Presentation

The Grenoble MRI platform was developed by IFR No. 1 (now SFR from 1/1/2011) which brings together research teams (University, Inserm, CNRS, University Hospital, CRSSA) involved in methodological developments in MRI and applications of MRI in Neuroscience. The platform, labeled RIO since 2003, has integrated the multimodal facility "Imagerie Sciences du Vivant" (ISdV) of Grenoble that was labeled IBiSA in 2009. Since the 1st of January 2012, the MRI platform formed, with the neurophysiology facility (electroencephalography (EEG), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)), the Service Unit IRMaGe affiliated with INSERM US17-CNRS UMS3552-UJF-CHU.

IRMaGe is located on two sites, 15 m from each other, inside the Grenoble University Hospital campus:

• The first site is located within the hospital and strongly linked to clinical units. It includes a 3T whole body imager dedicated to clinical research and research in cognitive science and equipments for cerebral functional exploration (EEG, TMS, NIRS).
• The second site is located in the Grenoble Institute of Neurosciences (GIN). Its activity is mainly methodological developments and applications of MRI in basic research and preclinical animal models

IRMaGe consists of technicians and engineers from various disciplines necessary for the proper functioning of the platform: physicists for MRI aspects, biologists for animal aspects related to MRI, and engineers for data management aspects. These are people who are not only skilled in their field of expertise but also able to advise when designing experiments, and assist in their realization.

Missions

IRMaGe has developed expertise in the field of NMR imaging and cerebral functional explorations, neuroscience, cognition and brain pathology. Applications on other organs are possible.

The activity of IRMaGe covers:

• Methodological developments
• Phenotyping of Transgenic Mice
• Monitoring the development of pathologies
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of new treatments
• Cellular and Molecular Imaging
• Cognitive Research
• Functional explorations of the brain
• Assessment of NMR compatibility of materials

The information obtained can be:

• Presence and size of lesions (anatomical MRI)
• Presence of edema and cell density (DWI)
• Orientation and connectivity of white matter fibers (MRI tractography)
• Characterization of macrovasculature (MR angiography)
• Characterization of the microvasculature (MRI of blood volume and vessel diameter, blood flow, vessel permeability)
• Blood and tissue oxygenation (MRI, NIRS)
• Brain activity (fMRI, EEG)
• Metabolism (fluorine and proton NMR spectroscopy)
• Tracking in vivo of cells labeled either endogenously or exogenously (cellular MRI)
• Monitoring in vivo of labeled molecules (molecular MRI)
• Brain Stimulation (TMS)

Collaboration

IRMaGe is linked to a MRI and cerebral functional exploration methodological research teams of GIN. Methodological developments for the platform to maintain a high level are thus conducted in close collaboration with these MRI methodology researchers.

IRMaGe is part of a Federative Research Structure UJF "Neuroscience and Biomedical NMR" combining different research laboratories (GIN, HP2, CNPA, GIPSA-Lab) and teams of Grenoble University Hospital.

IRMaGe is part of the national infrastructure France Life Imaging (FLI).

Equipments

• 1 horizontal 9.4T small animal system (in 2013)
• 1 horizontal 4.7T small animal system (Bruker Biospec USR AV III)

Magnet: 400 mm internal diameter
Gradients: 120 mm internal diameter, 600 mT/m maximal intensity

• 1 horizontal 7.0T small animal system (Bruker Biospec 70/20 USR AV III)

Magnet: 200 mm internal diameter
Gradients: 120 mm internal diameter, 600 mT/m maximal intensity

• 2 whole-body 3.0T system (Philips, Achieva 3T TX)

Magnet: 600 mm internal diameter
Gradients: 40 or 80 mT/m maximal intensity

•  Multitransmit system: 2 channels
• 3 EEG (high-resolution, TMS compatible, MRI compatible)
• 1 neuronavigated and robotized TMS
• 1 near infrared spectroscope (NIRS)

Prestations

The services offered range from full access to the equipments to accredited users, to performing imaging experiments in accordance with user’s specifications. These experiments can be realized by the platform engineers or in collaboration with MRI/EEG/NIRS/TMS methodology researchers of the associated laboratories.

Formation

IRMaGe provides individual MRI/EEG/NIRS/TMS training to its users. It also participated in national training courses (fMRI and small animal imaging) and scientific animation.