The following information should help you set up a research project.
Please reach out if you need any assistance, we are here to help!
Please email is at camriresearch@auckland.ac.nz to request your quote, along with a
Completed Quote Questionnaire.
We would be happy to meet with you to discuss your needs and what options are available to you at CAMRI.
We will provide a quote will be based on likely scan time, and whether the research is a local University-based study or an international commercially-funded trial.
Here is a list of all the necessary documentation that we will need in place, before you start your research:
- Completed Quote Questionnaire
- Formal quote signed by the Principal Investigator
- Funding approval confirmation
- Ethics application and approval
- Scan protocol (developed in conjunction with the staff at CAMRI – an initial meeting may be booked with the Charge Radiographer or Clinical Director to discuss the project)
Subject identification:
We recommend scanning a volunteer to fine-tune a protocol and try out a paradigm before scanning study subjects. This will give the researchers an opportunity to test the quality of the data, ensure all the information is acquired and data is appropriate for intended purpose of the research prior to commencing the study.
Each subject is required to complete a Safety Sheet before scanning takes place.
Research MRI Safety Screening Form
We will compile a folder specific to each study which will include all the relevant information including quote, ethics approval, study manual, scan protocol and correspondence. This is kept in the scanner control room until the study is complete and then will be filed under the study name in our data archive.
Researcher Checklist
All research projects will need current ethics approval before commencing. The ethics application will need to include the MRI component in the main ethics application and also in the Patient Information Sheet.
CAMRI is happy to be of help in providing any MRI specific information for ethics applications.
Only the procedure which has ethics approval can be run. Any amendments to the procedure will need an ethics amendment and approval.
Incidental Findings
Please be aware that a cost may be incurred for any reviewing and reporting of an Incidental Finding.
CAMRI has a strict policy regarding incidental findings which must be adhered to in all instances. This policy includes the following statements:
Participant Information Sheet
This sheet must include the following statement(s) regarding the ‘Detection of Abnormalities'
"In the event that a condition which is assessed to be a clinical abnormality is detected through performing a scan on you, you will be informed of this and will be advised to consult your general practitioner."
"Because the images are not routinely reviewed by a radiologist we are unable to perform diagnostic scans for medical purposes of areas where you have known abnormalities."
Participants declining to be informed of an incidental finding
The participant information sheet states that where a significant incidental finding is made, participants will be advised of this finding. If a participant does not wish to be advised of such findings then it is CAMRI's policy to exclude them from the research project. It is CAMRI's position that an informed decision not to receive information regarding an incidental finding is not possible due to the broad range of possible findings and consequences. Without knowing what may or may not be found, a participant is unable to determine in an informed way if they would wish to be informed of the finding.
Data handling
Researchers can create a USB thumb drive to take with them for later data analysis. The MRI scanner is also linked to a University server from which researchers can access their own data (the folders are password protected).
Data back-up is the researcher's own responsibility. CAMRI has its own data archiving system. If a researcher requires retrieval of data this is possible but will incur a cost.
Back-up of data more than six months old is kept off-site. If the data has been moved off-site then this process will take slightly longer for retrieval.
Data analysis generally takes place off-site in the researchers' own labs, however some of the equipment at CAMRI is necessary for specific analysis e.g. cardiac analysis on the Multi-Modality Workstation or CIM computers. In these instances time on the computers must be booked via the receptionist to avoid coinciding with clinical sessions.
Car parking is available for study subjects, and parking permits and directions are issued from the CAMRI reception by prior arrangement.
Please note: car parking is for patients or subjects only – not for researchers sorry.
Upon arrival please sign in at the reception desk and wait with subjects in the waiting room and we will call you through when everything is ready.
Both the participant and the researcher will need to complete a Research MRI Safety Screening Form prior to coming through to the restricted area. This form only needs to be completed once (unless anything changes).
The safety questionnaire is kept on file at CAMRI. There is a safety sheet to read through and a log sheet to sign to accept responsibility for your own safety. Please let us know if there is any change to MRI safety status.
Interview rooms
Currently we have 2 rooms available in the facility in which researchers may perform pre- or post-scan interviews with participants. Please let our receptionist know in advance if you would like to book some time in a room for this purpose.
Setting up is done with the help of the radiographers. Clean linen is to be used for each subject and wipes are provided for headphones, etc for hygiene purposes.
Participants need to be cleared by the radiographer on duty, to enter the room.
Similarly, the radiographer on duty will need to clear any research equipment before it is bought into the scan room. This is for your safety and to prevent injury or damage to subjects, personnel or equipment.
If a researcher wishes to use a device that is not certified as MRI safe they must provide evidence that is acceptable to the Human Ethics Committee that it is safe to proceed with the research trial.
After the procedure please leave the area as you found it, with all equipment tidied away.
The Centre for Advanced MRI should be acknowledged in all subsequent publications or presentations where imaging has been performed at the facility.
Studies that use Siemen's Work-in-progress (WIP) research sequences should similarly acknowledge the Siemen's researchers and pulse-sequence developers who have provided these capabilities.
We would greatly appreciate it if researchers could forward us a copy of any publication arising from data collected at CAMRI.
