Nondestructive Imaging, Spectroscopy, and Magnetic Nanoparticle Detection
PNNL scientists specialize in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and micro-CT for understanding structure-function relationships in live rodents. Results generally provide a detailed view of 3D anatomy, disease location and severity, tissue microstructure and mechanics, as well as regional blood and airflow. In-vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is also employed to monitor metabolic activity, and when higher-resolution biochemical analysis is required, magic angle spinning (MAS) is used to overcome traditional limitations associated with susceptibility broadening.
Other unique capabilities include hyperpolarized 3He gas MRI for pulmonary imaging, and magnetic particle detection (MPD) for exploiting conjugated nanoparticles to measure molecular targets and their biodistribution. In each case, nondestructive results are collected in close coordination with toxicologists and computational biologists to develop, refine, and test computational dose-response models.
Investigators: Richard E. Jacob (MRI, micro-CT), Kevin R. Minard (MRI, MRS, MPD), and Jian Z. Hu (MRS, MAS).
Selected Publications:
Jacob RE and Lamm WJ. 2011. "Stable Small Animal Ventilation for Dynamic Lung Imaging to Support Computational Fluid Dynamics Models." PLoS One 6(11):e27577. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027577
Jacob RE, Amidan BG, Soelberg JJ, and Minard KR. 2010. "In Vivo MRI of Altered Proton Signal Intensity and T2 Relaxation in a Bleomycin Model of Pulmonary Inflammation and Fibrosis." Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging 31(5):1091-1099. DOI: 10.1002/jmri.22166
Jacob RE, Minard KR, Laicher G, and Timchalk C. 2008. "3D 3He Diffusion MRI as a local in vivo morphometric tool to evaluate emphysematous rat lungs," Journal of Applied Physiology 105: 1291-1300. DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.90375.2008
Minard KR, Littke MH, Wang W, Xiong Y, Teeguarden JG, and Thrall BD. 2013. "Magnetic Particle Detection (MPD) for In-Vitro Dosimetry." Biosensors and Bioelectronics 43:88-93. DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2012.12.011
Minard KR, Kuprat AP, Kabilan S, Jacob RE, Einstein DR, Carson JP, and Corley RA. 2012. "Phase-Contrast MRI and CFD Modeling of Apparent 3He Gas Flow in Rat Pulmonary Airways." Journal of Magnetic Resonance 221:129-138. DOI: 10.1016/j.jmr.2012.05.007
Hu JZ. 2011. "Slow Magic Angle Sample Spinning: A Non– or Minimally Invasive Method for High-Resolution 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Metabolic Profiling." Methods in Molecular Biology 708; 335-364. DOI: 10.1007/978-1-61737-985-7_20
Hu JZ, Rommereim DN, Minard KR, Woodstock A, Harrer BJ, Wind RA, Phipps RP, and Sime PJ. 2008. "Metabolomics in Lung Inflammation: A High-Resolution 1H NMR Study of Mice Exposed to Silica Dust." Toxicological Mechanisms and Methods 18(5): 385-98. DOI: 10.1080/15376510701611032