ZI-Mannheim: Research Group Translational Imaging

The Research Group Translational Imaging belongs to the Institute of Neuroimaging and its goal is to merge the fusion and development of Imaging methods in a 3T human scanner and a 9.4T animal scanner. A special point lies in the parallel sequence development of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) and Imaging, as well as the consolidation of quantitative evaluation methods with the different field strengths. The bridge between preclinical and clinical research is essential for the development in Psychiatry. Currently in the preclinical part exist excellent and well validated animal models for alcohol dependency, depression, and other psychiatric illnesses. There are also genetic animal models of psychiatric illnesses which have shown high genetic influence by means of cultivation and specific elimination of separate genes. In order to shorten the long gap between genotype and phenotype, as well as between the preclinical and clinical research, nearly ideal and intra-individual multipurpose usable tools are available by the modern, not invasive magnetic resonance imaging.
With the imaging examination of small animals the magnet drillings, high frequency coils and gradient systems are much smaller than by clinically used devices. The small volumes to be examined cause a worse signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The big advantage of the Bruker BioSpec MR-Tomography scanner is the high magnetic field of 9.4 t which allows a lot of higher SNR, as well as an excellent temporal and spatial resolution. Not only do the Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and anatomical pictures benefit with the highest resolution, but also functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) profit from here directly. Another signal improvement can be reached by the use of Cryo-(¹H- and -¹³C) coils.