NMR Research Unit

The NMR Research Unit promotes and undertakes research into multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases using advanced MRI methods, with expertise across multiple domains built over four decades. The NMR Research Unit was founded by Professors Ian McDonald and George du Boulay in 1984, funded by the MS Society of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The first research participant was scanned on 25th April 1984 on a Picker 0.26T system.

The Unit currently operates a 3T Philips Ingenia Cx MRI scanner with the latest software release (R11). This is supported by a dedicated team with considerable experience who ensure that data is collected with the highest standards, stored securely and processed efficiently. The Unit is known for developing cutting-edge quantitative imaging methods to understand disease mechanisms and detect subtle changes over time, in collaboration with other faculties (NHNN Neuroradiology, UCL Medical Physics and UCL Engineering). While the scanner is mainly used for MS research, many other groups studying diseases affecting the CNS have used this facility, and our group continues to welcome UCL internal or external research collaborations or service provision opportunities.

Available methods include: All types of conventional clinical sequences (e.g., 2D/3D spin-echo, gradient echo, inversion recovery) and (semi)-quantitative (e.g., MTR, DWI, QSM) sequences for imaging the brain and the spinal cord; proton spectroscopy; resting-state and task-based fMRI; sodium imaging and phosphorus spectroscopy; and peripheral nerve imaging. Please feel free to contact us to discuss your specific requirements and potential implementation using the Unit’s scanner and support team.

Scanner location: Queen Square House, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG

We welcome opportunities to collaborate and facilitate MRI research, so please feel free to contact us if you are developing a project and you think that we can be of help. Dependent on the stage of your project, we can advise on pilot work (if needed), MRI protocols and image analysis options.

Contact (standard service scanning): Kathryn Whelan   

Contact (research collaborations): Dr Marios Yiannakas, Prof Claudia Wheeler-Kingshott  or Declan Chard.

Image:

Examples of some of the methods we have used. From left : volumetric; susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI/QSM); diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI); cerebral blood perfusion; sodium imaging; proton spectroscopy; spinal cord; and peripheral nerves. Images courtesy of Anna Combes, Bhavana Solanky and Marios Yiannakas.