Research
| Title： | Magnetic resonance imaging for rapid, noninvasive and accurate assessment of ovarian maturation in live Channa argus (Cantor, 1842) |
|---|---|
| First author： | Sun, Wenqian; Liu, Weiyin Vivian; Chen, Xingyu; Lin, Guangcan; Li, Hao; Song, Yanting; Peng, Chengdong; Xiong, Wen; Peng, Yu; Wu, Shangong; Xie, Shouqi; Lek, Sovan; Sorensen, Mette; Liu, Haokun; Liu, Dong; Pan, Lei |
| Journal： | AQUACULTURE |
| Years： | 2026 |
| DOI： | 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742872 |
| Abstract： | Current methods for the determination of ovarian maturation in fish have shortcomings. They are often time-consuming, inaccurate, and fish are sacrificed during the procedure. A novel noninvasive and accurate method to assess ovarian maturation can be to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Long scanning time is a limitation for use in fish. A clinical MRI with a new sequence employing a shorter scanning time may be more feasible for the assessment of ovarian maturation in female fish. The aim of this study was to investigate ovarian maturation in Channa argus by clinical MRI with the three-dimensional fast spin echo Cube-flex (3D-FSE-Cube-Flex) T2WI sequence, compared with two traditional sequences. The results demonstrated that compared with two traditional sequences, the 3D-FSE-Cube-Flex T2WI sequence greatly reduced scanning time (only requiring 140 s per fish) without reducing the scanning quality. A significant correlation (R-2 = 0.985, p < 0.001, N = 112) was found between the percentage volume of the ovary measured by MRI and the gonadosomatic index (GSI). Besides, ovarian maturation MRI images at different development stages were captured. These findings suggest that clinical MRI with the 3D-FSE-Cube-Flex T2WI sequence is a rapid, accurate, and noninvasive method for assessing ovarian maturation, with great potential applications in sustainable aquaculture. |
