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.
EQUIPMENT
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.
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.