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The Bruker Biospec 9.4T/30-cm horizontal bore animal MRI systemThe Bruker Biospec 9.4T/30-cm horizontal bore animal MRI system is a shared instrumentation originally funded by NIH S10 RR019924. The system has an ultra-shield refrigerated magnet at high magnetic field that delivers superior imaging signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) than conventional field strength, enabling our investigators to perform anatomical, functional, and molecular MRI research at very high spatial resolution. (Please see Imaging Service) The daily operation and maintenance of the system is overseen by a group of experienced scientists at CAMRI. The system provides services primarily for in vivo rodent (rats and mice) brain studies but is also capable of imaging outside the brain as well as in different animal species or ex vivo specimens.

Technical Features

  • Actively-shielded 9.4 T superconducting 30 cm wide-bore magnet
  • Avance II console
  • Copley 700 gradient power amplifier
  • RRI MXH-6 shim power amplifier
  • RRI BGF 150/90-S gradient insert with 9 cm ID, 734 mT/m gradient strength and 3670 T/m/s max slew rate
  • Bruker BGA-20 gradient insert with 20 cm ID, 200 mT/m gradient strength and 640 T/m/s max slew rate
  • Two BLA1000-I 15-400 MHz RF Power Amplifiers
  • Custom-made MR-compatible animal cradles for rats and mice
  • ParaVision 6 software package providing various MR sequences, reconstruction, analysis and visualization

Volume Coils

  • 22, 35, 72, 86, and 150 mm quad-transceiver coils
  • 1H/17O double-tuned volume coils

Surface Coils

  • 4-channel receive-only phase array rat coil
  • Quad-receive only mouse coil
  • 1H/13C and 1H/31P double-tuned linear transceivers
  • Custom-made rat (1.6–2.2 cm) and mouse (0.7–1 cm) transceiver surface coils
  • Custom-made rat neck labeling coil for arterial spin labeling
  • Custom-made mouse heart labeling coil for arterial spin labeling
  • Custom-made active coil decoupling box for arterial spin labeling

Physiological Maintenance/Monitoring

  • VetEquip isoflurane anesthesia system
  • Surgivet v9004LF capnograph monitor/pulse oximeters
  • CWE MRI-1 MR-compatible ventilator
  • CWE MicroCapStar MR-compatible microcapnometer
  • MouseOx Plus non-invasive vital signs monitor with MR-compatible sensors (heart rate, respiration rate, and oxygen saturation)
  • SAII animal respiration and ECG monitoring and gating system
  • SAII MR-compatible small rodent heater system
  • Oakton multi-parameter temperature controller
  • Thermo Scientific SC150-S13 heated feedback-controlled circulating bath
  • Harvard Apparatus homeothermic blanket control
  • Harvard Apparatus PHD 2000 Infusion pump