UTHealth 7T MRI Core

Overview of Services

UTHealth Houston 7T MRI Preclinical Core Facility

The 7T preclinical MRI core facility is part of the MRI imaging Center at the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. It houses a state-of-the-art simultaneous 7T Bruker PET-MRI system. Conventional and advanced MR techniques are available on the system, which includes 2D and 3D gradient echo, spin echo, fast spin echo, ultrashort echo, and EPI sequences, diffusion tensor or diffusion weighted imaging, MR angiography, Dixon, ASL, magnetization transfer imaging, CEST imaging, MR spectroscopy and chemical shift imaging. The system is also capable of multi-nuclear spectroscopy and imaging.  The Si 198 3-ring PET insert has an axial FOV of 150 mm capable of mouse whole-body imaging with a spatial resolution of 0.8 mm (Derenzo). The facility also has physiological monitoring equipment that allows cardiac gating, respiratory gating, and temperature regulation.

We offer imaging services in a wide range of research areas, such as stroke, oncology, cardiology, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, knee injury, and liver diseases. The center also has a surgical suite available to users for minor surgical procedures. Our expert team can help you implement various imaging methods and optimize imaging protocols to meet your research needs. We can also assist you with image analysis for deriving quantitative metrics. The center can also help the investigators with AWC animal protocol and grant preparations.

Services:
MRI in vivo
MRI ex vivo
PET/MRI
Surgical room access
Behavior room access

The ex vivo MRI service at the facility includes 3D high-resolution anatomical and diffusion tensor imaging. We will accommodate users with other imaging needs based on scanner capability.

Our 7T Preclinical Services also include Behavioral Assessments

• Computer Activity Monitoring
• Mechanical Conflict Avoidance Assay
• Morris Water Maze
• Randal-Selitto Assay
• Von Frey Assay
• Foot Fault Assay

Contact Juan Herrera to check out the Behavioral Core schedule for open time slots and submit requests through iLab.

Getting Started:
• All imaging studies must have AWC approved animal protocol. Make sure imaging procedure is covered in the protocol. We are not allowed to scan without the approved protocol.
• Finish the MRI safety class offered through LearnToSucceed
• Contract Shuning Huang to check out the scanner schedule for open time slots and submit scan request through iLab.

Cancellation and no-show policy:
No-show or reservations cancelled less than 24 hours will be charged a setup fee of $200.

Isoflurane anesthesia system usage charge:
There is no additional charge for the use of isoflurane anesthesia system if you reserve an imaging instrument.

Contrast agent usage:
There is no additional charge if the use of MRI contrast agent is needed in the study.

Leadership

Hours of operation

Links and Resources

https://med.uth.edu/radiology/research/mr-research-group/uthealth-7t-mri-preclinical-core-facility/

Contacts