High-resolution 3D MRI of mouse brain reveals small cerebral structures in vivo.
This work demonstrates technical approaches to high-quality magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of small structures of the mouse brain in vivo. It turns out that excellent soft-tissue contrast requires the reduction of partial volume effects by using 3D MRI at high (isotropic) resolution with linear voxel dimensions of about 100-150 microm. The long T(2)* relaxation times at relatively low magnetic fields (2.35 T) offer the benefit of a small receiver bandwidth (increased signal-to-noise) at a moderate echo time which together with the small voxel size avoids visual susceptibility artifacts. For measuring times of 1-1.5 h both T(1)-weighted (FLASH) and T(2)-weighted (Fast Spin-Echo) 3D MRI acquisitions exhibit detailed anatomical insights in accordance with histological sections from a mouse brain atlas. Preliminary applications address the identification of neuroanatomical variations in different mouse strains and the use of Mn(2+) as a T(1) contrast agent for neuroaxonal tracing of fiber tracts within the mouse visual pathway.
Natt
O
O
Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH am Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, 37070 Göttingen, Germany.
Watanabe
T
T
Boretius
S
S
Radulovic
J
J
Frahm
J
J
Michaelis
T
T
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008345:Manganese / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010641:Phenotype; D012160:Retina / Q000033:anatomy & histology
D008345:Manganese