title: MRI-compatible incubation chamber for cell culture experiments.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop an incubation chamber that is compatible with MRI, while avoiding sources of error due to the experimental setup.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two identical and gas-tight chambers were constructed of Plexiglas. The temperature and the CO(2) concentration were adjustable. Temperature variations within and between both chambers were measured. The pH values of the cell culture media were measured under different environmental settings. For each environment a colony formation test was carried out. The homogeneity of the magnetic field inside the chambers was estimated by phantom tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The temperature variations within the chambers were <0.3 degrees C, and the variation between the chambers was on average <0.05 degrees C. After eight hours the pH values of the cell culture media were 7.47 and 7.48 in the reference and measurement chambers, respectively; 7.41 in the CO(2) incubator; and 8.73 in ambient air. In colony formation tests the survival fraction in the Plexiglas chamber was comparable to that in the CO(2) incubator. No distortions of the magnetic field from the incubation chamber were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incubation system presented can provide the conditions of a CO(2) incubator without alteration of the magnetic flux density.
authors.affiliation: Division of Diagnostic Radiology, Department of Radiology, Klinikum der Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Nina F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Schwenzer
authors.forename: Eckart F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Grönewäller
authors.forename: Enno
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rodegerdts
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kehlbach
authors.forename: Stephan H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Duda
authors.forename: Claus D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Claussen
mesh_terms: D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004780:Environment, Controlled; D004867:Equipment Design; D006813:Humidity; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007185:Incubators; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate