We have a Bruker AVANCE IIIHD Console, a 7Tesla-89mm magnet, and two sets of micro-imaging gradient coils. The system runs ParaVision 6.
I started with a used Bruker AMX console and an Oxford magnet when I joined Oakland University in 1994. We kept the ancient AMX working until 2007, which was upgraded to the AVANCE II console. In May 2011, we replace the dying (He-leaking) Oxford magnet with a Bruker 7T/89mm Ascend 300WB (the series number on our Ascend magnet is #1). In 2018 summer, we upgraded the AVANCE II console to AVANCE IIIHD.
A number of one-of-a-kind devices have been designed and built in our µMRI lab, to image tissue specimens under loading or anisotropically. A number of imaging and spectroscopy pulse sequences have also been purposely developed and extensively employed in the lab, to carry out the T1, T1ρ, T2, diffusion, and double-quantum-filtered experiments.
Representative µMRI Results
Most of the research papers from my lab at OU contain extensive µMRI data. Here are several major achievements:
(1) I show for the first time that articular cartilage has an isotropic T1 and a depth-dependent anisotropic T2 (MRM 39, 941, 1998). This work 'gave' me my first R01 in 1999. Additional work on the topic include MRM 48, 460, 2002; JMRI 17, 365, 2003; OAC 17, 1519, 2009; …
(2) We show for the first time, by µMRI/PLM/Biomechanics, that the collagen fibers in nasal cartilage has structural anisotropies (MRT 75, 300, 2012; MAGMA 25, 297, 2012).
(3) We show for the first time µMRI can detect early OA in knee (Ann Rheum Dis 63, 709, 2004). Additional work on the topic include OAC 15, 363, 2007; CTR 55, 205, 2014; JBM 48, 3625, 2015; …
(4) We carry out the first functional study of articular cartilage quantitatively at microscopic-resolution (OAC 12, 887, 2004). Additional work include JSB 164, 88, 2008; PMB 58, 4535, 2013; JBME 137, 054502, 2015, …
(5) We carry out several multi-component relaxation studies in cartilage and tendon (JMR 167, 36, 2004; JMR 198, 188, 2009; JMR 212, 124, 2011; JMRI 38, 625, 2013; …)
(6) We carry out several correlation projects in multidisciplinary cartilage imaging (µMRI, PLM, µCT, FTIRI, …). Our papers include OAC 9, 393, 2001; OAC 15, 780, 2007; JMRI 28, 151, 2008; MRT 76, 625, 2013; Cartilage in-press 2015; …
If you are interested in any of the topics, please feel free to contact me.