Development of an inductively coupled MR coil system for imaging and spectroscopic analysis of an implantable...

Developing a method to noninvasively monitor tissue-engineered constructs is critical for the optimization of construct design and for assessing therapeutic efficacy. For this purpose, NMR is a powerful technique that can be used to obtain both images and spectroscopic data. But the inherent sensitivity of NMR limits the observation of a bioartificial construct with current NMR surface coil technology. In this study, we address this limitation through the development of an inductively coupled, implantable coil system, demonstrate its use at high field (11.1 T), and investigate the use of this coil system for monitoring a bioartificial construct in vitro and in vivo. The results establish that large gains in signal to noise can be obtained with this coil system over that obtainable with a surface coil. This coil system provides a means to quantitatively analyze the structure and function of implanted bioartificial organs.