title: Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging in small rodents using a clinical 1.5 T MR scanner.
abstract: Because of superior soft-tissue contrast compared to other imaging techniques, non-invasive abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is ideal for monitoring organ regeneration, tissue repair, cancer stage, and treatment effects in a wide variety of experimental animal models. Currently, sophisticated MR protocols, including technically demanding procedures for motion artefact compensation, achieve an MRI resolution limit of < 100 microm under ideal conditions. However, such a high spatial resolution is not required for most experimental rodent studies. This article describes both a detailed imaging protocol for MR data acquisition in a ubiquitously and commercially available 1.5 T MR unit and 3-dimensional volumetry of organs, tissue components, or tumors. Future developments in MR technology will allow in vivo investigation of physiological and pathological processes at the cellular and even the molecular levels. Experimental MRI is crucial for non-invasive monitoring of a broad range of biological processes and will further our general understanding of physiology and disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland. daniel.inderbitzin@insel.ch
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Inderbitzin
authors.forename: Christoforos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stoupis
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sidler
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gass
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Candinas
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D016477:Artifacts; D049628:Body Size; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D051381:Rats; D011912:Rats, Inbred ACI; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012377:Rodentia / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013997:Time Factors