title: Magnetic resonance microscopy of mammalian neurons.
abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is now a leading diagnostic technique. As technology has improved, so has the spatial resolution achievable. In 1986 MR microscopy (MRM) was demonstrated with resolutions in the tens of micrometers, and is now an established subset of MRI with broad utility in biological and non-biological applications. To date, only large cells from plants or aquatic animals have been imaged with MRM limiting its applicability. Using newly developed microsurface coils and an improved slice preparation technique for correlative histology, we report here for the first time direct visualization of single neurons in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) using native MR signal at a resolution of 4-8 microm. Thus MRM has matured into a viable complementary cellular imaging technique in mammalian tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
authors.forename: Jeremy J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Flint
authors.forename: Choong H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fey
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schmidig
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Bui
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vestergaard-Poulsen
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Blackband
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology*