Abstract #1697

Wu Y, Snyder B, Nazarian A, Glimcher M, Ackerman J, Chesler D, Dai G, Hrovat M

Rat bone specimens are widely studied by micro-CT, which only reflects the mineral content of bone, but not the solid matrix content (mostly collagen) of bone. The feasibility of water and fat suppressed proton projection MRI (WASPI) to image the solid matrix content of rat whole bone specimens has been explored, meeting the challenges of small sample size and the demanding sub millimeter resolution. Proton solid-bone-matrix-only MR images with 0.4 mm resolution of rat femur were obtained for the first time to the best of our knowledge. This method provides a non-invasive means to study bone matrix in small animals.