Preclinical Imaging Core

Bruker 7.0T MRI Scanner

The scanner is equipped with state-of-the-art multi-channel RF coils, allowing high-resolution in vivo or ex vivo imaging for application in life science, biomedical and preclinical research. The facility provides expert faculty and comprehensive imaging support services for UNM/non-UNM investigators.

• An Ultra shielded 7.0T 30 cm bore MR scanner with a PET insert, and equipped with three distinct water-cooled gradient sets with high power gradient amplifiers:
• A large-bore gradient set (ID 20 cm) with a maximum gradient strength of 30 Gauss/cm (300 mT/m)
• A small-bore gradient set (ID 11.4 cm) with a maximum gradient strength of 66 Gauss/cm (660 mT/m)
• An extra-small gradient set (ID 6 cm) with a maximum gradient strength of 100 Gauss/cm (1,000 mT/m)
• The MRI system is equipped with Bruker AVANCE III electronics to provide highest speed RF generation and data acquisition with a highly modular and scalable transmitter and receiver channel architecture.

A variety of volume coils available for body imaging:

• RF RES 300 1H 059/035 QSN TR Outer/Inner Diameter (mm):  59/35
• RF RES 300 1H 112/072 QSN TR Outer/Inner Diameter (mm):  112/72
• RF RES 300 1H 198/154 QSN TR Outer/Inner Diameter (mm):  198/154

Multichannel surface coils available for brain imaging:

• 1H mouse brain receive-only phased-array coil: RF ARR 300 1H 2x2 RO AD
• 1H rat brain receive-only phased-array coil: RF ARR 300 1H 2X2 RO AD

• In vivo acquisition and reconstruction of high-resolution images in different orientations (axial, sagittal, and coronal) in small animals.
• Ex vivo imaging and analysis of rodent and human tissues.
• Image processing.

MR and PET-MR Imaging Services Provided

• T1, T2, Proton-Weighted Imaging, Gd-T1 weighted imaging
• Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI
• Diffusion-Weighted Imaging (DWI)/Diffusion-Tensor Imaging (DTI)
• T1, T2 Map
• T2* Weighted Image
• T2* Map
• Perfusion Weighted Image
• Permeability Map
• BOLD Image
• FDG PET

Anatomical MR Imaging

• Normal development and aging
• Detection/Monitoring of lesions (tumor, ischemia, etc.)
• Body fat distribution
• Functional MR Imaging
• Perfusion (angiogenesis, etc.)
• Cerebral blood flow
• Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)
• Tissue Metabolism (FDG PET/MR)
• Tumor imaging/characterization
• Evaluation of brain glucose metabolism in neurodegenerative disorders 

Image Processing

Two dedicated workstations for data transfer and offline data processing. Commercial and open-source software available include

• PV5.1 and PV6.01
• MATLAB (Mathworks Inc.)
• Vivoquant
• ImageJ (NIH, Bethesda, MD)

Notes:

• Please contact us to briefly introduce your MRI or PET-MRI relevant research plans and goals. We will contact you to schedule a brief pre-project meeting to discuss your projects. If our core capabilities meet your expectations, we will: (1) ask you to send us a new project application form and amend your existing IACUC protocol, if it did not include MRI procedures.
• Please be aware that the PI will be responsible for contacting the Animal Resource Facility well ahead of time to arrange for transport of animals to and from the appropriate animal holding areas to the core facility.

The PET-MRI core facility is available to both UNM affiliated and external users at the following rates. A minimum of 30 minutes session is required. All users will need to complete a New Project Request Form for each project prior to starting the project.

Download a New Project Request Form here. 

The total MRI and PET-MRI session includes:

• Initial animal preparation
• Preliminary scans to verify animal position
• Actual MRI or PET-MR scans
• Administration of contrast agents or radiopharmaceuticals

Notes:

• For PET-MRI radiopharmaceuticals have to be ordered through the core and will have additional charge.

Acknowledgement of Core in Publications:

Publications containing assay results, data, images or products generated by the core require citation in the acknowledgment section of the paper to include the core name, core personnel and any grants that directly support core operations. Core specific information is below: 

• Core name: Preclinical Imaging Core
• Personnel: Surojit Paul, PhD, Core Director; Yirong Yang, PhD, Research staff 
  
  

Fee Schedule

General Inquiries & Billing Questions:
Faith Ann Brandt
Core Administrator and Program Specialist
Office of Research UNM HSC
faithann@salud.unm.edu

Project Design Questions & Cost Estimates:
Dr. Surojit Paul
Director, Preclinical Imaging Core
Professor,
Department of Neurology, UNM HSC
Phone: (505) 272-0610
Email: spaul@salud.unm.edu

Dr. Yirong Yang
Imaging and Data Scientist
Research Assistant Professor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UNM HSC
Phone: (505) 272-9919
Email: yiyang@salud.unm.edu

Physical Address:
Pete and Nancy Domenici Hall
Room Numbers: 1121-1123
1101 Yale Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106-0001

Mailing Address:
Attn: Dr. Surojit Paul
Department of Neurology,
MSC11 6035
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001

Shipping Address:
Attn: Dr. Yirong Yang
1101 Yale Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001

T1-weighted and T2/T2*-weighted Imaging

Animal: Rat
Sequence for T1: T1 FLASH with TR/TE = 500/3 ms, Voxel Size = 100µm × 100µm × 500µm
Sequence for T2: T2 RARE with TR/TE = 5000/33 ms, Voxel Size = 100µm × 100µm × 500µm
Sequence for T2*: FLASH with TE/TR = 40/800 ms, Voxel Size = 117µm × 117µm × 500µm

Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Animal: Rat
Sequence: DTI with TE/TR = 25/1500 ms, Voxel Size = 200µm × 200µm × 1mm

MR Angiography

Animal: Rat
Sequence: FLASH-3D, TR/TE = 15/3 ms, Voxel Size = 300µm × 300µm × 1mm
 

Cerebral Blood Flow in Ischemic Brain

Animal: Wistar rat subjected to MCAO
Sequence: FAIR-RARE, TR/TE = 10000/70 ms, Voxel Size = 300µm × 300µm × 1mm

18-FDG Tumor Imaging of Ovarian Cancer with Novel Immunotherapy

Animal: C56BL/6 mouse
Co-registered PET-MRI of whole body
Tracer: 18F-FDG (3.2 MBq, 86 µCi)
MRI Sequence: T2W FSE 2D, TE/TR = 30/4000 ms, FOV: 32mm x 32mm, slice thickness = 0.5mm
PET acquisition: list mode