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Updated: May 27, 2026
In vivo Imaging of Optic Nerve Fiber Integrity by Contrast-Enhanced MRI in Mice
Published on: July 22, 2014
Microcoil-based MR phase imaging and manganese enhanced microscopy of glial tumor neurospheres with direct optical
Nicoleta Baxan1, Ulf Kahlert, Jaroslaw Maciaczyk
1Department of Radiology, Medical Physics, University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany. nicoleta.baxan@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Abstract:
Susceptibility differences among tissues were recently used for highlighting complementary contrast in MRI different from the conventional T(1), T(2), or spin density contrasts. This method, based on the signal phase, previously showed improved image contrast of human or rodent neuroarchitecture in vivo, although direct MR phase imaging of cellular architecture was not available until recently. In this study, we present for the first time the ability of microcoil-based phase MRI to resolve the structure of human glioma neurospheres at significantly improved resolutions (10 × 10 μm(2)) with direct optical image correlation. The manganese chloride property to function as a T(1) contrast agent enabled a closer examination of cell physiology with MRI. Specifically the temporal changes of manganese chloride uptake, retention and release time within and from individual clusters were assessed. The optimal manganese chloride concentration for improved MR signal enhancement was determined while keeping the cellular viability unaffected. The presented results demonstrate the possibilities to reveal structural and functional observation of living glioblastoma human-derived cells. This was achieved through the combination of highly sensitive microcoils, high magnetic field, and methods designed to maximize contrast to noise ratio. The presented approach may provide a powerful multimodal tool that merges structural and functional information of submilimeter biological samples.
Insights
Microcoil-based phase MRI can now resolve human glioma neurosphere structure at high resolution. This technique visualizes cell physiology and manganese chloride uptake, offering a new multimodal tool for biological sample analysis.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Imaging
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) phase-based susceptibility mapping offers contrast beyond conventional T1, T2, or spin density methods.
- Previous applications demonstrated improved neuroarchitecture contrast in vivo, but lacked cellular resolution.
- Recent advancements enable direct MR phase imaging of cellular structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the capability of microcoil-based phase MRI for high-resolution imaging of human glioma neurospheres.
- To assess cell physiology, including manganese chloride uptake, retention, and release dynamics.
- To determine optimal manganese chloride concentrations for MRI signal enhancement without compromising cell viability.
Main Methods:
- Utilized microcoil-based phase MRI at high magnetic fields to achieve resolutions of 10 × 10 μm².
- Employed manganese chloride as a T1 contrast agent to examine cell physiology.
- Correlated MRI data with direct optical imaging for validation.
- Optimized methods to maximize contrast-to-noise ratio.
Main Results:
- Achieved unprecedented resolution for imaging human glioma neurospheres using phase MRI.
- Successfully visualized temporal changes in manganese chloride dynamics within cellular clusters.
- Identified optimal manganese chloride concentrations for enhanced MRI signal without affecting cellular viability.
- Demonstrated direct optical image correlation for structural validation.
Conclusions:
- Microcoil-based phase MRI can resolve the structure of human glioma neurospheres at significantly improved resolutions.
- The method allows for the assessment of cell physiology, including contrast agent dynamics.
- This approach offers a powerful multimodal tool for structural and functional analysis of submillimeter biological samples.
