Overview and Mission
The Imaging Research Center (IRC) is an interdisciplinary research laboratory operated by the Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation (CCRF) and the Department of Radiology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). The center conducts research in and provides access to state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging technologies related to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in children and young adults.
The IRC was established in 1993 and is led by Bernard J. Dardzinski, PhD, Division Chief of Radiology Research and the Imaging Research Center. The IRC employs four physicists, one chemist, two full-time research technologists, one research engineer, one research nurse, two clinical research coordinators, a systems administrator, two service coordinators, one research assistant as well as graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and medical students.
Recently, the IRC incorporated a Radiology Informatics Core into their structure which consists of two physicians and two computer programmers. An In Vivo Microimaging Laboratory is being established focused around a 7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging spectrometer to translate advanced imaging techniques to pediatric diseases and diagnosis. A Computerized Tomography (CT) core is being established to further research and radiation dose reduction.
The IRC provides access to advanced imaging and image post-processing methods for collaborators involved in basic and clinical research at Cincinnati Children's and the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for the purpose of advancing the research goals of both institutions. Fulfillment of this mission is guided by the following specific aims:
- As a core research center, conduct original research in new methods and applications of nuclear magnetic resonance and other diagnostic imaging modalities relating to children and young adults.
- As a core resource center, provide consultation on and access to state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging techniques to researchers at Cincinnati Children's and the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, on a collaborative basis.
- As a core training center, educate and train researchers, clinicians, fellows and students in the use of diagnostic imaging technologies in biomedical research.
Research in the IRC focuses on several areas of interest including musculoskeletal, cardiac and brain imaging. Current neuroscience research employs magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using dynamic perfusion imaging, diffusion imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, BOLD (Blood Oxygen Level Dependent) activation functional MR imaging, and MR spectroscopy (MRS) of brain metabolism. In vivo microscopic MRI is used to study transgenic models of obesity, arthritis, and muscular dystrophy. Research in structural and quantitative imaging of arthritis is also a major research focus.
The IRC conducts independently funded research according to the interests of its faculty and provides modern imaging technology for collaborators in other departments at Cincinnati Children's and at the University of Cincinnati. For additional information regarding the IRC, visit our laboratory research website: http://www.irc.cchmc.org/
