To report the visual resolution of multiple cell and vascular “layers” in the cat retina using MRI.

T₂‐ and diffusion‐weighted MRI at 4.7 Tesla was performed. Layer‐specific thickness, T₂, spin density, apparent diffusion coefficient perpendicular (ADC_⟂) and parallel (ADC_∥) to the retinal surface were tabulated. T₁‐weighted MRI was acquired before and after intravenous administration of Gd‐DTPA and subtraction images were obtained. Histology was performed for validation.

Three distinct “layers” were observed. The inner strip nearest to the vitreous (exhibiting large T₂, ADC, spin density with Gd‐DTPA enhancement) overlapped the ganglion cell layer, bipolar cell layer, and the embedded retinal vascular layer. The middle strip (exhibiting small T₂, ADC, spin density without Gd‐DTPA enhancement) overlapped the photoreceptor cell layer and the inner and outer segments. The outer strip (exhibiting large T₂, ADC, spin density with Gd‐DTPA enhancement) overlapped the tapetum and choroidal vascular layer. T₂, spin density, ADC_⟂ and ADC_∥ of different “layers” were tabulated. The inner strip was slightly thicker than the other two strips. The total thickness, including neural and nonneural retina, was 358 ± 13μm (N = 6) by MRI and 319 ± 77 μm (N = 5) by histology.

MRI provides a noninvasive tool to study the retina with laminar specificity without depth limitation. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. Published 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.