Center for Imaging Research

Investigator Agreement

Policies and Procedures for 9.4T MR Scanner Recharge Center

The payment of the annual costs for maintaining the 9.4T Scanner has been entrusted to the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) Department of Biophysics.  With the assistance of the MCW Office of Research, the department has established a recharge center for the 9.4T scanner.  It is important that we make clear the policies and procedures that have been established.  Our scanner fees are based on 100% collection compliance.  This will allow us to continue to charge some of the lowest scanner research fees in the country.  By signing this document, you as the responsible investigator, indicate that you understand your responsibilities for complying with these policies and procedures.  As you might expect, noncompliance can lead to loss of scanner privileges.

1. Unused and Cancelled Scanner Time

• There will be a full charge for time that is cancelled within four or fewer days of the assigned time slot.
• 25% of the full charge will be made for cancellations within five to 14 days of the assigned time slot.
• No charge will be made for cancellations 14 or more days before the assigned time slot.
• There will be no charge for cancelled time that is used by another investigator.

There will be no charge for time cancelled due to the malfunction or failure of scanners or associated major department-maintained equipment.  This does not include failure or malfunction of investigator-provided equipment.

2. Overdue Scanner Charges

On rare occasions, investigators have repeatedly failed to pay their scanner charges, in spite of multiple billings and requests.  Investigators whose billed charges are more than 90 days past due will be given notice that their use of scanner facilities will be withheld, if all billed charges are not paid within 30 days of this notice.

3. General Development and Maintenance Scanner Time

Time on the scanner for general development and maintenance is critical to keeping our scanners in "state-of-the-art" condition.  As such, scanner fees will not be charged for this time.  Development time is defined as work on and testing of "products," such as pulse sequences, data-processing routines or equipment that is of general use to and available to the general scanner user group.  This does not include the development or testing of methods or equipment by an investigator specifically for his/her research project.

4. IACUC Compliance

Investigators will not be allowed to scan animal subjects without an approved Animal Use Application (AUA).

5. Scanner Billing

Scanner time is billed monthly in whole hour increments.

IT IS VITAL THAT YOU FILL OUT AND COMPLETE THE SCANNER LOG BOOK EACH TIME YOU SCAN.

Investigator Name 

Protocol Number 

Date 

 I agree to comply with these rules and regulations.