Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
Visualizing Protein Kinase A Activity In Head-fixed Behaving Mice Using In Vivo Two-photon Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy
Published on: June 7, 2019
In vivo multiple-mouse imaging at 1.5 T
1Department of Medical Physics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10021, USA.
Abstract:
A multiple-mouse solenoidal MR coil was developed for in vivo imaging of up to 13 mice simultaneously to screen for tumors on a 1.5 T clinical scanner. For the coil to be effective as a screening tool, it should permit acquisition of MRIs in which orthotopic tumors with diameters >2 mm are detectable in a reasonable period of time (<1 hr magnet time) and their sizes accurately measured. Using a spin echo sequence, we demonstrated that this coil provides sufficient sensitivity for moderately high resolution images (156-176 microm in plane-resolution, 1.5 mm slice thickness). This spatial resolution permitted detection of primary brain tumors in transgenic/knockout mice and orthotopic xenografts. Brain tumor size as measured by MRI was correlated with size measured by histopathology (P < 0.001). Metastatic tumors in the mouse lung were also successfully imaged in a screening setting. The multiple mouse coil is simple in construction and may be implemented without any significant modification to the hardware or software on a clinical scanner.
Insights
A novel multiple-mouse MRI coil enables simultaneous in vivo imaging of up to 13 mice. This tool effectively screens for tumors, accurately measuring their size for preclinical research.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Biomedical Engineering
- Preclinical Research
Background:
- Developing efficient methods for in vivo tumor screening in mice is crucial for drug development and cancer research.
- Existing MRI techniques can be time-consuming for screening large cohorts of animals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a multiple-mouse solenoidal MR coil for simultaneous in vivo imaging of up to 13 mice.
- To assess the coil's effectiveness in detecting and measuring orthotopic tumors (>2 mm) within a practical timeframe (<1 hour magnet time).
Main Methods:
- A multiple-mouse solenoidal MR coil was designed for a 1.5 T clinical scanner.
- Spin echo sequences were employed to acquire magnetic resonance images (MRIs).
- Image resolution was assessed, and tumor sizes measured via MRI were correlated with histopathology.
Main Results:
- The coil achieved moderate-to-high resolution images (156-176 µm in-plane, 1.5 mm slice thickness).
- Primary brain tumors in transgenic mice and orthotopic xenografts were successfully detected.
- MRI-measured brain tumor size strongly correlated with histopathology (P < 0.001).
- Metastatic lung tumors were also imaged effectively in a screening context.
Conclusions:
- The developed multiple-mouse MR coil is a sensitive and effective tool for in vivo tumor screening in mice.
- It allows for accurate tumor size measurement and can be implemented on standard clinical scanners with minimal modifications.
- This coil significantly enhances the efficiency of preclinical cancer research by enabling simultaneous imaging of multiple subjects.
