MRI CryoProbe Enables Preclinical MRI of Mice at 60-Micrometer Spatial Resolution

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) CryoProbe provides an increase in sensitivity of approximately a factor of 2.5x in small animal in vivo MRI. This enables very high three-dimensional (3D) isotropic spatial resolution down to 60 µm, or alternatively an increase in acquisition speed by more than a factor of 5x compared to conventional room temperature MRI radiofrequency (RF) coils. In combination with high magnetic fields, the MRI CryoProbe enables new pre-clinical neuroscience studies with functional MRI (fMRI).

A 2008 R&D 100 Award has been given to Bruker BioSpin (Billerica, MA, USA) for the MRI CryoProbe, as one of the 100 most technologically significant products introduced into the marketplace over the past year. Together with the 1.7-mm nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) MicroCryoProbe, this results in two MR innovations from Bruker BioSpin being selected by the independent judging panel and editors of R&D magazine in 2008.

Bruker BioSpin's MRI CryoProbe technology uses cryogenic RF-coils and preamplifiers cooled by a closed-cycle helium gas refrigeration system. Bruker BioSpin is the pioneer in the development of cryogenic probes for high-resolution NMR. Over 650 Bruker NMR CryoProbes have been installed at customers worldwide so far. The new MRI CryoProbe is available for in vivo animal MRI at various field strengths for BioSpec, PharmaScan, and ClinScan MRI scanners.

Comprehensive animal studies using the MRI CryoProbe were performed at the ETH in Zurich, Switzerland, where it is routinely used for clinical neuroscience research on mice. Prof. Markus Rudin, director of the MRI and Optical Imaging Section of the Animal Imaging Center, ETH Zurich, commented, "this novel MRI CryoProbe technology has proven to provide a strong and impressive increase in sensitivity. It will greatly enhance the potential of MRI in small animals for clinical and pharmaceutical research.”

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