# Multi-coil multi-nuclear add-on system for clinical field strength NMR-based biomarker detection for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

> **NIH NIH R01** · TEXAS ENGINEERING EXPERIMENT STATION · 2021 · $313,768

## Abstract

SUMMARY
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) offers established advantages for biomarker detection, but has not become
clinically standard largely due to a lack of sensitivity in the detection of non-1H nuclei at clinical field strengths.
Array coils offer a natural and practical approach to increase sensitivity in MR experiments, and are standard in
nearly all imaging applications. As such, clinical scanners are typically equipped with multiple receiver channels
for 1H (imaging), but only a single broadband receiver channel capable of receiving second-nuclei information.
Collection of non-1H data is therefore limited to serial studies per nucleus (long experiment times and changing
of coils between studies) and cannot achieve increased sensitivity through the use of array coils. This project
proposes a practical way to address clinical hardware limitations and validates the utility of the approach with
application to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). DMD is a genetic disorder that affects ~1:5,000 newborn
boys and causes degeneration of skeletal and cardiac muscle, resulting in a loss of ambulation in the teenage
years, cardiac/respiratory issues in the late 20’s, and death in the third decade. The value of animal models in
the study of DMD (and all diseases) is well established, but is of particular importance to DMD at this time due
to the exploding development of experimental therapies – molecular, cellular, and pharmacologic. One of the
most established colonies of golden retrievers with muscular dystrophy (GRMD) in the world resides at Texas
A&M University – an animal model proven to be superior for relevant assessment of therapies. This project will
show the viability of achieving the benefits of clinical NMR-based biomarker detection with a straightforward
hardware addition and simultaneously allow for data collection in a manner that is painless, non-invasive, and
minimizes anesthesia time for dogs in DMD studies at the Texas Institute for Preclinical Sciences (TIPS). Aim
1- Design and construct multi-tuned RF coil arrays for detection of 1H, 31P, and 23Na. Completion of this
aim will result in RF coils designed for SNR-enhanced in vivo NMR-based biomarker detection with minimal
changes to the current GRMD scanning protocol. Aim 2- Build an add-on multi-channel frequency
translation system to provide multi-channel multinuclear spectroscopy on the Siemens 3T scanner.
Completion of this aim will result in a modular system, straightforwardly interfaced to the existing 32-channel 1H
receiver that will allow acquisition of up to 16 channels of 1H data and up to eight channel data from two additional
nuclei – in this case, 31P and 23Na. Aim 3- Obtain 1H-31P-23Na data from already-characterized existing ex
vivo preserved muscle samples. Completion of this aim will result in the initial testing of the frequency
translation system and will verify the sensitivity and specificity of NMR-based detection. Aim 4- Obtain in vivo
1H-31P-23Na data from GRMD...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10133650
- **Project number:** 5R01EB028533-02
- **Recipient organization:** TEXAS ENGINEERING EXPERIMENT STATION
- **Principal Investigator:** Mary Preston McDougall
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $313,768
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-04-01 → 2023-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10133650

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10133650, Multi-coil multi-nuclear add-on system for clinical field strength NMR-based biomarker detection for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (5R01EB028533-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10133650. Licensed CC0.

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