biostudies-literatureUnknown14(6)Cho KHThis study aims to integrate an ultra-high-strength gradient coil system on a clinical 3 T magnet and demonstrate its preclinical imaging capabilities. Dedicated phantoms were used to qualitatively and quantitatively assess the performance of the gradient system. Advanced MR imaging sequences, including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), were implemented and executed on an ex vivo specimen as well as in vivo rats. The DTI and QSM results on the phantom agreed well with those in the literature. Furthermore, studies on ex vivo specimens have demonstrated the applicability of DTI and QSM on our system to probe microstructural changes in a mild traumatic brain injury rat model. The feasibility of in vivo rat DTI was also demonstrated. We showed that tPloS onee0217916https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC6546248biostudies-literatureDevelopment, integration and use of an ultra-high-strength gradient system on a human-size 3 T magnet for small animal MRI.PMC6546248Cho KHChang CPChoi CHShah NJChen MJGaripov RKuo LWHuang SMChang HChiang HHBuschbeck RPFarrher EfalseDevelopment, integration and use of an ultra-high-strength gradient system on a human-size 3 T magnet for small animal MRI.This study aims to integrate an ultra-high-strength gradient coil system on a clinical 3 T magnet and demonstrate its preclinical imaging capabilities. Dedicated phantoms were used to qualitatively and quantitatively assess the performance of the gradient system. Advanced MR imaging sequences, including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), were implemented and executed on an ex vivo specimen as well as in vivo rats. The DTI and QSM results on the phantom agreed well with those in the literature. Furthermore, studies on ex vivo specimens have demonstrated the applicability of DTI and QSM on our system to probe microstructural changes in a mild traumatic brain injury rat model. The feasibility of in vivo rat DTI was also demonstrated. We showed that t2019-01-01T00:00:00Z20192025-05-18T13:16:09.526Z2025-05-18T13:16:09.526ZS-EPMC65462483115825910.1371/journal.pone.0217916