Mouse MRI Core

The Mouse MRI Core Facility offers state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and proton spectroscopy (MRS) of mice and other small animals to all campus investigators. 

The facility includes a 7 Tesla horizontal-bore magnet and various physiology monitoring capabilities, including ECG, respiratory gating for cardiac imaging, and temperature monitoring and control throughout the imaging experiment. The facility will provide guidance for post-processing of image data and experimental planning for longitudinal studies.

MR Imaging Methods

  • T1, T2, Proton-Weighted Imaging, Gd-T1 weighted imaging
  • Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI
  • Diffusion-Weighted Imaging (DWI)/Diffusion-Tensor Imaging (DTI)

MR Spectroscopy

  • Single-Voxel Spectroscopy
  • CSI-Chemical Shift Imaging

Applications for which we can provide expertise include, but are not limited to:

Anatomical MR Imaging

  • Normal development and aging
  • Detection/Monitoring of lesions (tumor, ischemia, etc.)
  • Body fat distribution
  • Phenotyping

Functional MR Imaging

  • Perfusion (angiogenesis, etc.)
  • Cardiac motion/Ejection fraction
  • Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)

Tissue Metabolism

  • Fat metabolites
  • Characterization of tumors

Planning Your Study

Please contact us to briefly introduce your MRI-relevant research plans and goals. We will contact you to schedule a brief pre-project meeting to discuss your projects. If our Mouse MRI Core capabilities meet your expectations, we will: (1) ask you to send us a new project application form; and (2) instruct you how to amend your existing IACUC protocol if it did not include MR procedures.

Once you obtained IACUC approval, you can contact us to set up MRI scanning schedules. Please be aware a fact that you will be responsible for contacting the Animal Resource Center well ahead of time to arrange for transport of your animals to and from the appropriate animal holding areas.

Fees and Policies

The Mouse MRI Core Facility is available for use to UTSW researchers at a rate of $100 per hour, with a minimum of 30 minutes.

The total MR session time includes:

  • Initial animal preparation
  • Preliminary MR scans (verification of animal position, MR pre-scans)
  • Actual MR scan time

The total time will depend on the number of animals to be imaged and the methods to be applied. Investigators are responsible for time reserved on the magnet. Any cancellations should be made 24 hours in advance to avoid charges.

For questions or concerns regarding billing, please contact Brenda Aston at the AIRC.