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. Mice can be delivered to our facility in the Clements Imaging building (NE) on the North campus, imaged under anesthesia, and returned to the investigator the same day. 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.

Magnetic Resonance is a useful tool for in vivo studies in mouse models. The mouse MR facility has developed rigorous screening protocols to optimize animal throughput.

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

Various applications that we can provide expertise in are listed here, but not limited to -

Anatomical MR Imaging:

• Normal development / 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:

1. Please fill out a  Project Application Form and e-mail it to Preeti Kshirsagar, our senior research engineer in charge of animal imaging.
   
2. Upon receipt of the application form, you will be contacted by us to schedule a brief meeting to discuss your project details and set appropriate imaging goals.
   
3. If your IACUC protocol does not already include MR procedures for your animals, you will be required to submit an addendum to your protocol with IACUC. For a general description of the MR procedures that you can include in your addendum, please  click here.
   
4. You will be responsible for contacting the ARC well ahead of time to arrange for transport of your animals to and from the appropriate animal holding areas. Animals must be sent to room NE 2.526 if they are coming from the South campus and to room NE4.130B if they are arriving from the North campus.

Charges and Policies:

The Mouse MRI Core Facility is available for use to UTSW researchers at a rate of US$100.00 per hour.

The total MR session time includes – 1) time for initial animal preparation, 2) time for preliminary MR scans (verification of animal position, MR pre-scans) 3) actual MR scan time. Obviously, the total time will depend on the total number of animals to be imaged and methods to be applied. Investigators are responsible for time reserved on the magnet. Any cancellations should be made 24 hr in advance to avoid charges.

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

Contact Mouse MRI Core Facility:

Preeti Kshirsagar
Senior Research Engineer
Phone: 214-645-2735
Email:  Preeti.Kshirsagar@utsouthwestern.edu

Advanced Imaging Research Center
UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
2201 Inwood Rd, NE 2.726
Dallas TX 75390-8568