Method Development


Contact: Dr. Tobias Speidel ✉ & Fabian Bschorr, M. Sc. ✉

Our research group has profound expertise in MR method development and image reconstruction. In close collaborations with different academic and industrial partners we develop customized imaging and spectroscopy solutions for a variety of preclinical and clinical applications.

Current method development projects comprise:

HYPERDIAMOND ("Molecular Imaging via Hyperpolarized Nanodiamonds") is a European collaborative research and innovation project led by a multi-disciplinary consortium coordinated by Ulm University.

The objective of HYPERDIAMOND is the development of two new molecular imaging technologies for MRI medical imaging enabling sensitive diagnosis and treatment monitoring based on novel quantum and nanotechnology.

HYPERDIAMOND is supported by the European Commission under the HORIZON 2020 European Union funding for Research and Innovation, Grant Agreement number 667192.

    Objectives:

    • Realisation of a diamond-based hyperpolarization system operating at room temperature, achieving >1,000-fold increase of signal in MRI magnetic fields over an unpolarised probe.
    • Developing novel ND-probes as a targeted, multipurpose hyperpolarization platform measured using adapted MRI pulse sequences.
    • Evaluation of the new techniques in direct comparison with the current golden standards.
       
    Simulation of dedicated undersampling point spread functions
    Efficient 3D k-space sampling

    Objectives:

    • To enable new applications for MRI based on ultrashort echo time imaging
    • To investigate new techniques for ultrashort echo time imaging
    Imaging of Calcifications
    Example shows the visualization of calcified endarterectomy samples by different MRI imaging techniques in comparison with computed tomography (CT) and histology.
    Imaging of teeth
    Example shows the depiction of teeth by ultrashort imaging techniques in comparison to µCT.
    Lung Imaging
    Example shows temporally resolved reconstruction of the respiratory motion from self-gated UTE.

    Objectives:

    • To develop methods for tracking of stem cells by MRI
    • To develop means for tracking of new multi-potential particles
    • To investigate the feasibility of new contrast agents
    Contrast Agent loaded Nanoparticles
    Example shows PLLA nanoparticles loaded with different MRI contrast agents. (Collaboration with Prof. Landfester, MPI, Mainz)
    Iron Labelled MSCs
    Example shows iron loaded PLLA particle (right), which were loaded into MSCs and injected into a rat injury model. (Collaboration with Prof. Schrezenmeier, Uni Ulm and Prof. Landfester, MPI, Mainz)
    19F-Loaded SiO2 particle
    Example shows 19F-loaded SiO2 nanoparticles with 250nm diameter. (Collaboration with Prof. Linden, Ulm University)