Simultaneous High Resolution Ex-Vivo Diffusion Imaging of White Matter & Muscles

Thomas Benner¹, Allison Stevens¹, Michelle Roy¹, Bruce Fischl¹

A fetal ex-vivo brain was imaged using diffusion-weighted steady state free procession (DW-SSFP) imaging for simultaneous fiber tracking of white matter and muscle tissue. The sample was scanned for 56 hours at 7 T at a spatial resolution of 0.4x0.4x0.4 mm3 isotropic using a custom solenoid coil. White matter fiber tracking worked well and facial, neck, and extraocular muscles were clearly visible.