Innovative in vivo Microscopy: From Beakers to Animals and Beyond

The closing sentence of Paul Lauterbur’s seminal article describing magnetic resonance imaging is “ Zeugmatigraphic (imaging) techniques should find many useful applications in studies of the internal structures, states, and compositions of microscopic objects” [1] – an obvious understatement about the impact MRI has had on modern medicine and science. MRI continues to deliver exciting new opportunities for discovery in science and medicine. Magnetic resonance histology, the topic of this presentation is an area in which we have seen dramatic advances over the last few years. Magnetic resonance histology (MRH), the study of tissue structurethrough the use of magnetic resonance imaging was first suggested in 1993 [2]. MRH provides several unique compliments to more traditional optical methods: MRH is nondestructive, is inherently digital and 3 dimensional, and provides particularly fascinating tissue contrast dependent proton sources and their environments in the tissue. This talk will describe the technology that has allowed us to acquire MR images at spatial resolution more than 1 million times that seen in clinical scanners, some of the unique sources of contrast, and some recent applications in genetics and neuroscience. 1. Lauterbur, P.C., Image formation by induced local interactions ‐ examples employing nuclear magnetic resonance. Nature, 1973. 242: p. 190‐1. 2. Johnson, G.A., et al., Histology by magnetic resonance microscopy. Magnetic Resonance Quarterly, 1993. 9(1): p. 1‐30. Innovative in vivo Microscopy: From Beakers to Animals and Beyond December 18, 2013 Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Brain and Magnetic Field Interaction Chunlei Liu, PhD Core Faculty, Duke-UNC Brain Imaging Analysis Center Assistant Professor of Radiology and Medical Physics Duke University Professor Liu is a member of the core faculty at the Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center. His research efforts center on MRI techniques for translational medical applications, particularly in vivo imaging of brain white-matter architecture and function.