Rapid and Recoverable in vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Adult Zebrafish at 7 T

Increasing scientific interest in the zebrafish as a model organism across a range of
biomedical and biological research areas raises the need for the development of in vivo
imaging tools appropriate to this subject. Development of the embryonic and early stage
forms of the subject can currently be assessed using optical based techniques due to the
transparent nature of the species at these early stages. However this is not an option
during the juvenile and adult stages when the subjects become opaque. Magnetic
Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques would allow for the longitudinal and non-invasive
assessment of development and health in these later life stages. However, the small size
of the zebrafish and its aquatic environment represent considerable challenges for the
technique. We have developed a suitable flow cell system that incorporates a dedicated
MRI imaging coil to solve these challenges. The system maintains and monitors a zebrafish
during a scan and allows for it to be fully recovered. The imaging properties of this system
compare well with those of other preclinical MRI coils used in rodent models. This enables
the rapid acquisition of MRI data which is comparable in terms of quality and acquisition
time. This would allow the many unique opportunities of the zebrafish as a model
organism to be combined with the benefits of non-invasive MRI.
KEYWORDS: Zebrafish, MRI, solenoid, in vivo, flowcell, physiological monitoring
Corresponding Author:
Dr William