Towards MRI Microscopy of Biological Cells

Ohio State University Research Foundation -Do Not Use, Columbus OH

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT 9987079 Charles H. Pennington Ohio State University Toward MRI Microscopy of Biological Cells Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a powerful and now widely available medical tool, routinely used to diagnose problems that in the past would have required exploratory surgery. Typically MRI in a hospital setting can not distinguish features that are smaller than approximately 1 millimeter in size. In contrast, MRI microscopy is the tool used to image smaller organisms. To date MRI microscopy can resolve features as small as a few tens of micrometers. This award supports the development of instrumentation to extend MRI to an even smaller regime. Such an instrument will make it possible to obtain meaningful images of single biological cells. Cells have typical sizes of about 10 micrometers, and the PI aims to achieve MRI resolution of about 1 micrometer. Two major problems must be overcome to achieve this goal. First, as the resolution volume is smaller, the available MRI signal is also reduced, and one must reduce the size of the "noise" relative to the signal that one desires to measure. This problem will be solved by using MRI "micro-coils" to greatly enhance this signal to noise ratio for the study of very small objects. Second, in a small resolution volume, the objects of interest may move substantially during the time of the measurement. This problem will be solved by using very strong MRI magnetic field gradient coils (triaxial, switchable gradients with strengths exceeding 20 Tesla per meter) which allow measurements to be made quickly. Magnetic resonance imaging is a large and rapidly growing field with applications in both clinical practice and biomedical research. Because of this rapid growth, there is a great need for scientists and medical physicists who are trained and skilled in MRI. This award provides graduate students and postdoctoral researchers with thoroughly challenging MRI projects. Students supported under this award will have to find original solutions to important scientific and technological problems. As a result it is anticipated that the students will proceed to become leaders in magnetic resonance imaging.