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Small animal imaging with magnetic resonance microscopy

Publication ,  Journal Article
Driehuys, B; Nouls, J; Badea, A; Bucholz, E; Ghaghada, K; Petiet, A; Hedlund, LW
Published in: ILAR Journal
September 11, 2012

Small animal magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) has evolved significantly from testing the boundaries of imaging physics to its expanding use today as a tool in noninvasive biomedical investigations. MRM now increasingly provides functional information about living animals, with images of the beating heart, breathing lung, and functioning brain. Unlike clinical MRI, where the focus is on diagnosis, MRM is used to reveal fundamental biology or to noninva-sively measure subtle changes in the structure or function of organs during disease progression or in response to experimental therapies. High-resolution anatomical imaging reveals increasingly exquisite detail in healthy animals and subtle architectural aberrations that occur in genetically altered models. Resolution of 100 μm in all dimensions is now routinely attained in living animals, and (10 (μm)3 is feasible in fixed specimens. Such images almost rival conventional histology while allowing the object to be viewed interactively in any plane. In this review we describe the state of the art in MRM for scientists who may be unfamiliar with this modality but who want to apply its capabilities to their research. We include a brief review of MR concepts and methods of animal handling and support, before covering a range of MRM applications-including the heart, lung, and brain-and the emerging field of MR histology. The ability of MRM to provide a detailed functional and anatomical picture in rats and mice, and to track this picture over time, makes it a promising platform with broad applications in biomedical research.

Duke Scholars

Published In

ILAR Journal

ISSN

1084-2020

Publication Date

September 11, 2012

Volume

53

Issue

1

Start / End Page

35 / 53

Related Subject Headings

  • Veterinary Sciences
  • 31 Biological sciences
  • 30 Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences
  • 07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
  • 06 Biological Sciences
 

Citation

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Driehuys, B., Nouls, J., Badea, A., Bucholz, E., Ghaghada, K., Petiet, A., & Hedlund, L. W. (2012). Small animal imaging with magnetic resonance microscopy. ILAR Journal, 53(1), 35–53.
Driehuys, B., J. Nouls, A. Badea, E. Bucholz, K. Ghaghada, A. Petiet, and L. W. Hedlund. “Small animal imaging with magnetic resonance microscopy.” ILAR Journal 53, no. 1 (September 11, 2012): 35–53.
Driehuys B, Nouls J, Badea A, Bucholz E, Ghaghada K, Petiet A, et al. Small animal imaging with magnetic resonance microscopy. ILAR Journal. 2012 Sep 11;53(1):35–53.
Driehuys, B., et al. “Small animal imaging with magnetic resonance microscopy.” ILAR Journal, vol. 53, no. 1, Sept. 2012, pp. 35–53.
Driehuys B, Nouls J, Badea A, Bucholz E, Ghaghada K, Petiet A, Hedlund LW. Small animal imaging with magnetic resonance microscopy. ILAR Journal. 2012 Sep 11;53(1):35–53.
Journal cover image

Published In

ILAR Journal

ISSN

1084-2020

Publication Date

September 11, 2012

Volume

53

Issue

1

Start / End Page

35 / 53

Related Subject Headings

  • Veterinary Sciences
  • 31 Biological sciences
  • 30 Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences
  • 07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
  • 06 Biological Sciences