Friday, November 24, 2023
Western University's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, through its Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping (CFMM), is now home to Canada's pioneering 15.2 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. This pre-clinical scanner, valued at $6 million, is the second of its kind in North America and the sixth globally.
It marks a significant advancement for neuroimaging research at Western, offering researchers an unprecedented ability to study the brain with exceptional resolution. The extraordinary spatial resolution and unique image contrast provided by this MRI system position it among the most powerful in the world. Researchers anticipate that it will greatly enhance our understanding of neurological processes and facilitate the assessment of new treatments in mouse models of diseases.
Moreover, this cutting-edge technology creates valuable opportunities for trainees to gain practical experience with state-of-the-art tools and advanced imaging techniques. MRI systems utilize high-powered magnetic fields to capture precise and highly detailed images. The measurement unit for the strength of this magnetic field is Tesla, and a higher value signifies a stronger field and, consequently, superior image resolution.
Source: westernu.ca
