MRI scanner to advance medical breakthroughs at Monash

Monash University has launched what is claimed to be Victoria’s most advanced, research-dedicated MRI scanner to support scientists as they accelerate breakthroughs in critical health challenges like dementia, schizophrenia, addiction, epilepsy and cancer.

The Siemens Healthineers MAGNETOM Cima.X 3T MRI scanner, housed at Monash Biomedical Imaging (MBI) in Clayton, is designed to utilise multimodal imaging capabilities to deliver scans more quickly and accurately than ever before. This critical research infrastructure replaces an existing system at MBI and was delivered through $2 million in matched co-investment from Monash University and the National Imaging Facility, with funding from the Department of Education’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) program.

Accelerating translation from bench to bedside, the outcomes delivered by the Cima.X scanner are set to strengthen Australia’s global leadership in research innovation and the development of the next generation of therapeutics. Monash University Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Infrastructure) Professor Jacek Jasieniak said the scanner is critical to ensuring continued innovation and development of the university’s globally impactful research.

“The major technological advancements offered by the Cima.X were specifically developed to drive innovation and new discoveries,” Jasieniak said.

“In addition to accelerating our capability for much faster and greater impact in the future, the scanner will attract new research collaborations and partnerships and strengthen Australia’s international competitiveness for translational research.

“This will give our researchers and clinicians even more support to deliver the life-changing and -saving work they do every day.”

The scanner is especially suited to neuroscience and mapping the intricate structure of the brain, thanks to its unprecedented resolution and short scan times; it is particularly useful for imaging the brain in vulnerable populations including pregnant women and children. It will therefore be pivotal in supporting flagship university projects like the Monash Brain and Behaviour Project, which is recruiting thousands of patients for detailed neuroimaging and psychiatric assessments, and the Monash Autism and ADHD Genetics and Neurodevelopment project to map brain changes across autism and ADHD.

“The unparalleled capacity of the Cima.X to capture the intricate microstructure of the brain will lead to a step change in our understanding of neurological and psychiatric disorders,” said Associate Professor Sharna Jamadar, Deputy Director of MBI.

“I am particularly excited about how the improved precision will benefit researchers like Prof Antonio Garcia-Verdejo, who is using the Cima.X to identify individualised treatment targets for alcohol use disorder, and Prof Adeel Razi, who is using the Cima.X to refine psychedelic therapies.”

With the MBI facility co-located in the same precinct as the Monash Velos Accelerator alongside the university’s MAVERIC supercomputer, the Cima.X offers a novel opportunity for AI researchers to collect high-resolution and signal-to-noise imaging data for advanced artificial intelligence algorithms development. MBI Director Professor Christoph Hagemeyer said the scanner will ultimately deliver better patient care and outcomes, with foundational research being translated sooner into better care.

“So much of today’s diagnosis and treatment relies on MRI scans,” Hagemeyer said.

“The Cima.X instrument has the highest gradient strength in the world, which means better resolution faster than ever before, and much better patient comfort.

“Australian clinicians are aiming to diagnose many conditions earlier and improve treatments, and the Cima.X supports that critical work.”

Images credit: Monash University/MBI.