MAGNETIC-RESONANCE MICROSCOPY OF EMBRYOS

We demonstrate that magnetic resonance (MR) microscopy provides a mech anism to investigate normal and abnormal developmental anatomy in a no n-destructive and distortion-free manner. Techniques for the fixation, embedding, perfusion and image acquisition of embryos between 3 and 3 0 mm crown rump length are described. We describe the perfusion of a c ontrast agent to enhance images of the developing embryonic vasculatur e, Data are acquired as three-dimensional isotropic arrays which permi t images to be reformatted retrospectively in any plane. The data are available for archiving, distributing and for post-acquisition manipul ations. MR microscopy is a fast technique for producing three-dimensio nal reconstructions and is free from registration and sectioning artif acts. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.