Obtaining Deep Tissue Data Using MRI Microcytometry

Tissue imaging beyond a few millimeters of depth cannot be achieved at high spatial resolution by optical or acoustic methods because of light diffraction, scattering, and absorption. Magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) is uniquely capable of providing cellular-level information from tissue that is several centimeters deep. The use of specialized hardware, ultra-high fields, and innovative methods of acquisition and data analysis provide a unique means to extract biophysical information at cellular levels in intact samples.

This team will develop MRM along with novel diffusion imaging techniques to achieve cellular-level information in deep tissues in mice. These capabilities will be used to provide unique cellular information in models of disease including Alzheimer’s disease and liver disorders, and afford insight into how tumors respond after being treated by immunotherapy.