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Annual Report 2017 41

Research Reports

As in previous years, brain imaging

remains a key aspect of the research

we conduct at the NZBRI.

e continue to have studies that utilize both Magnetic

W Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography
(PET) imaging to investigate many topics, ranging from child

development through to diseases of the elderly, and beyond.
2017 was an exciting year in terms of imaging hardware. Pacific
Radiology Group (PRG) installed a new research grade 3T MRI

scanner at St. George’s Hospital in early 2017. This state-of-the-art
facility will facilitate cutting edge research. Researchers from the
NZBRI have already begun to utilise this resource, with three new

studies commencing in 2017. The 3T GE scanner that we have used
since its installation in 2006 was moved from its previous home at
Hagley Radiology to a new private hospital, Forte Health. We carried

out quality assurance tests before and after the move, with studies
continuing to utilise the scanner in its new location.

In 2017, we performed 154 hours of MRI scanning and an
additional 26 amyloid PET scans on the GE PET scanner at Southern
Cross Hospital. This amounts to less scanning than in prior years,

however this can be attributed to the completion of the amyloid
PET study, the ‘down time’ associated with the scanner move, and

the delay in starting new studies on the new St. George’s scanner
(commissioned in February 2017). In total, 8 different studies utilized
imaging in their research.

The new imaging facility at St. George’s hospital hosted three
new research projects in 2017, including:
1. Voluntary tremor suppression in Parkinson’s disease (PI: Dr

Rebekah Blakemore, Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch)

2. The Dementia Prevention Research Clinics (PIs: Prof John
Dalrymple-Alford, Psychology, University of Canterbury, and