Optimization of localized 19F magnetic resonance spectroscopy for the detection of fluorinated drugs in the human liver.

Fluorine MR spectroscopy ((19)F MRS) is an indispensable tool for assessing the pharmacokinetics of fluorinated drugs. Since the metabolism of 5-fluorouracil (5FU), a frequently used cytotoxic drug, is expected to be different in normal liver and in tumor tissue, spatial localization is required for detection by MRS. In this study, three independent signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) optimizations were combined to enable chemical shift imaging (CSI) as a localization method in the detection of 5FU and its metabolites in tumor tissue. First, the hardware was optimized by using circularly polarized coils together with integrated preamplifiers. Second, the optimal pulse angle (Ernst angle) was determined on the basis of T(1) relaxation time measurements of 5FU. Finally, averaging of CSI phase-encoding steps was optimized by using the applied Hamming filter as a weighting function. The combination of these three methods enables the in vivo detection of 5FU and alpha-fluoro-beta-alanine (FBAL) by (19)F MRS, localized in three dimensions in tumor and liver tissue at a time resolution of 4 min at 1.5 Tesla.     

Steady state of gradient echo sequences with radiofrequency phase cycling: Analytical solution,contrast enhancement with partial spoiling

Spoiled gradient echo sequences can only reach a homogeneous steady state if sufficiently strong crusher gradients are used in combination with RF phase cycling (RF spoiling). However, the signal depends quite sensitively on the chosen phase increment ? and—lacking analytical solutions—numerical simulations must be used to study the transient and steady‐state magnetization. For the steady state an exact analytical solution is derived, which holds for arbitrary sequence and tissue parameters. Besides a considerably improved computation performance, the analytical approach enables a better understanding of the complicated dependence on ?. For short repetition times (TR) the regime of small ? turns out to be particularly interesting: It is shown that the typical ?_c, where RF spoiling starts to become effective, is essentially inversely proportional to T₂. This tissue dependence implies that contrasts can be considerably larger with partial spoiling (? ≈ ?_c) than with conventional RF spoiling (? ? ?_c). As an example, the uptake of contrast agents in tissues is investigated. For typical parameters a considerably improved contrast enhancement can be obtained, both theoretically and experimentally. Magn Reson Med, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Counter Intuitive Relations Between in vivo RF Lesion Size, Power, and Tip Temperature

Background: Radiofrequency (RF) lesion size in vitro is positively correlated with applied power and catheter tip temperature. However, the relation between RF lesion size, power, and tip temperature in vivo remains unclear. We hypothesized that due to flow, anatomy and tip contact effects in vivo, increased tip temperature would be inversely related to applied power and RF lesion size. Methods: RF lesions were created on the endocardium of 16 pigs using 5, 6, and 7 Fr catheters. The ablation generator was set to achieve a temperature of 70°C. RF lesions were created in different regions of the heart so as to encompass a wide range of blood flow and catheter movement conditions. RF lesions were measured acutely (DIMEN, mm) and correlated with average power applied (POWER, W), and average tip temperature (TEMP, °C). The POWER and TEMP relation was also examined. Results: For TEMPs below 55°C, the power output from the generator was typically maximized at 50 W. At TEMPs above 55°C, POWER decreased exponentially with increasing TEMP {POWER = 50 – exp(-((41-TEMP)/7)), r = 0.98, p < 0.05}. Further, DIMEN tended to be inversely related to TEMP (Slope: –0.07 ± 0.04, r = –0.15, p = 0.07); but, was positively related to POWER (Slope: 0.04 ± 0.02, r = 0.23, p < 0.05). These relations varied by tip size and estimated local blood flow characteristics. Conclusion: In vivo, variable tissue contact and flow yield DIMEN-POWER-TEMP relations opposite to those found in vitro. These counterintuitive results suggest that maximum in vivo RF lesion size is achieved when power is maximized at tip temperatures between 50 and 60°C.     

Eight-channel transmit/receive body MRI coil at 3T.

Multichannel transmit magnetic resonance imaging (MR) systems have the potential to compensate for signal-intensity variations occurring at higher field strengths due to wave propagation effects in tissue. Methods such as RF shimming and local excitation in combination with parallel transmission can be applied to compensate for these effects. Moreover, parallel transmission can be applied to ease the excitation of arbitrarily shaped magnetization patterns. The implementation of these methods adds new requirements in terms of MRI hardware. This article describes the design of a decoupled eight-element transmit/receive body coil for 3T. The setup of the coil is explained, starting with standard single-channel resonators. Special focus is placed on the decoupling of the elements to obtain independent RF resonators. After a brief discussion of the underlying theory, the properties and limitations of the coil are outlined. Finally, the functionality and capabilities of the coil are demonstrated using RF measurements as well as MRI sequences.     

Nonlinear excitation profiles for three-dimensional inflow MR angiography

An RF excitation pulse for three-dimensional (3D) time-of-flight (TOP) MR angiography (MRA) with a nonlinear excitation profile was numerically calculated under the condition of uniform vessel signal across the excitation volume (slab), and the superiority of the optform pulse as compared with conventional RF pulses and TONE pulses was demonstrated. For this purpose we acquired MRA of the lower leg and of the carotid and vertebral arteries in a 30-year-old healthy volunteer. Although the flow velocity ranges in these two anatomic locations are different by about a factor of 10, in both cases the corresponding optform pulse provided the best signal homogeneity at the highest level.     

关节镜下射频汽化结合髌骨周围钻孔减压治疗髌骨软骨病

目的: 研究射频汽化结合髌骨钻孔减压在治疗髌骨软骨病变中的临床效果。方法: 利用ArthroCare2000射频汽化仪对 56例髌骨软骨病变患者行损伤的软骨面修整, 髌骨周缘滑膜清理; 直径 2~2. 5mm克氏针, 自髌骨两侧缘向髌骨内钻孔减压。9例同时行外侧支持带松解。结果: 随访 6个月~2年 10个月, 平均 1年 7个月。术后患者疼痛症状明显缓解。Lysholm评分由术前平均 56分提高到术后平均 91分。结论: 射频汽化仪治疗精确, 最大限度地保留了未受损伤的软骨组织; 联合髌骨钻孔减压治疗髌骨软骨病变效果良好, 术后康复快。     

二氧化碳血液净化仪实验研究

目的探讨气体传输型二氧化碳血液净化仪在呼吸衰竭(RF)治疗中实施体外膜肺氧合(ECMO)部分循环支持的实验研究。方法建立实验犬的RF模型,用BaxterEF-550血管路连接二氧化碳血液净化仪,股静脉置入双腔单针导管行V-V转流,转流过程中维持血流量200mL/min,氧入通入量4L/min~6L/min,转流开始10min后,分别采集动脉血及膜式人工肺出入端血标本,以后每转流60min分别采集血标本进行血气分析。结果人工肺出入端PCO2可由50.93mmHg±1.62mmHg~63.27mmHg±0.46mmHg下降为1.27mmHg±0.05mmHg~14.07mmHg±1.86mmHg,PO2上升值为371.6mmHg±42.67mmHg~614.6mmHg±50.35mmHg,人工肺出入端PCO2、TCO2、PO2、SO2、O2-C变化均有显著性差异(P<0.01)。转流60min,实验犬体动脉血PaO2从39.6mmHg,升高为56.7mmHg±2.36mmHg,PCO2由52.8mmHg下降为50.4mmHg±0.53mmHg。结论二氧化碳血液净化仪有良好的二氧化碳血液净化和氧传输双重性能;二氧化碳血液净化仪的气体传输性能,在0.2L/min流量时,可以使活体实验动物血气发生改变———氧摄入和二氧化碳排出增多,从而简化了ECMO技术并实现呼吸支持的作用,为呼吸衰竭的救治提供一项新的技术和途径。     

A lectin horseradish peroxidase study of the origin of ascending fibers in the medial forebrain bundle of the rat. The lower brainstem

The origins of projections within the medial forebrain bundle from the lower brainstem were examined with the horseradish peroxidase technique. Labeled cells were found in at least 15 lower brainstem nuclei following injections of a conjugate or horseradish peroxidase and wheat germ agglutinin at various levels of the medial forebrain bundle. Dense labeling was observed in the following cell groups (from caudal to rostral): A1 (above the lateral reticular nucleus); A2 (mainly within the nucleus of the solitary tract); a distinct group of cell trailing ventrolaterally from the medial longitudinal fasciculus at the level of the rostral pole of the inferior olive; raphe magnus; nucleus incertus; dorsolateral tegmental nucleus (of Castaldi); locus coeruleus; nucleus subcoeruleus; caudal part of the dorsal (lateral) parabrachial nucleus; and raphe pontis. Distinct but light labeling was seen in raphe pallidus and obscurus, nucleus prepositus hypoglossi, nucleus gigantocellularis pars ventralis, and the ventral (medial) parabrachial nucleus. Sparse labeling was observed throughout the medullary and caudal pontine reticular formation. Several lower brainstem nuclei were found to send strong projections along the medial forebrain bundle to very anterior levels of the forebrain. They were: A1, A2, raphe magnus (rostral part), nucleus incertus, dorsolateral tegmental nucleus, raphe pontis and locus coeruleus. With the exception of the locus coeruleus, attention has only recently been directed to the ascending projections of most of the nuclei mentioned above. Evidence was reviewed indicating that fibers from lower brainstem nuclei with ascending medial forebrain bundle projections distribute to widespread regions of the forebrain.It is concluded from the present findings that several medullary cell groups are capable of exerting a direct effect on the forebrain and that the medial forebrain bundle is the major ascending link between the lower brainstem and the forebrain.     

Receptive field characteristics of neurones in striate cortex of newborn lambs and adult sheep

The properties of cells of the striate visual cortex (V1) have been studied in the normal adult sheep and in new-born lambs without visual experience, the majority of cells in the lamb are orientation specific, but 20% are non-oriented compared to only 3% cells in the adult. In the lamb there was little or no facilitation of binocularly-driven cells by simultaneous stimulation of both receptive fields. Cells which responded only to binocular stimulation of particular disparities ('obligate binocular' cells) were rarely encountered. In the adult, 15% of the sample were obligate binocular cells and a further 28% showed binocular facilitation. Simple and complex receptive fields were found in similar proportions in both new-born lambs and adult sheep. End-stopped cells comprised 17% of the sample in adults but only 2% in the lambs. Direction sensitive cells were found more frequently in the sheep (21% of cells) than in the lamb (4% of cells). It is concluded that facilitatory processes in binocular cells and inhibitory mechanisms generally, seem much less developed in the lamb.     

血清葡萄糖-6-磷酸异构酶与类风湿性关节炎相关性研究

目的:探讨血清葡萄糖-6-磷酸异构酶(GPI)水平与类风湿性关节炎(RA)相关性及其对RA的诊断价值。方法:采用酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)检测64例RA患者、70例非RA患者包括34例其他自身免疫性疾病(AID)患者(SLE、SS、MCTD等)和36例风湿性关节炎患者、42例健康体检者血清GPI浓度并进行比较。结果:当GPI以0.28μg/ml为临界值时,RA组的GPI阳性率显著高于其他AID组、风湿性关节炎组及健康对照组,阳性率分别为68.7%、26.5%、2.7%、2.4%,RA组的GPI阳性率与其他各组差异有统计学意义(P<0.01)。RA患者中GPI阳性率与类风湿因子(RF)阳性率分别为68.7%和67.2%,GPI和RF单项和/或双项阳性率达93.7%。结论血清GPI在各对照组中,以RA组升高最明显,对RA诊断具有较高的灵敏度和特异性,可作为除RF外诊断RA的新指标,与RF联合检测,可提高RA的诊断率。