Abstract #2007

Litherland S, Simpson N, Blackband S, Constantinidis I, Grant S

Through the application of high magnetic fields and radio frequency microcoils, MR microimages of isolated mammalian islets, acinar cells and multicellular insulinoma aggregates were acquired at isotropic resolutions down to 9.4 m. Several MR contrast mechanisms (T2, T2* and diffusion) were applied to determine the MR characteristics of these samples. High resolution MR images demonstrate that isolated islets possess a unique structural heterogeneity that has previously not been reported. This heterogeneity distinguishes islets from surrounding acinar tissue, a novel distinction for MR imaging. Optical deconvolution confocal microscopy supports these MR observations of intra-islet structural heterogeneity.