Magnetic resonance microscopy of mammalian neurons

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is now a leading diagnostic technique. As technology has improved, so has the spatial resolution achievable. In 1986 MR microscopy (MRM) was demonstrated with resolutions in the tens of micrometers, and is now an established subset of MRI with broad utility in biological and non-biological applications. To date, only large cells from plants or aquatic animals have been imaged with MRM limiting its applicability. Using newly developed microsurface coils and an improved slice preparation technique for correlative histology, we report here for the first time direct visualization of single neurons in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) using native MR signal at a resolution of 4-8 microm. Thus MRM has matured into a viable complementary cellular imaging technique in mammalian tissues.