Overview

Magnetic resonance is an imaging technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create images of the body. The technology used in magnetic resonance imaging continues to improve. Advancements in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) requires researchers to study new techniques in normal volunteers in order to understand how to use them in patients with diseases.

In this study researchers plan to do a variety of diagnostic tests including magnetic resonance imaging on normal volunteers. The studies may involve injections of contrast media, substances injected into the blood of participant that improves the image created by the MRI scanner. The study is not expected to benefit the participants. However, information gathered from the study may be used to improve diagnostic techniques and develop new research studies.

Eligibility

• INCLUSION CRITERIA:

        Any subject above the age of 18 who is capable of giving informed consent. This study
        allows for the enrollment of healthy volunteers as well as volunteers with disease for the
        purpose of continued technical development in a wide variety of conditions.
        EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
        A subject will be excluded if he/she has a contraindication to MR scanning implanted metal
        clips or wires of the type which may concentrate radiofrequency fields or cause tissue
        damage from twisting in a magnetic field. Examples include:
          1. Aneurysm clip
          2. Implanted neural stimulator
          3. Implanted cardiac pacemaker or autodefibrillator
          4. Cochlear implant
          5. Ocular foreign body (e.g., metal shavings)
          6. Any implanted device (pumps, infusion devices, etc)
          7. Shrapnel injuries
          8. All employees/staff supervised by the Principal Investigator or an Associate
             Investigator are excluded from participation.
        To assess whether subjects are normal eligible to participate, they will be asked to fill
        out a NIH RADIS MRI Safety questionnaire. Subjects will be excluded if it is deemed that
        they have a condition which would preclude their use for study related MRI (e.g. paralyzed
        hemidiaphragm, morbid obesity, claustrophobia etc.) or present unnecessary risks (e.g.
        pregnancy, surgery of uncertain type, symptoms of pheochromocystoma or insulinoma, etc.).
        Lactating women and subjects with hemoglobinopathies, asthma, or renal or hepatic disease
        will be excluded from studies involving the administration of contrast agents.
        To assess whether subjects are eligible to participate in a GBCA study, before undergoing a
        GBCA imaging study, volunteers will be asked whether or not they have received a MRI with
        contrast at an outside institution within the last 6 months and have their Clinical Center
        medical records reviewed. To track exposures to intravenous GBCAs, for each subject we are
        administrating GBCA, we will maintain a database recording any reports of GBCA
        administration at an outside institution and the running total of GCBA administration at
        the Clinical Center. Volunteers who have had exposure to intravenous GBCAs within the last
        6 months at an outside institution or the Clinical Center, or reached their maximum of 4
        GBCA research imaging studies during their study participation on this protocol, will be
        excluded from having a contrast enhanced MRI, but will not be excluded from the protocol
        for non-contrasted MRI studies.
        To ensure volunteers who have renal failure do not undergo a GBCA imaging study, all
        volunteers who will receive Gadolinium based contrast agents will have a serum Creatinine
        obtained within one week of the MRI examination. All subjects with a calculated eGFR less
        than or equal to 60 will be excluded from having a contrast enhanced MRI, but will not be
        excluded from the protocol for non-contrasted MRI studies.