Serial magnetic resonance imaging in patients following acute myocardial infarction.

The detection of serial changes in magnetic resonance (MR) signal intensity of the heart following acute myocardial infarction may provide a useful method of characterizing tissue healing. Fourteen patients with acute Q-wave infarction underwent T2-weighted, spin-echo cardiac imaging during hospitalization, followed by one or more additional MR studies (total 31) over a 6- to 27-wk period (mean: 3 mo). Visual assessment of the images demonstrated a gradual reduction in signal intensity and localization of the bright signal to the subendocardium of the infarction region over the three-mo study period. A quantitative measurement of signal intensity (infarction/normal myocardium) fell from 1.81 +/- 0.42 on the initial study to 1.34 +/- 0.37 (p less than 0.05) at a mean of 14 wk. Two patients had an increase in signal intensity on the follow-up study and both patients had been readmitted with acute coronary syndromes. In summary, characterization of changes in signal intensity may provide a useful method of assessing myocardial healing following acute myocardial infarction. Further studies are indicated to determine the prognostic significance of these parameters.     

A computer algorithm for the simulation of any nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging method

More than a dozen Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) imaging methods have been described using different radio-frequency pulse sequences, magnetic field gradient variations, and data processing. In order to have a theoretical understanding in the most general case, we have conceived a computer program for the simulation of NMR imaging techniques. The algorithm uses the solution of the Bloch equations at each point of a simulated object. The direction of every elementary magnetic moment is computed at each instant, and stored in an array giving the global signal to be processed, whatever the pulse and gradient sequence. To test the validity of this program, we have simulated some well-known experimental results. Some applications are presented which contribute to the understanding of image distortions and to techniques such as selective radio-frequency pulse or oscillating gradients. This program can be used to unravel physical and technological causes of image distortions, to have a "microscopic" look at any parameter of an experiment, and to study the contrast given by various NMR imaging techniques as a function of the three NMR parameters, i.e., the hydrogen nuclei density rho and the relaxation times T1 and T2.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging in the diagnosis of spinal osteomyelitis

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (NMR) was performed on two patients whose clinical radiograph and bone scanning suggested spinal osteomyelitis before and after successful antimicrobial therapy. The images obtained suggest that NMR may be more useful in the diagnosis of this condition than other conventional imaging techniques. Hitherto NMR has not been considered particularly useful for the diagnosis of bone disease. This may be true for cortical bone, from which no signal is obtained using the NMR technique, but for medullary bone it appears to be a potentially useful, non-invasive and safe method of diagnosis.     

Information processing in nuclear magnetic resonance imaging

An extended image analysis and classification system is presented to discuss the principal composition of the components as well as the methods of its realization in the field of reference based NMR diagnostics and tissue characterization.     

Characterisation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents using NMR relaxometry

ABSTRACT

This contribution describes the use of Fast Field-cycling relaxometry (FFC-NMR) for the characterisation of Gd(III)- and Mn(II)-based contrast agents for MRI. Through a series of selected examples, we analyse the role of different structural and dynamic parameters on ¹H relaxivity and on the shape of the ¹H Nuclear Magnetic Relaxation Dispersion (NMRD) profiles. The amplitude and shape of the profiles is affected by the number of water molecules coordinated to the metal ion, the water exchange rate, the rotational correlation time of the complex and the relaxation of the electron spin. As a result, ¹H NMRD profiles represent a powerful tool for the understanding of the properties of MRI contrast agent candidates at the molecular level.     

170 nm nuclear magnetic resonance imaging using magnetic resonance force microscopy

We demonstrate one-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the semiconductor GaAs with 170 nm slice separation and resolve two regions of reduced nuclear spin polarization density separated by only 500 nm. This was achieved by force detection of the magnetic resonance, magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM), in combination with optical pumping to increase the nuclear spin polarization. Optical pumping of the GaAs created spin polarization up to 12 times larger than the thermal nuclear spin polarization at 5K and 4T. The experiment was sensitive to sample volumes of 50 microm(3) containing approximately 4 x 10(11)71 Ga/Hz. These results demonstrate the ability of force-detected magnetic resonance to apply magnetic resonance imaging to semiconductor devices and other nanostructures.     

Basic concepts for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging

The basic concepts necessary to understand the physical basis of NMR imaging are presented in this didactic article. It is intended as a starting point for the radiologist or medical physicist who is addressing the topic of NMR for the first time. The basis of the NMR phenomena is described with introduction of the concepts of magnetic moment, magnetic fields, magnetic resonance, net magnetic moment of a sample, NMR excitation and NMR emission. The equipment necessary to observe these NMR properties of matter is summarized as well as the procedures for basic pulsed NMR experiments. The physical concepts for spatial localization of NMR emissions are introduced with physical analogies to stringed musical instruments. Several alternative imaging modalities are compared with greatest emphasis on the inversion recovery technique which yields images weighted by tissue T₁ values. The six subsystems of an NMR imaging device (primary magnet, computer, radio equipment, magnetic gradient, data storage and display subsystems) are described in an overview fashion. The paper is followed by a series of study questions to test the reader's comprehension of basic NMR imaging concepts.     

Multinuclear magnetic resonance imaging and local NMR spectroscopy

Principles of magnetic resonance imaging and local NMR spectroscopy with adjustment of the Larmor frequencies for nuclei different from protons (nuclei of deuterium, fluorine, carbon, phosphorus, sodium, boron, and chlorine) are considered.