Translational Imaging Center

 

The Houston Methodist Translational Imaging Center provides clinicians and researchers across the Texas Medical Center with access to the most advanced, high-performance imaging equipment to create a direct translational environment for innovation.

The center supports preclinical and clinical investigative studies and provides magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) with an on-site cyclotron and a preclinical imaging clinic to perform multimodality imaging studies on preclinical study models.

The center separates preclinical and clinical research areas and provides comfortable waiting and recovery areas for clinical research participants to ensure a pleasant experience for patients participating in research studies.

 

Through a Siemens Healthineers and Houston Methodist multi-year consortium agreement, one of the world’s most powerful MRI machines – the Siemens 7 Tesla (7T) MAGNETOM Terra – is the first 7T MRI of its kind in Texas and is the first 7T MRI scanner approved for clinical use in the U.S.

 

The facilities of the Translational Imaging Center that provide high-performance imaging include:

 


Contact Us

Christof Karmonik, PhD
Scientific Director,
Translational Imaging Center
713.441.7979

 

Marcos Gonzales
Administrative Support
346.238.5100

To learn more or to schedule resources for the center, download our brochure.

Consortium

Siemens Tesla Installations

A Siemens Healthineers and Houston Methodist multi-year consortium agreement allows institutions in the Texas Medical Center to access the powerful 7T MRI and other translational imaging facilities. The consortium includes: 

 

  • The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
  • The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston
  • University of Houston
  • Baylor College of Medicine
  • Texas A&M
  • Rice University

Siemens Tesla Installations

The Translational Imaging Center is underwent significant renovations to make way for new state-of-the-art imaging equipment, including the Siemens 7 Tesla (7T) MAGNETOM Terra, the Siemens 3 Tesla (3T) MAGNETOM Vida and the Biography Vision PET/CT. The size of the equipment required significant logistical support to move the machinery into the Houston Methodist Research Institute.

 

 

The 3T was installed December 16, 2018 and the 7T was installed February 23, 2019. The MAGNETOM Terra is the first 7T of its kind in Texas and the first 7T MRI scanner approved for clinical use in the U.S. It has exceptional capabilities that include clear visualization of previously unseen anatomical details and can show physiology or biological function, as well. The 7T technology will be accessible to all institutions in the TMC and is part of a Siemens Healthineers and Houston Methodist multi-year consortium agreement.

 

 

Pictures from the installations.

 

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