MRI‐compatible incubation chamber for cell culture experiments

Purpose To develop an incubation chamber that is compatible with MRI, while avoiding sources of error due to the experimental setup. Materials and Methods Two identical and gas-tight chambers were constructed of Plexiglas™. The temperature and the CO2 concentration were adjustable. Temperature variations within and between both chambers were measured. The pH values of the cell culture media were measured under different environmental settings. For each environment a colony formation test was carried out. The homogeneity of the magnetic field inside the chambers was estimated by phantom tests. Results The temperature variations within the chambers were <0.3°C, and the variation between the chambers was on average <0.05°C. After eight hours the pH values of the cell culture media were 7.47 and 7.48 in the reference and measurement chambers, respectively; 7.41 in the CO2 incubator; and 8.73 in ambient air. In colony formation tests the survival fraction in the Plexiglas™ chamber was comparable to that in the CO2 incubator. No distortions of the magnetic field from the incubation chamber were observed. Conclusion The incubation system presented can provide the conditions of a CO2 incubator without alteration of the magnetic flux density. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.