Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Tracking the Mammary Architectural Features and Detecting Breast Cancer with Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: December 15, 2014
Non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging of oils in Botryococcus braunii green algae: Chemical shift selective and
Remco van Schadewijk1, Tomas E van den Berg2, Karthick B Sai Sankar Gupta1
1Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Botryococcus braunii is an oleaginous green algae with the distinctive property of accumulating high quantities of hydrocarbons per dry weight in its colonies. Large variation in colony structure exists, yet its implications and influence of oil distribution and diffusion dynamics are not known and could not be answered due to lack of suitable in vivo methods. This publication seeks to further the understanding on oil dynamics, by investigating naturally relevant large (700-1500μm) and extra-large (1500-2500μm) sized colonies of Botryococcus braunii (race B, strain Showa) in vivo, using a comprehensive approach of chemical shift selective imaging, chemical shift imaging and spin echo diffusion measurements at high magnetic field (17.6T). Hydrocarbon distribution in large colonies was found to be localised in two concentric oil layers with different thickness and concentration. Extra-large colonies were highly unstructured and oil was spread throughout colonies, but with large local variations. Interestingly, fluid channels were observed in extra-large colonies. Diffusion-weighted MRI revealed a strong correlation between colony heterogeneity, oil distribution, and diffusion dynamics in different parts of Botryococcus colonies. Differences between large and extra-large colonies were characterised by using T2 weighted MRI along with relaxation measurements. Our result, therefore, provides first non-invasive MRI means to obtain spatial information on oil distribution and diffusion dynamics in Botryococcus braunii colonies.
Related Concept Videos
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Green Algae
Imaging Studies IV: Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Proton (¹H) NMR: Chemical Shift
Absorption signals of all the protium nuclei...
NMR Spectroscopy: Chemical Shift Overview
For instance, the proton...
Inductive Effects on Chemical Shift: Overview

