In-vivo Imaging of the adult Zebrafish in an unmodified pre-clinical MRI System at 11.7T

Motivation: The zebrafish is an important model organism for the study of vertebrate biology with its genomes showing significant parallels to human genomes. Goal(s): To show the feasibility of in-vivo imaging at a pre-clinical 11.7T MRI without the need for dedicated hardware components. Approach: A budget-friendly zebrafish holder was created using a syringe barrel and needle adapters, with a rotating cylinder to maintain water flow. It was positioned on a Bruker Mouse Brain Surface Coil. Results: The use of standard imaging equipment in combination with a low-cost and easy to built animal holder is sufficient to facility high-resolution imaging of the adult zebrafish. Impact: This research enables cost-effective, high-resolution MRI for zebrafish, enhancing its potential as a pre-clinical model for vital research in vertebrate biology, ultimately advancing our understanding of human genomics.