Super-parallel MR microscope.
A super-parallel MR microscope in which multiple (up to 100) samples can be imaged simultaneously at high spatial resolution is described. The system consists of a multichannel transmitter-receiver system and a gradient probe array housed in a large-bore magnet. An eight-channel MR microscope was constructed for verification of the system concept, and a four-channel MR microscope was constructed for a practical application. Eight chemically fixed mouse fetuses were simultaneously imaged at the 200 micro m(3) voxel resolution in a 1.5 T superconducting magnet of a whole-body MRI, and four chemically fixed human embryos were simultaneously imaged at 120 micro m(3) voxel resolution in a 2.35 T superconducting magnet. Although the spatial resolutions achieved were not strictly those of MR microscopy, the system design proposed here can be used to attain a much higher spatial resolution imaging of multiple samples, because higher magnetic field gradients can be generated at multiple positions in a homogeneous magnetic field.
Matsuda
Yoshimasa
Y
Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
Utsuzawa
Shin
S
Kurimoto
Takeaki
T
Haishi
Tomoyuki
T
Yamazaki
Yukako
Y
Kose
Katsumi
K
Anno
Izumi
I
Marutani
Mitsuhiro
M
D019412:Anatomy, Cross-Sectional / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D003205:Computing Methodologies; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011786:Quality Control