Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending - Construction - Project Title: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Facility Address: 4301 W Markham St, Little Rock, AR 72205 Project Director: Michael J. Birrer, MD, PhD Contact Phone Numbers: 501-526-2272 email: mjbirrer@uams.edu Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in Arkansas and could become the leading cause of death within the next decade, surpassing cardiovascular disease, based on diagnosis trends in the state. Under the leadership of Director Michael J. Birrer, MD, PhD, the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute (Cancer Institute) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is seeking to become the first NCI-designated cancer center in the state of Arkansas. To achieve designation, access to cutting-edge equipment, instrumentation, and technology is critically important in providing outstanding, rationally based, compassionate cancer care to all cancer patients seeking treatment at the Cancer Institute. The Cancer Institute will use funds from the HRSA Congressionally Directed Spending Construction Project to purchase a SIGNA™ Voyager 1.5T MR30 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and renovate approximately 1,400 sq. ft. of space previously used for Gamma Knife radiation therapy treatment at UAMS. UAMS is the state’s largest basic and applied research institution and is the only academic health sciences center in Arkansas with an enrollment of more than 2,000 students in six academic units. Located on UAMS’ main campus, the Cancer Institute generates outstanding cancer research and provides robust cancer care accommodating approximately 25,000 patient visits each year from all 75 counties in Arkansas in addition to 47 states and six countries. The MRI facility is located adjacent to the first floor of the Cancer Institute and provides care to all UAMS patients. Technicians perform approximately 18,000 scans per year, but because the facility is used to support more than 90 different outpatient services, cancer patients seeking treatment at the Cancer Institute account for only 40% of all scans. Patients typically wait between two weeks to two months to receive an exam at the MRI facility, and in some cases, patient exams are conducted at external sites to expedite the process. In 2022, more than 800 scans were conducted off-site. Some patients may experience longer-than-normal wait times, particularly those seeking treatment for multiple myeloma, a blood cancer associated with serious bone disease, as well as lung and prostate cancers. The proposed MRI system in this application will address current access issues for all patients while primarily helping to meet the demand for diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients at the Cancer Institute. Likewise, the use of this equipment will allow radiologists to distinguish between normal tissue and abnormalities, improve detection of tumors, provide a more precise understanding of tumor growth and development, and help oncologists stage cancer and plan appropriate treatment service. This equipment is critical for supporting our emerging clinical trials structure necessary for NCI designation. Renovations to existing space will include reconfiguration and improvements to a treatment/examination room, control room, patient holding room, dosimetry/lab support room, mechanical room, and an office. The overall cost for purchasing, installation, maintenance, and any associated renovations to the building is $1.75 million.
