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MRI imaging

Biologie moléculaire et production virale

Contact :  MRI-MIRCen@cea.fr

Published on 3 July 2024

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the central nervous system

ACTIVITieS

High-resolution imaging techniques and multinuclear spectroscopy are being developed and validated :

  • Optimized NMR sequences for rodents and primates (T1, T2 and T2* weighting)
  • Optimized NMR sequences for 1H, 13C and 31P cerebral spectroscopy in rodents and primates, automated quantification of short-echo time spectra
  • ZTE (Zero Echo Time) sequence for oxygen-17 imaging in rodents
  • CEST (Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer) imaging of glutamate in rodents
  • Diffusion-weighted NMR spectroscopy sequences in rodents
  • Functional imaging (BOLD) at rest or under stimulation in rodents
  • Other sequences can be optimized in the framework of collaborative projects

 

Moreover, methodological development work is ongoing in order to propose new modalities or new contrasts. In particular, the glucose CEST imaging allowing to map cerebral energy metabolism, the perfusion imaging in rodents, or the opening of the blood-brain barrier with focused ultrasound are in the process of being validated.


EQUIP​​MENT


Scans can be carried out on rodents and non-human primates in biosafety levels 1, 2 (7T and 11.7T) or 3 (7T only). The 7T magnet is sealed in a hermetic chamber that allows all maintenance interventions on the magnet independently of the level of confinement during experiments.

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A magnetic resonance imaging experiment on the 11.7Tesla preclinical MRI machine at MIRCen (courtesy of P. Stroppa/CEA)


  • Horizontal 7 T magnet (Bruker) dedicated to primates, with radiofrequency coils optimized for the brain and spinal cord imaging.
  • Horizontal 11.7 T magnet (Bruker) for imaging in rodents (funded by NeurATRIS) equipped with a cryoprobe.