Ultra-High Resolution 3D Microangiography of the Rat Ocular Circulation at 11.7 T

Yen-Yu Ian Shih¹, Eric R. Muir¹, Li Guang¹, Bryan H. De La Garza¹, Timothy Q. Duong¹

This study developed an ultra high resolution microangiographic technique (up to nominal 35m isotropic resolution) for the in vivo rat eye at11.7 T. The effects of gas challenges and MION contrast agent were also investigated. In addition, a 3D eyeball flattening technique was developed to isolate the vascular pattern at different depth of the retinal thickness. The structural details of the ocular vascular system can be clearly identified using ultra high resolution ocular MR microangiography, which is not previously available. This technique has potential to complement existing optical imaging angiographic techniques for the eye.