a critical gap in the existing research infrastructure. It will be a catalyst for innovative studies in the realms of brain health, psychiatry and related neuroscience disciplines.
“This advanced technology will help us transform our understanding of brain-related conditions that can be rapidly translated into developing new screening and prevention tools, and guide discovery of new therapeutics,” Dr. Kraguljac says. “This has the potential to improve clinical outcomes and alleviate suffering in a myriad of ways.”
Kraguljac says the center also has co-located infrastructure for the development and delivery of precision medicine; deep phenotyping, a comprehensive analysis of observable traits, Electroencephalography (EEG), which records brain electrical activity and neuromodulation instruments (e.g. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) which modulate neuronal activity for therapeutic purposes. These tools offer comprehensive consultation and computational services to maximize the impact of this new resource.
“We built a one-stop-shop for neuroimaging research studies, Dr. Kraguljac says. “Which will be very convenient for research participants and investigators alike.”
By providing deeper insights into the human body, the Cima.X MRI will play a key role in the college’s continued investment in investigative processes which create health care solutions and clinical pathways for patients.
