MRI-Compatible Hyper/Hypobaric Chamber

Hyperbaric and hypobaric environments are known to have profound effects on the physiology of animals and humans. These effects can limit mission capabilities or, in some cases, even be life threatening. In other cases, these environments can induce very beneficial, sometimes life saving health effects. Even though the health effects of hypo/hyperbaric exposure have been observed for many decades, the underlying physiology is often poorly understood due to a lack of instrumentation available to directly observe the phenomena of interest under hypo/hyperbaric conditions. In this program, we propose to develop a human rated, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compatible hypo/hyperbaric chamber that will provide a novel, powerful imaging capability for medical research. The chamber will be designed for ease of use and flexibility to accommodate a broad range of future experiments. During Phase I, in collaboration with our partners, we developed a baseline design concept for the chamber. In Phase II, we will finalize the chamber design and construct a prototype that is certified for human use. At the conclusion of Phase II, we will install the chamber in an MRI suite and perform a preliminary demonstration of its capabilities with animals, setting the stage for future human subject research.