Abstract: The present invention relates to novel methods for direct visualization of the distribution of therapeutic agents, such as acetic acid, in the tissue of an animal, utilizing chemical shift magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Said methods are particularly useful for percutaneous chemical ablation procedures to provide an optimal dosage of chemical ablation agent such as acetic acid to target tissues such as tumors, and for limiting damage to surrounding tissues.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance-electrical impedance tomography (MREIT) technique for determining the local conductivity of an object. The MREIT technique combines magnetic resonance current density imaging (MRCDI) with electrical impedance tomography (EIT) in order to obtain the benefits of both procedures. The MREIT technique includes the step of current density imaging by performing the steps of placing a series of electrodes around the patient or object to be imaged for the application of current, placing the patient or object in a strong magnetic field, and applying an MR imaging sequence which is synchronized with the application of current through the electrodes. Next, the electric potentials of the surface of the object or patient are measured simultaneously with the MR imaging sequence, as in EIT. Then, the MR imaging signal containing information about the current and the measured potential are processed to calculate the internal conductivity (impedance) of the object or patient.

Abstract: Acquisition of three-dimensional image-guided localized proton spectroscopy (.sup.1 H-MRS) in the human brain is achieved on a standard clinical imager with a hybrid of chemical shift imaging (CSI) and transverse Hadamard spectroscopic imaging (HSI). 16.times.16.times.4 arrays of 3.5 and 1 ml voxels were obtained in 27 minutes. The spatially-selective HSI 90.degree. pulses were incorporated naturally into a PRESS double spin-echo sequence to subdivide the VOI into 4 partitions along its short axis. Two-dimensional CSI is performed along the other long axes. Because the hybrid excites the spins in the entire VOI, a .sqroot.N signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) gain per given examination time is realized compared to sequentially interleaving N two-dimensional slices. A twofold gain in sensitivity is demonstrated in the brain for N=4.

Abstract: A subtractive time of flight technique for MR angiography and quantitative blood flow measurement. Proton spins of water in the arterial supply to a tissue or organ are inverted in a steady-state fashion by applying constant amplitude off-resonance radio frequency pulses in the presence of a constant linear magnetic field gradient to effect adiabatic fast passage transport-induced inversion of spins which move in the direction of the gradient. An angiogram is formed by subtracting an image acquired with the arterial inversion pulse from a control image acquired with no arterial inversion. By inverting the spins in a steady-state manner, no cardiac gating is necessary for imaging organs. However, cardiac gating is desirable when imaging the heart so that spins of blood passing through the coronary arteries can be inverted during systole, when most of the blood is in the left ventricle, and imaged at end diastole, when most of the blood is in the coronary arteries.

Abstract: Methods for measuring the perfusion of fluid in a substance are shown to include subjecting the fluid to electromagnetic energy so as to cause a response related to the magnetization of the fluid before it enters the substance, performing magnetic resonance measurements on the substance to generate intensity information and processing the intensity information to determine perfusion. In one embodiment of the invention, perfusion is measured by labeling atoms in the fluid at a base point, generating a steady state in the substance by continuing to label atoms until the effect caused by labeled atoms perfusing in the substance, reaches a steady state, generating image information for the substance and processing the image information to determine perfusion. It is preferred to label atoms by applying magnetic resonance perturbation. In one embodiment the labeling of atoms involves saturating spins associated with the atoms.

Abstract: A subtractive time of flight technique for MR angiography and quantitative blood flow measurement. Proton spins of water in the arterial supply to a tissue or organ are inverted in a steady-state fashion by applying constant amplitude off-resonance radio frequency pulses in the presence of a constant linear magnetic field gradient to effect adiabatic fast passage transport-induced inversion of spins which move in the direction of the gradient. An angiogram is formed by subtracting an image acquired with the arterial inversion pulse from a control image acquired with no arterial inversion. By inverting the spins in a steady-state manner, no cardiac gating is necessary for imaging organs. However, cardiac gating is desirable when imaging the heart so that spins of blood passing through the coronary arteries can be inverted during systole, when most of the blood is in the left ventricle, and imaged at end diastole, when most of the blood is in the coronary arteries.

Abstract: A new geometry for a radio frequency coil design in which longitudinal conductors of the coil lie on two parallel planes. The currents in the conductors of one plane run in the opposite direction to those of the other plane. For the case of discrete conductors, field maps illustrate that the homogeneity and sensitivity of the biplanar design are superior to that of a saddle coil, and when the design is optimized, the homogeneity is almost as good as that for comparable discrete cosine or birdcage coil designs. The measured B1 map of an optimized, single-tuned biplanar coil in accordance with the invention thus compares favorably to that of an equivalent discrete cosine coil and demonstrates excellent homogeneity in the central region of the coil.

Abstract: Methods of constructing pulse sequences to selectively excite frequency bands in NMR imaging, spectroscopic and optical systems are disclosed. In preferred embodiments, selective .pi./2, .pi., and refocusing hard and soft pulses are constructed for perturbing the spins of the system. In NMR imaging, for example, the desired magnetization is written as an (N+1)th order Fourier series in .omega.t, where .omega. is the off-resonance frequency. In addition, if all pulses have the same phase, then the z magnetization is known to be symmetric in frequency, and the resulting hard pulse sequence can be written as an Nth order Fourier cosine series. Given this Fourier series representing the desired z magnetization, an inversion may be used to determine the hard pulse sequence of N pulses which will actually yield the desired response. In particular, if one starts with a specification of a desired z magnetization not as a Fourier series in .omega.

Abstract: A multiple tuning NMR probe includes a radio frequency (RF) probe tuned by means of a circuit which creates a multiple pole circuit response in the probe, each of the poles being sufficiently separated from each other as to cause resonance of the probe at distinct frequencies. When tuning for nuclei with resonances substantially apart, this function may be accomplished using a parallel capacitor-inductor (L-C) trap with an impedance matching network. When tuning for nuclei with substantially closely spaced resonances, a tank circuit is used which has a single resonance which is split into two resonances by strongly coupling it to another tank circuit in resonance with the sample coil tank circuit.

Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance analytic apparatus for obtaining tissue metabolism information from a living body member. The apparatus consists of a large high-intensity electromagnet with an inner space having a uniform magnetic field, for receiving the body member. The space has a probe coil mounted therein with which the body member is engageable. For phosphorus-31 metabolite, there is provided a 24.33 MHz RF generator connected through a control logic section and a driver unit to the probe coil via a transmitter/receiver switching unit arranged to in effect switch the probe coil from a normal connection with a demodulation circuit to the driver unit responsive to a burst of RF pulse energy applied to the switching unit by the driver unit via the control logic section by command of a computer. The control logic section controls the system so as to first apply short pulses of the RF signal to the probe coil for a predetermined excitation time period, gating-off the demodulation unit.