Magnetic nanoparticle labeling of mesenchymal stem cells without transfection agent: cellular behavior and capability of detection with clinical 1.5 T magnetic resonance at the single cell level.

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the efficacy of labeling human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) by ionic superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) without a transfection agent and verifying its capability to be detected with clinical 1.5 T magnetic resonance (MR) at the single-cell level. Human hMSCs were incubated for 24 h with an ionic SPIO, Ferucarbotran. The labeling efficiency of hMSCs was determined by iron content measurement spectrophotometrically, and the influence of labeling on cell behavior was ascertained by examination of cell viability using the trypan blue exclusion method, cell proliferation analysis using MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) change, differentiation capacity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production measured by dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA) fluorescent probe. Labeled hMSCs were scanned under 1.5 T MRI with three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) T(2)-weighted gradient echo (GRE) pulse sequences. Human hMSC labeling without transfection agent was efficient. The iron content in hMSCs was 23.4 pg Fe/cell. No significant change was found in viability, proliferation, MMP change, ROS production, or differentiation capacity. About 45.2% of the hMSCs could be detected using 1.5 T MRI at the single cell level with 3D GRE and four repetitions.     

Primary diffuse leptomeningeal gliomatosis followed with serial magnetic resonance images

We report a case of primary diffuse leptomeningeal gliomatosis (PDLG) followed up with serial magnetic resonance images (MRI). A 45‐year‐old man manifested with bilateral abducens nerve palsy and meningisms. Repeated MRI revealed diffuse leptomeningeal enhancement throughout the central nervous system without intra‐axial mass accompanied with the dilatation of ventricles and focally enlarged cerebral sulci. Brain biopsies showed a leptomeningeal gliomatosis. The MRI findings described here would contribute to the diagnosis of PDLG among other common diseases diffusely spreading along the leptomeningeal structures.     

术中磁共振影像神经导航治疗脑胶质瘤的临床初步应用(附61例分析)

目的总结术中磁共振影像(iMRI)神经导航手术治疗脑胶质瘤的初步经验。方法2006年3月～2006年12月,61例脑胶质瘤病人接受iMRI神经导航手术。结果手术总耗时2.5～8.5 h,平均(5.2±1.5)h。图像质量良好49例(80.3%),一般7例(11.5%),差5例(8.2%)。56例图像质量优良的病人中,iMRI扫描次数2～5次,平均(2.6±0.8)次;其中2次32例,3次16例,4次5例,5次3例;24例(42.9%)经iMRI发现肿瘤切除范围未达术前计划,仍需进一步切除。无iMRI相关不良事件发生。结论iMRI神经导航手术治疗脑胶质瘤安全、有效,可实时纠正术中脑移位误差,精确定位脑胶质瘤的影像学边界,定量评估手术切除范围,有效提高肿瘤切除率。     

氟马西尼造成的脑弥散成像改变对癫痫灶的定位研究

目的探讨癫痫患者应用氟马西尼之后,用磁共振弥散成像(diffusion-weighted magnetic imaging,DWI)检测脑组织发生的改变,从而确定癫痫灶的位置。方法选择准备手术的癫痫患者20例,其中检查前2个月内服用过苯二氮卓类药物(benzodiazepine,BZD)有9人,另取17位未发做过癫痫的健康者作为对照。在患者清醒和完全的发作间期进行磁共振弥散成像基线扫描,然后静脉推注氟马西尼(flumazenil,FMZ),注射10min后,再次进行DWI检查。所有的病人测量下列双侧结构的表观弥散系数(apparent diffusion coefficient,ADC):海马、海马旁回、丘脑、中央白质、与癫痫灶相连的皮质。健康对照者进行了DWI检查,测量了上述结构。我们还对20位患者进行了注射FMZ前后的视频脑电图比较。结果与健康对照者对比,颞叶癫痫患者发病侧海马的发作间期ADC基线明显升高(P<0.05)。在注射氟马西尼后,不同感兴趣区的平均ADC变化如下:近期服用过BZD的患者癫痫发作侧的海马ADC下降(P<0.05);癫痫发作侧的海马旁回ADC下降(P<0.05),而近期没有服用过BZD的患者,未发现上述变化。在视频脑电监测中,服用BZD的患者也更易用FMZ诱发出癫痫波。在颞叶以外癫痫我们没有观察到统一的变化模式。结论近期服用过BZD药物的颞叶癫痫患者中,注射氟马西尼引起的ADC改变和癫痫灶的位置密切相关。核磁共振弥散成像清楚地表明了颢叶癫痫患者潜在癫痫灶的位置,是一个有效检测方法。     

MR Findings of Intrathecal Chemotherapy-Related Myelopathy in Two Cases: Mimicker of Subacute Combined Degeneration

We report the findings of spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 2 patients who had undergone intrathecal chemotherapy and presented with the subacute onset of ascending numbness and weakness. MRI revealed a symmetric hyperintensity at the posterior columns of the spinal cord from the lower cervical region down to the conus medullaris level on T2-weighted images, and no abnormal enhancement. The imaging findings are similar to those seen in subacute combined degeneration (SCD), but the serum vitamin B(12) levels were normal in these 2 cases.     

Parallel imaging reconstruction for arbitrary trajectories using k-space sparse matrices (kSPA).

Although the concept of receiving MR signal using multiple coils simultaneously has been known for over two decades, the technique has only recently become clinically available as a result of the development of several effective parallel imaging reconstruction algorithms. Despite the success of these algorithms, it remains a challenge in many applications to rapidly and reliably reconstruct an image from partially-acquired general non-Cartesian k-space data. Such applications include, for example, three-dimensional (3D) imaging, functional MRI (fMRI), perfusion-weighted imaging, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), in which a large number of images have to be reconstructed. In this work, a systematic k-space-based reconstruction algorithm based on k-space sparse matrices (kSPA) is introduced. This algorithm formulates the image reconstruction problem as a system of sparse linear equations in k-space. The inversion of this system of equations is achieved by computing a sparse approximate inverse matrix. The algorithm is demonstrated using both simulated and in vivo data, and the resulting image quality is comparable to that of the iterative sensitivity encoding (SENSE) algorithm. The kSPA algorithm is noniterative and the computed sparse approximate inverse can be applied repetitively to reconstruct all subsequent images. This algorithm, therefore, is particularly suitable for the aforementioned applications.     

Three-dimensional magnetic resonance myocardial motion tracking from a single image plane.

Three-dimensional imaging for the quantification of myocardial motion is a key step in the evaluation of cardiac disease. A tagged magnetic resonance imaging method that automatically tracks myocardial displacement in three dimensions is presented. Unlike other techniques, this method tracks both in-plane and through-plane motion from a single image plane without affecting the duration of image acquisition. A small z-encoding gradient is subsequently added to the refocusing lobe of the slice-selection gradient pulse in a slice following CSPAMM acquisition. An opposite polarity z-encoding gradient is added to the orthogonal tag direction. The additional z-gradients encode the instantaneous through plane position of the slice. The vertical and horizontal tags are used to resolve in-plane motion, while the added z-gradients is used to resolve through-plane motion. Postprocessing automatically decodes the acquired data and tracks the three-dimensional displacement of every material point within the image plane for each cine frame. Experiments include both a phantom and in vivo human validation. These studies demonstrate that the simultaneous extraction of both in-plane and through-plane displacements and pathlines from tagged images is achievable. This capability should open up new avenues for the automatic quantification of cardiac motion and strain for scientific and clinical purposes.     

Diffusion-weighted imaging in brain aspergillosis

Brain aspergillosis is a rare pathology, occurring mainly in immunocompromised patients, responsible for multiple cerebral septic infarctions. Some researchers have described magnetic resonance (MR) findings in cerebral invasive aspergillosis, but diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has rarely been reported, especially in typical non-enhancing lesions, while it may be helpful for early differential diagnosis and may allow earlier antifungal treatment. We describe three cases of patients presenting brain aspergillosis, with MR imaging including diffusion-weighted sequences and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) cartography. The three patients described in this study presented a total of 23 circular lesions, and one patient presented an infarction area in the territory of the right middle cerebral artery. Lesions were ring-enhancing for one patient, and presented no enhancement for the other two. Eleven lesions were very bright on DWI, with reduced ADC values. Twelve lesions, either enhancing or not enhancing, presented a 'target-like' aspect with central and peripheral hypointense areas on DWI, corresponding to higher ADC value areas, and intermediate marked hypersignal on DWI. This typical aspect of aspergillosis lesions on DWI may allow early diagnosis and treatment of cerebral aspergillosis, and is helpful for differentiating aspergillosis lesions from other infectious or malignant lesions affecting immunocompromised patients.     

Development of sample handling procedures for foods under USDA's National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program

The National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program (NFNAP) was implemented in 1997 to update and improve the quality of food composition data maintained by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). NFNAP was designed to sample and analyze frequently consumed foods in the U.S. food supply using statistically rigorous sampling plans, established sample handling procedures, and qualified analytical laboratories. Methods for careful handling of food samples from acquisition to analysis were developed to ensure the integrity of the samples and subsequent generation of accurate nutrient values. The infrastructure of NFNAP, under which over 1500 foods have been sampled, mandates tested sample handling protocols for a wide variety of foods. The majority of these foods were categorized into several major areas: (1) frozen foods; (2) fresh produce and/or highly perishable foods requiring refrigeration; (3) fast foods and prepared foods; (4) shelf-stable foods; (5) specialized study and non-retail (point of production) foods; and (6) foods from remote areas (e.g. American Indian reservations). This paper describes the sample handling approaches, from the collection and receipt of the food items to the preparation of the analytical samples, with emphasis on the strategies developed for those foods. It provides a foundation for developing sample handling protocols of foods to be analyzed under NFNAP and for other researchers working on similar projects.