A Physiological MRI: Oxygenation Level Sensitive Contrast in Rat Brain Images at High Fields
24 February 1990
Water MR images obtained at high magnetic fields (7T and 8.4T) with high spatial resolution (100microns x 100microns x 500microns) reflect via their image contrast some physiological events occurring in brain tissue. Numerous dark lines which enhance the contrast appear in the image when the blood oxygenation level becomes low. These lines represent blood vessels of various sizes, many of which are as small as 50microns in diameter.