title: In vivo 7.1 T magnetic resonance imaging to assess the lens geometry in rabbit eyes 3 years after lens-refilling surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the utility of high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in assessing the normal and refilled lens geometry in rabbits after lens-refilling surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  High-resolution ocular MRIs were acquired (7.1 T ClinScan) using a 2-channel coil with 4 coil elements and T2-weighted turbo spin-echo sequences (slice thickness 700 μm, field of view 40 mm × 40 mm) in rabbits after lens refilling surgery combined with intraoperative treatment to prevent lens epithelial cell proliferation. Single slices were used to assess the refilled lenses 3 years postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The entire geometry (cross-sectional area, radius of curvature, axial and equatorial diameters) of the crystalline and refilled lenses was visualized by in vivo 7.1T MRI 3 years postoperatively (in-plane resolution: 125 μm × 125 μm). In refilled eyes, the capsule and the homogenous silicone polymer remained in close contact with no visible interface. The dimensions of the refilled lens were significantly smaller than those of the crystalline lens of the contralateral eye.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-resolution MRI allows in vivo visualization and analysis of the spatial arrangement of the lens in rabbit eyes after lens refilling surgery and overcomes a number of major limitations in the quantitative evaluation of the lens shape. Further efforts are required to optimize the amount of polymer injected during lens refilling to achieve a predictable refractive outcome after lens refilling surgery.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Drs. Stachs, Langner, Sternberg, Martin, Schmitz, Hosten and Guthoff have no financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Additional financial disclosure is found in the footnotes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany. oliver.stachs@med.uni-rostock.de
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Stachs
authors.forename: Soenke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Langner
authors.forename: Thom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Terwee
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sternberg
authors.forename: Heiner
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Klaus-Peter
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hosten
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guthoff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000869:Anterior Eye Segment / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000187:drug effects*; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D023421:Models, Animal; D009929:Organ Size; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011817:Rabbits; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D012826:Silicone Elastomers / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D012826:Silicone Elastomers