Figure 1.

MRI and H&E histology of normal mouse pancreas. A: T2-weighted RARE 8 μMRI image (rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement, factor 8) of a single longitudinal slice of formalin-fixed pancreas from an 11-month-old FVB F1 mouse. The image was obtained from a 3D data set (TR 2500 ms, effective TE 30 ms, slice thickness 35 μm, and in-plane resolution 62 μm). Islets (gray and circular), acinar cells (dark gray), and high-intensity regions (white) are labeled. B: H&E-stained histological image of the same mouse pancreas. All tissue is seen as purple. Spleen is present as a marker for the orientation of the pancreatic tissue. Islets are visible as round objects, slightly lighter purple, within the tissue. C: 3D volume-rendered image generated from 100 T2-weighted μMRI images such as that shown in A, using VolView version 2.0 software. Gross morphological distribution of islets (as spheres and ellipsoids), acinar cells (hypointense background), and novel structural features that appear to be tubes and sheets (hyperintense) are visualized in the volume image of the pancreatic tissue. Examples of islets (I) and novel structural features (tubes, T; sheets, S) are indicated on the image. Scale bars: 1 mm.