Imaging: MRI Scanner

Imaging: 3T MRI scanner

The magnetic resonance imaging facility (MRIF) is part of the University of Manchester's Imaging Group, within the Institute of Population Health. The facility owns three MRI scanners, the newest of which is the 3T Philips Achieva system at the MCRF, installed in December 2012.

MR Scanner

Staffed by experienced and fully qualified radiographers and a MR physicist, and acting as an interface between clinical research and imaging science, the MRIF provides access to and support for clinicians and scientists who wish to use MRI techniques as part of their research. More information on MRIF – and how to apply to use any of the University's scanners – can be found on the University's imaging facilities website or by contacting the MRIF manager Frances Davies (frances.davies@manchester.ac.uk; 0161 275 0006) or the scanning suite direct on 0161 906 7501.

Both the University and MCRF teams are conscious that the imaging facility operates as a fully integrated structure within the MCRF; to that end, members of the MRIF operational and management team are represented on most of the MCRF committees.

MR techniques

MRIF offers a broad range of MR techniques including:

Structural MRI
Cardiac Imaging
32 channel head coil
Small joint coils and dedicated musculoskeletal coils for knee, foot and shoulder
Combination head and neck coil
Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA)
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS)
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI)
Pharmacological MRI (pMRI)
Diffusion and Perfusion MRI
Arterial Spin Labelling
Power Injector
Physiology monitoring equipment
Front and rear project for visual stimulus presentation
Access to other clinical facilities (nursing support, human performance, core laboratory, meeting facilities, off-line testing facilities, pharmacy and the Children's CRF).

1.5T MRI

For those researchers who require a 1.5T scanner, MRI scanner at the Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre is accessed in the same way as the two 3T MRI scanners based in Salford and MCRF; further information can be found on the Imaging Facilities website.

MRIF Grants

The MRIF also provides time on the University owned scanners for strategic development projects by way on a MRIF grant. MRIF grants are designed to support development of the MR research community and in particular the development of novel scanning or analysis methods. This may include the development of methods which are established but not currently used within the MRIF; it may also include the application of existing techniques to novel experimental designs. All grants will be refereed and judged for scientific merit and against their ability to fulfil these criteria. PLEASE NOTE: MRIF can only provide time on the scanner and cannot provide any other support (data analysis, staff support and other scanning modalities).

In order to apply for a MRIF Grant, you need to complete the MRIF Grant Application form and return it Frances Davies, further information can be found on the Imaging Facilities website.

Development and Physics Support for MRI scanning

The MRI facility also has ethics approval to undertake protocol testing and optimisation on the University's scanners using healthy volunteers. These scans are usually free of charge and limited to 5 hours per protocol; PLEASE NOTE: this time is not for data collection or to support publications.

In order to access this facility, please send a one-page description of what you require to Frances Davies (frances.davies@manchester.ac.uk; 0161 275 0006).

MRI for co-registration of PET data