Abstract: A method for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging or spectroscopy on a MR scanner to detect tissue physiological parameters in one or more tissue areas in a human or non-human subject includes administering to the subject a contrast enhancing physiologically tolerable amount of a sugar that is non-labeled, subjecting the subject to an MR procedure capable of generating MR signals encoding at least one tissue area in the subject in which the sugar either passes or is taken up, detecting a temporal variation in the MR signals in the at least one tissue area after the administering the sugar, determining at least one tissue-related parameter from the temporal variation, and ascertaining whether the at least one tissue-related parameter is abnormal.

Abstract: An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a method of non-invasively detecting and imaging temperature or temperature changes by assessing the temperature induced shifts in the saturation spectrum of water using MRI, namely saturation shift referencing. This procedure includes the MRI procedures to assess water saturation spectrum and the data processing steps to determine the temperature induced shifts of water resonance frequency and consequently to estimate the temperature change. This procedure also includes the procedure of assessing fat saturation spectrum and estimating fat resonance frequency. This method can be used as a clinical procedure for temperature mapping in multiple applications, especially where a significant amount of fat is present. One application is to monitor the temperature of the targeted tumor and its surrounding tissues during the procedure of hyperthermia.

Abstract: An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a method for imaging exchange-relayed intramolecular Nuclear Overhauser Enhancement (NOE) effects with Magnetic Resonance (MR) in mobile solutes. In the method, non-exchangeable protons or other magnetic nuclei with resonances of a finite linewidth in the NMR proton spectrum within a species or subject can be labeled magnetically using radiofrequency. Intramolecular NOE effects can then transfer the label between the non-exchangeable nuclei and non-exchangeable and exchangeable protons in the same molecule during a magnetic steady state. The water signal is monitored to observe a reduction in the water signal due to the transfer of NOE labels to the water signal in a manner relayed through the exchangeable protons. Analysis can also be performed to produce an image or spectrum of the subject.

Abstract: A method for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging or spectroscopy on a MR scanner to detect tissue physiological parameters in one or more tissue areas in a human or non-human subject includes administering to the subject a contrast enhancing physiologically tolerable amount of a sugar that is non-labeled, subjecting the subject to an MR procedure capable of generating MR signals encoding at least one tissue area in the subject in which the sugar either passes or is taken up, detecting a temporal variation in the MR signals in the at least one tissue area after the administering the sugar, determining at least one tissue-related parameter from the temporal variation, and ascertaining whether the at least one tissue-related parameter is abnormal.

Abstract: A method for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging or spectroscopy on a MR scanner to detect tissue physiological parameters in one or more tissue areas in a human or non-human subject includes administering to the subject a contrast enhancing physiologically tolerable amount of a sugar that is non-labeled, subjecting the subject to an MR procedure capable of generating MR signals encoding at least one tissue area in the subject in which the sugar either passes or is taken up, detecting a temporal variation in the MR signals in the at least one tissue area after the administering the sugar, determining at least one tissue-related parameter from the temporal variation, and ascertaining whether the at least one tissue-related parameter is abnormal.

Abstract: An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a method of non-invasively detecting and imaging temperature or temperature changes by assessing the temperature induced shifts in the saturation spectrum of water using MRI, namely saturation shift referencing. This procedure includes the MRI procedures to assess water saturation spectrum and the data processing steps to determine the temperature induced shifts of water resonance frequency and consequently to estimate the temperature change. This procedure also includes the procedure of assessing fat saturation spectrum and estimating fat resonance frequency. This method can be used as a clinical procedure for temperature mapping in multiple applications, especially where a significant amount of fat is present. One application is to monitor the temperature of the targeted tumor and its surrounding tissues during the procedure of hyperthermia.

Abstract: A method for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging or spectroscopy on a MR scanner to detect tissue physiological parameters in one or more tissue areas in a human or non-human subject includes administering to the subject a contrast enhancing physiologically tolerable amount of a sugar that is non-labeled, subjecting the subject to an MR procedure capable of generating MR signals encoding at least one tissue area in the subject in which the sugar either passes or is taken up, detecting a temporal variation in the MR signals in the at least one tissue area after the administering the sugar, determining at least one tissue-related parameter from the temporal variation, and ascertaining whether the at least one tissue-related parameter is abnormal.

Abstract: A water saturation shift referencing (WASSR) technique performed using a magnetic resonance scanner comprises: acquiring a spatial map of Z spectra that encompass the water center frequency using sufficiently low saturation power and sufficiently short duration selected such that symmetry of the Z spectra is not obscured by magnetization transfer but dominated by direct water saturation effects so that the spectrum is substantially symmetric; and performing a symmetry analysis on the substantially symmetric Z spectra to generate a spatial map of the water center frequency. WASSR-corrected chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) imaging is disclosed as an illustrative example.

Abstract: An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a method for imaging exchange-relayed intramolecular Nuclear Overhauser Enhancement (NOE) effects with Magnetic Resonance (MR) in mobile solutes. In the method, non-exchangeable protons or other magnetic nuclei with resonances of a finite linewidth in the NMR proton spectrum within a species or subject can be labeled magnetically using radiofrequency. Intramolecular NOE effects can then transfer the label between the non-exchangeable nuclei and non-exchangeable and exchangeable protons in the same molecule during a magnetic steady state. The water signal is monitored to observe a reduction in the water signal due to the transfer of NOE labels to the water signal in a manner relayed through the exchangeable protons. Analysis can also be performed to produce an image or spectrum of the subject.

Abstract: A water saturation shift referencing (WASSR) technique performed using a magnetic resonance scanner comprises: acquiring a spatial map of Z spectra that encompass the water center frequency using sufficiently low saturation power and sufficiently acquisition short duration selected such that symmetry of the Z spectra is not obscured by magnetization transfer but dominated by direct water saturation effects so that the spectrum is substantially symmetric; and performing a symmetry analysis on the substantially symmetric Z spectra to generate a spatial map of the water center frequency. WASSR-corrected chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) imaging is disclosed as an illustrative example.