1. M-SeriesTM Compact MRI Systems

2. Aspect’s M-Series Systems
Compact
Simple to use
Safe
Quiet
Maintenance-free
Affordable

3. Advantages of Aspect Imaging MRI Systems
User friendly & sample preparation is routine without the cost, complexity, and infrastructure needs of conventional MRI
Useful in vivo scans can be acquired in 10 minutes or less
Ex vivo scans (scans of multiple fixed specimens) can be automated to run overnight

4. System Components Compact magnet with integrated electronics
Application-specific RF coils and animal handling beds
Total small animal solution
Anaesthesia
Heating
Physiological monitoring
ECG and/or respiration triggering
Auto load/eject system for HT ex- vivo imaging

5. Longitudinal Growth of a Brain Tumor
Collaborators
Rinat Abramovitch, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Israel
Yael Schiffenabuer, Aspect Imaging, Israel
Catherine Brami, Aspect Imaging, Israel
Abraham Nyska, Tel Aviv University & Consultant in Toxicologic Pathology, Israel

6. Biological Model and Objective
Model: Gl-261 glioma cells stereotactically injected into the right brain hemisphere of CB6F1 mice
Objective: Longitudinal evaluation of tumor growth

7. Longitudinal Evaluation of Tumor Growth In Vivo MRI (T2)
Day 15
Day 17
Day 20
axial
coronal
Exponential tumor growth
Acquisition parameters: FSE : TR/TE 2500/74ms , slice thickness 1mm, 256x256, FOV 40mm, Nex 8, scan time 13.2min
Time (days)
resolution 156 mm; slice thickness 1 mm; acquisition time 13 min

8. Tumor Segmentation Day 17 – coronal Tumor volume 6.6 mm3
Injection site
Injection site
Acquisition parameters: FSE : TR/TE 3440/80ms , slice thickness 0.7mm, 256x256, FOV 40mm, Nex 40, scan time 57min
Tumor volume 6.6 mm3

9. Brain Tumor (In vivo MRI)

10. Variability in Tumor Size (n=4, day 15) In Vivo MRI (T2)
mouse 1
mouse 4
mouse 3
mouse 2
resolution 156 mm
slice thickness 1 mm
acquisition time 13 min
Acquisition parameters: FSE : TR/TE 2500/74ms , slice thickness 1mm, 256x256, FOV 40mm, Nex 8, scan time 13.2min

11. Ex Vivo MRI vs Histology
Day 15
Day 20

12. Summary & Comment
In-vivo and ex-vivo MRI evaluation provided a way to follow the time-related growth of an induced tumor in the brain and to determine the volume of the tumor
This model demonstrates the utility of using MRI for longitudinal studies and would be useful for testing the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs

13. Hepatocarcinoma growth in vivo
Collaborators
Julia Vilensky, Itay Spector, Yossi Lavie, & Nati Ezov, Harlan Biotech Israel, Nes Ziona, Israel
Yael Schiffenabuer, Aspect Imaging, Israel
Catherine Brami, Aspect Imaging, Israel
Abraham Nyska, Tel Aviv University & Consultant in Toxicologic Pathology, Israel

14. Biological Model and Objective
Model: Orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma induced in BALB/c nude mice in two stages
Subcutaneous injection of HepG2 cell suspension in the flank of donor mice
Intrahepatic implantation of tumor fragments obtained from donors into liver lobe of BALB/c nude mice
Objective: Evaluation of orthotopic tumor growth

15. Tumor Growth in vivo 2 weeks 3 weeks Slice thickness = 1 mm 4 weeks
Acquisition parameters: FSE: TR=2651 ms; TE=80ms; FOV=64 mm; ST=1mm; Matrix 256x252, Acq time = min
Acquisition time = 10.3 minutes

16. Tumor Volume is Determined From Multiple Slices – In Vivo MRI
4 weeks
Acquisition parameters: FSE: TR=2651 ms; TE=80ms; FOV=64 mm; ST=1mm; Matrix 256x252, Acq time = min

17. Quantification of Tumor Volume in vivo
3 weeks
4 weeks
5 weeks
Acquisition parameters: FSE: TR=2651 ms; TE=80ms; FOV=64 mm; ST=1mm; Matrix 256x252, Acq time = min
ROI
Color
Voxels
Volume mm³
tumor 3 weeks
Red
1619
tumor 4 weeks
5649
tumor 5 weeks
red
10899
Volume (mm3)
Time post implantation (weeks)

18. Summary & Comment
In Vivo MRI evaluation enabled to follow the time- related growth of this orthotopic tumor in the liver, and to delineate the volume of the tumor over time.
This model demonstrates the potential utility of using MRI for testing the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs.