Planar microcoil-based magnetic resonance imaging of cells

We report magnetic resonance images of biological cells and cellular aggregates obtained in vitro using high-Q factor microfabricated planar coils at 500 MHz. An image of a /spl sim/1 mm diameter frog oocyte is acquired using a 500-/spl mu/m microcoil, high-resolution images of intact mouse pancreatic islets(/spl sim/100 /spl mu/m size) are successfully acquired for the first time. Due to their planer nature, compatibility with on-chip cell culturing methods and enhanced sensitivity for microscopic samples, micromachined coils will prove essential to perform further Magnetic Resonance studies at the cellular level.