A prestigious 2008 R+D 100 award has been given to Bruker BioSpin for the MRI CryoProbe, as one of the 100 most technologically significant products introduced into the marketplace over the past year
Together with the 1.7mm NMR MicroCryoProbe, this results in two magnetic resonance innovations from Bruker BioSpin being selected by the independent judging panel and editors of R+D Magazine in 2008.
The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) CryoProbe delivers an increase in sensitivity of approximately a factor of 2.5x in small animal in vivo MRI.
This enables very high 3D isotropic spatial resolution down to 60 um, or alternatively an increase in acquisition speed by more than a factor of 5x compared to conventional room temperature MRI RF coils.
In combination with high magnetic fields, the MRI CryoProbe enables new pre-clinical neuroscience studies with functional MRI (fMRI).
Bruker BioSpin's MRI CryoProbe technology uses cryogenic RF-coils and preamplifiers cooled by a closed-cycle helium gas refrigeration system.
Bruker BioSpin is the pioneer in the development of cryogenic probes for high-resolution NMR.
Over 650 Bruker NMR CryoProbes have been installed at customers worldwide so far.
The new MRI CryoProbe is available for in vivo animal MRI at various field strengths for BioSpec, PharmaScan and ClinScan MRI scanners.
Comprehensive animal studies using the MRI CryoProbe were performed at the ETH in Zuerich, Switzerland, where it is routinely used for clinical neuroscience research on mice.
Professor Markus Rudin, director of the MRI and Optical Imaging Section of the Animal Imaging Centre, ETH Zuerich, commented: "This novel MRI CryoProbe technology has proven to provide a strong and impressive increase in sensitivity".
"It will greatly enhance the potential of MRI in small animals for clinical and pharmaceutical research."
