DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION ON NEONATAL ISOLETTE FOR 31PNMR

THIS PROPOSAL IS TO CONSTRUCT AND TEST A LABORATORY PROTOTYPE ISOLETTE FOR PRETERM INFANTS APPROPRIATE TO THE PHOSPHOROUS NMR EXAMINATION OF THEIR ORGAN BIOCHEMISTRY (BRAIN, KIDNEY, LIVER, AND SKELETAL TISSUE). THIS ISOLETTE IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A SAFE AND COMFORTABLE LIFE-SUPPORT ENVIRONMENT FOR THE INFANT. THE INVESTIGATORS HAVE CONSIDERED THE PROBLEM OF OBSERVING A NEONATE INSIDE A MAGNET IN DETAIL AND HAVE PROPOSED THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ISOLETTE FOR THAT PURPOSE. THIS WILL PERMIT THE PREDICTION OR IDENTIFICATION OF LIFE THREATENING HYPOXIA SO AS TO MINIMIZE THE POSSIBILITY OF ORGAN AND BRAIN DAMAGE IN INFANTS. THIS PROPOSAL WILL ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE THE EXISTINGNMR SYSTEMS BY MAKING THE ISOLETTE FIT INTO THE HEAD COIL OFTHE WHOLE-BODY PROTON IMAGING SYSTEMS. WITH THIS CHANGE, WHICH MAY IN FACT BE VERY MINOR, THE ISOLETTE WOULD BE A VIABLE PRODUCT.