High-Resolution Murine Brain Imaging at 15.2 Tesla

Tim Wokrina¹, Michael Gottschalk¹, Sarah R. Herrmann¹, Marco Sacher², Thomas Fitze², Daniel Marek²

Cryogenic RF coils have now been become available for ultra-high magnetic field strength systems. This study probes the limits of high-resolution in vivo murine brain gradient and spin echo imaging within <30 minutes scan time on a 15.2 T / 11 cm bore scanner equipped with a cryogenic quadrature transmit/receive RF coil. As a result, micro-imaging with resolutions reaching down to the cellular level becomes feasible. This may open up new possibilities for research on e.g. stem cells, myelination alterations or defects in neurodegenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimers or multiple sclerosis, and vascularization during tumor growth.