Available equipment

• Clinical 3 Tesla Siemens Skyra MR system for human examinations; imaging and spectroscopy
• 32-channel and 20-channel head-coils
• Gradient strength 45 mT/m, slew rate 200 mT/m/ms

How to gain access

Projects will only gain access after they have been approved by the MR Core Facility Research Committee (Forskningsutvalg). All applications must use the application form:  

Download application form (pdf)

Applications for access must be sent by e-mail to the Coordinator for clinical MR.

Please make an informal inquiry to the MR Core Facility before applying to get aid in the application process.

After receiving the application, MR Core Facility will review it before sending it to the Research Committee for evaluation. If information is lacking in the application form, the application will be returned to the applicant for revision.

The Research Committee will evaluate the project based on the information given in the application form and project description. 

Evaluation criteria for clinical MR project proposals

1. Basic and clinical research projects within life sciences will be prioritized.
2. The project must be of good scientific quality with a clear hypothesis and a proper experimental design.
3. The use of the MR Core Facility must give added scientific value to the project compared to use of other technologies available to the applicant.
4. The project description must describe the scientific methods clearly.
5. The part of the project to be performed at the MR Core Facility must be scientifically feasible.
6. MR Core Facility must have the necessary capacity to perform the project.
7. The project must fulfill the requirements specified in the application form.

The Research Committee can approve or decline access for a project or ask for revisions of the project plan. The decision and the arguments for it will be given in writing to the applicant.

After access has been granted

Before booking the project needs to fullfill the following reqiurements: List of requirements (pdf).

Guidelines for use: Practical information and guidelines for the use of the clinical MR system (pdf) 

MR protocol: Before the study starts, a protocol for the MR scanning with details of patient handling, imaging sequences, image parameters, image volume placement etc must be prepared. MR protocol template (ppt)

Safety checklist: All project participants (patients and healthy volunteers) must fill out the safety checklist (pdf) before the MR can be performed. The checklist and safety status of the participant must be approved by the radiographer. 

Safety course: All project workers that will be involved in the MR scanning and patient handling in conjunction with the MR scanning must undergo a MR safety course. Contact the coordinator for Clinical MR for this.

Booking

Only projects approved by the MR Core Facility Research commitee (Forskningsutvalg) will be allowed to book time on the clinical MR systems. The coordinator for clinical MR is responsible for coordinating booking of time on the system and a radiographer. Contact the coordinator for clinical MR for more information about booking. 

Opening hours 

Opening hours are divided between NTNU and St. Olavs Hospital. 

See opening hours and weekly schedule for clinical 3T Skyra (pdf)

NTNU time is available for research projects. Access to St. Olavs Hospital time can however be given if the MR examinations related to the research project is given as an extention to the ordinary clinical MR examination.

The clinical MR system is available all weeks throughout the year, but with reduced opening hours in school vacations.

The radiographers have a break between 11:30-12:00 and between 17:30-18:00 (afternoon break is flexible).

Booking regulations

The MR system is booked on an hourly basis.

Booking hours between 08:00-15:15 not booked within 12:00 one day in advance, and booking hours between 15:15-21:30 not booked within a week in advance, can be booked by St. Olavs Hospital for patient examinations.

Cancellation of booking

Booked time between 08:00-15:15 must be cancelled before 12:00 one day in advance. Booked time after 15:15 must be cancelled at least 1 week in advance. Otherwise the booked time will be charged to the project even if it is not used.

Prices and costs

Use of the MR scanner is charged on a hourly basis. In addition it is required to use a radiographer for scanning. This is an extra charge per hour. Updated pricelist. Prices are subject to change.

For internal (NTNU) projects MR Core Facility will subsidize the prices by giving own efforts. Currently the own efforts is 50% for MR scanner time and 0% for a radiographer.

Please contact us before applying for funding for help with budgeting.