2003年诺贝尔生理学或医学奖

准确观察而又无伤害人体内器官影像对于医学的诊断、治疗和疗后随访等方面是非常重要的。今年的诺贝尔生理学或医学奖得主在将磁共振方法应用于不同结构成像方面作出了基础性的贡献。他们的发现导致了现代磁共振成像技术(MRI)的发展,该技术是医疗诊断和研究领域的一个突破。处于强磁场中的原子核以一定的频率旋转,该频率大小要依赖于磁场的强度。如果原子核吸收相同频率的无线电波,其能量将会增加,即发生了共振。当原子核恢复到原能级,就会发射出无线电波。该发现在1952年荣获了诺贝尔物理学奖。在随后的几十年中,磁共振主要应用于研究物质的化学结构。20世纪70年代初,当时的诺贝尔奖得主作出了先锋性贡献,不久之后,该贡献促使了磁共振在医学成像领域的应用。     

宫颈癌磁共振灌注成像的研究进展

随着医学影像学成像技术的发展,医学影像学逐渐从形态成像向功能成像转变,并广泛应用于临床.磁共振灌注成像(Per-fusion weightedmagnetic resonance imaging,PWI)作为主要功能成像的一种,能在无创条件下准确的评估器官、组织的血流灌注状态.从而评估组织的功能情况,因此具有广阔的临床应用前景.现就宫颈癌磁共振灌注成像的基本原理、扫描技术以及临床应用等方面进行综述.     

MRI的临床应用进展

磁共振成像(magnatic resonance imaging.MRI)是现代影像医学的重要组成部分之一。随着硬件和软件方面的不断改进和发展,MRI日益得到广泛的临床应用。MRI的临床应用主要有五个方面:磁共振水成像、磁共振血管成像、磁共振功能成像、磁共振波谱以及磁共振造影介入技术。MRI可提供病变组织在形态学改变和生理功能方面的信息,因此MRI已成为进行疾病诊断和鉴别诊断的重要工具,亦是介入技术导引的手段。由于MRI具有无创性和信息容量多等点,使其能在生物学医学领域内作深入的研究。MRI将提供生物化学的信息。总之,MRI是现代医学的新领域,代表着影像医学的发展方向。     

观察大脑的秘密

功能磁共振成像(fMRI)是近些年来最受神经科学家宠爱的研究工具。这种技术的历史最早可以追溯到20世纪40年代。当时,科学家首次发现了核磁共振现象(NMRI)——把某些原子的原子核放入磁场     

MRI的临床应用进展

磁共振成像(magnatic resonance imaging,MRI)是现代影像医学的重要组成部分之一。随着硬件和软件方面的不断改进和发展,MRI日益得到广泛的临床应用。MRI的临床应用主要有五个方面：磁共振水成像、磁共振血管成像、磁共振功能成像、磁共振波谱以及磁共振造影介入技术。MRI可提供病变组织在形态学改变和生理功能方面的信息,因此MRI已成为进行疾病诊断和鉴别诊断的重要工具,亦是介入技术导引的手段。由于MRI具有无创性和信息容量多等点,使其能在生物学医学领域内作深入的研究。MRI将提供生物化学的信息。总之,MRI是现代医学的新领域,代表着影像医学的发展方向。     

磁共振造影剂的研究进展

随着磁共振影像技术的快速发展,MRI在医学领域得到广泛应用,已成为目前临床常规影像诊断方法和手段之一.但MRI对信号探测的敏感性较低,因此需要某些介质在靶组织内大量聚集以达到信号扩增的目的,于是磁共振成像对比剂应用而生.磁共振造影剂(对比剂)可以提高成像分辨率,增加正常与病变组织的成像对比度,从而提高磁共振诊断疾病的敏感性和特异性,目前逐日成为众多学者研究关注的焦点之一.超顺磁性氧化铁纳米粒是一种新型的磁共振对比剂,它的有效成份为纳米级的Fe3O4或Fe2O3晶体核心,主要通过缩短组织中成像水质子的弛豫时间从而加快组织弛豫速率,得以提高正常组织和病灶组织的成像信号对比度,对肝、脾、淋巴结病变的成像效果好,安全性高,能够显著提高小病灶的检出,从而达到早期诊断发现疾病的目的.本文主要就磁共振造影剂的原理、分类及研究进展,尤其是超顺磁性氧化铁在肝脏疾病诊断中的应用进行了综述,并且对磁共振造影剂的未来发展趋势进行了展望.     

将PET和MRI合二为一的新型诊断系统

正电子发射断层扫描技术(PET),可利用放射性化合物来监测新陈代谢而获取人体组织图像,而磁共振成像技术(MRI)则可提供软组织的详细结构图像。最近,美国洛杉矶加利福尼亚大学(UCLA)正在研制一种可将这两种成像技术集合为一体的新型系统,它使操作人员可以同时观看到组织的结构详情和代谢活动。 新系统的样机已在日前举行的核医学学会会议上亮相。展出的样机将PET的图像采集电子设备置于MRI会引起的强大磁场以外,以避免它会抢夺PET信号。     

核磁功能成像在前列腺癌诊断中的应用

磁共振成像是诊断早期前列腺癌及评价分期最好的影像学技术之一,然而常规MRI-T2WI在诊断中存在较低的特异性缺陷.随着核磁技术的发展,对前列腺癌的诊断发展到从定性到定量、从形态到功能的变化,本文主要就近年来的磁共振功能成像技术在前列腺癌诊断中的研究进展作一论述.     

脊髓磁共振成像技术：方法与应用

脊髓磁共振成像是将磁共振成像应用于脊髓部分(主要是颈髓)的先进研究技术,在人体感觉、运动等基础科学研究,以及脊髓损伤、脊髓炎、慢性疼痛等疾病的临床应用中均已逐渐得到使用。脊髓磁共振成像的发展相比脑成像而言仍处于起步阶段,这主要受限于目前的磁共振成像技术和数据分析方法。本文以认知神经科学和医学领域的基础研究为主,聚焦于脊髓磁共振成像技术的方法与应用。首先介绍了常用多模态脊髓磁共振成像技术的成像原理、成像方法、测量指标及其应用现状,具体包括脊髓定量磁共振成像(结构成像、弥散成像、波谱成像、髓磷脂水分数成像、磁化转移成像和化学交换饱和转移成像等)和脊髓功能磁共振成像等;其次从噪声控制、数据处理流程优化以及可重复性与可信度三个维度介绍了脊髓磁共振成像在数据分析上所面临的技术挑战以及应对策略;最后对脊髓磁共振成像的应用现状和发展前景进行了总结与展望。     

专家答读者问：细胞成像时需借助的技术和原理

<正>对特定组织进行成像，需要采集特定组织中的信号。同位素或荧光标记是不同类型的信号源，通过一定的技术手段，收集信号源释放出的信号，经过计算机处理，就可以获得特定组织的图像。首先介绍同位素。元素由原子核和电子构成，原子核由质子和中子组成。同一种元素，具有相同的质子数，但可以具有不同的中子数。这种具有相同质子数，而具有不同中子数的元素，就称为同位素。其中，某些同位素的原子核结构不稳定，会自发释放能量，     

Non-invasive methods for the determination of body and carcass composition in livestock: dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry,computed tomography,magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound: invited review

The ability to accurately measure body or carcass composition is important for performance testing, grading and finally selection or payment of meat-producing animals. Advances especially in non-invasive techniques are mainly based on the development of electronic and computer-driven methods in order to provide objective phenotypic data. The preference for a specific technique depends on the target animal species or carcass, combined with technical and practical aspects such as accuracy, reliability, cost, portability, speed, ease of use, safety and for in vivo measurements the need for fixation or sedation. The techniques rely on specific device-driven signals, which interact with tissues in the body or carcass at the atomic or molecular level, resulting in secondary or attenuated signals detected by the instruments and analyzed quantitatively. The electromagnetic signal produced by the instrument may originate from mechanical energy such as sound waves (ultrasound – US), ‘photon’ radiation (X-ray-computed tomography – CT, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry – DXA) or radio frequency waves (magnetic resonance imaging – MRI). The signals detected by the corresponding instruments are processed to measure, for example, tissue depths, areas, volumes or distributions of fat, muscle (water, protein) and partly bone or bone mineral. Among the above techniques, CT is the most accurate one followed by MRI and DXA, whereas US can be used for all sizes of farm animal species even under field conditions. CT, MRI and US can provide volume data, whereas only DXA delivers immediate whole-body composition results without (2D) image manipulation. A combination of simple US and more expensive CT, MRI or DXA might be applied for farm animal selection programs in a stepwise approach.     

Non-invasive histochemistry of plant materials by magnetic resonance microscopy

Summary We have combined nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging on the microscopic scale with chemical shift selection to demonstrate the application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to plant histochemistry. As an example of the method we have obtained separate images of the distribution of reserve oil and anethole in dried fennel mericarps. The technique can be employed to separately image the distribution of aromatics, carbohydrates, oils, water and possibly fatty acids in suitable plant materials.Abbreviations NMR nuclear magnetic resonance - MRI magnetic resonance imaging - COSY correlation spectroscopy - TMS tetramethylsilane     

多功能磁共振造影剂研究进展

磁共振成像技术因对人体无创、任意方向断层扫描三维图像且分辨率较高、提供形态与功能两方面诊断评价等突出优点,成为了临床上用于疾病诊断的重要手段之一。临床上使用磁共振造影剂可以提高成像的分辨率和灵敏度,提高图像质量,增强对比度和可读性。但是,各种成像技术由于实现原理不同,具有各自的优势和缺陷,靠传统单一的诊断模式无法提供疾病的全面信息,因而在对各种复杂疾病进行诊断时会受到一定的限制。因此,将磁共振成像与其他成像技术如CT成像、超声成像等联合起来使用,则可以达到优势互补的效果,能为疾病的临床诊断提供更快捷精确的信息,同时可将磁共振成像与各种治疗方式结合在一起,即开发基于磁共振成像的诊断治疗一体化试剂,以实现对疾病的即时治疗和实时监控。本文主要介绍了磁共振成像造影剂的原理和种类,并且综述了目前国内外在基于磁共振成像的多功能造影剂/诊疗制剂这一领域的研究进展,最后就未来可能的研究方向进行了展望。     

Identification of cholesteryl esters in human carotid atherosclerosis by ex vivo image-guided proton MRS

Vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques may be identified by their large lipid component, particularly liquid cholesteryl ester (CE), covered by a fibrous cap. We hypothesized that image-guided 1H proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) would identify mobile CE in discrete, preselected regions of atherosclerotic plaque. Human carotid endarterectomy specimens (n = 10) were imaged ex vivo by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at high field (11.7 T) utilizing standard T1- and T2-weighted spin echo protocols. MRS spectra were acquired from 1 mm3 voxels, localized to plaque regions that we judged by MRI to be lipid rich or lipid poor. The spectra revealed methyl and methylene resonances of fatty acyl chains with relative intensities and linewidths characteristic of pure CE, by comparison with lipid standards. Regions judged to be lipid rich by MRI showed much more intense CE resonances than did lipid-poor regions. The integrated intensities of lipid peaks were 5.5 +/- 2.0% (lipid-rich regions) versus 0.9 +/- 0.6% (lipid-poor regions) of the unsuppressed water peak (P < 0.0001). Lipid distribution by histology, MRS, and MRI showed strong correlation. Image-guided proton MRS accurately identified CE in selected regions of atherosclerotic plaque as small as 1 mm3 in an ex vivo setting. This procedure may permit the noninvasive detection and quantification of CE in atherosclerotic plaque in vivo.     

Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging: What Water Tells Us about Biological Tissues

Since its introduction in the mid-1980s, diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which measures the random motion of water molecules in tissues, revealing their microarchitecture, has become a pillar of modern neuroimaging. Its main clinical domain has been the diagnosis of acute brain stroke and neurogical disorders, but it is also used in the body for the detection and management of cancer lesions. It can also produce stunning maps of white matter tracks in the brain, with the potential to aid in the understanding of some psychiatric disorders. However, in order to exploit fully the potential of this method, a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that govern the diffusion of water in tissues is needed.In the mid-1980s, we showed that water diffusion in the human brain could be imaged by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [1]. Since then, diffusion MRI has enjoyed a dramatic growth, with about 24,000 articles referenced in PubMed in 2014. MRI is a medical imaging technique consisting of magnetizing body atom nuclei, generally hydrogen nuclei of water molecules, using a very strong magnetic field (typically 30,000 to 60,000 times the earth’s natural magnetic field). The resulting very tiny magnetization can be manipulated in time by sending radiofrequency wave pulses at a resonant frequency. In turn, magnetized nuclei re-emit radiofrequency waves, creating a signal that is received through a coil (a kind of antenna), giving information on the nuclei magnetization properties. Magnetic field “gradient” pulses are used in addition to induce small variations of the magnetic field (and the associated radiowaves’ resonant frequency) in space, so as to spatially encode the magnetization information and create images. Magnetization varies a lot between tissues and various disease conditions, making MRI a very versatile imaging modality. However, the resolution of MRI images used for clinical practice often remains limited, typically around 1 mm (microscopic MRI is possible, but with dedicated preclinical MRI systems using ultra-high magnetic fields; see below). The concept of diffusion MRI emerged as a way to probe tissue structure at a microscopic (invisible) scale, although images are acquired at a millimetric scale: during their random, diffusion-driven displacements in the tissue, the water molecules probe the tissue structure at a microscopic scale, interacting with cell membranes, thus providing unique information on the functional architecture of tissues. Diffusion MRI has become a pillar of modern clinical imaging, used mainly to investigate neurological disorders such as acute brain ischemia, although it is now also a standard imaging method for other organs too, especially for the management of cancer patients. Indeed, diffusion MRI that does not require any tracer injection is rapidly becoming a modality of choice to detect and characterize malignant lesions. Moreover, in the brain, diffusion anisotropy in white matter can be exploited to produce stunning three-dimensional maps of brain connections, revealing faulty connections in some psychiatric disorders. More recently, diffusion MRI has been applied to monitor the dynamic changes occurring in the neural tissue structure during activation, a new approach to investigate functional neuroimaging and the mechanisms underlying neuronal activation.It is amazing that all these applications of diffusion MRI have emerged or developed while so little is known about water diffusion mechanisms in biological tissues. The relative importance of many factors governing water in tissues and their effects on the observed MRI signal are still not fully understood and are sometimes a subject of controversy.We will discuss the main applications and the outstanding issues remaining in the field in more detail below.     

Studies on magnetism and bioelectromagnetics for 45 years: from magnetic analog memory to human brain stimulation and imaging

Forty-five years of studies on magnetism and bioelectromagnetics, in our laboratory, are presented. This article is prepared for the d'Arsonval Award Lecture. After a short introduction of our early work on magnetic analog memory, we review and discuss the following topics: (1) Magnetic nerve stimulation and localized transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the human brain by figure-eight coils; (2) Measurements of weak magnetic fields generated from the brain by superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) systems, called magnetoencephalography (MEG), and its application in functional brain studies; (3) New methods of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the imaging of impedance of the brain, called impedance MRI, and the imaging of neuronal current activities in the brain, called current MRI; (4) Cancer therapy and other medical treatments by pulsed magnetic fields; (5) Effects of static magnetic fields and magnetic control of cell orientation and cell growth; and (6) Effects of radio frequency magnetic fields and control of iron ion release and uptake from and into ferritins, iron cage proteins. These bioelectromagnetic studies have opened new horizons in magnetism and medicine, in particular for brain research and treatment of ailments such as depression, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's diseases.     

Fe3O4磁性纳米粒子在生物医学领域的应用

Fe_3O_4磁性纳米粒子由于其良好的磁学性能,被广泛应用到了化学、生物、物理、环境保护等各个领域。尤其是在生物医学领域中的应用越来越受到研究者的关注。由于其所具有的优秀的超顺磁性性质,Fe_3O_4磁性纳米粒子可以作为造影剂,增强核磁共振成像的对比度和成像效果;也可以结合到纳米载药系统内用于药物的靶向输送;也可以包埋到蛋白内部用于蛋白的磁性分离;也可以用于基因治疗,提高靶细胞的转染效率;由于其在近红外光的作用下具有很好的光热转换效果,使温度升高,展现出的良好热疗效果,Fe_3O_4磁性纳米粒子又可以用于癌细胞的热疗。本文针对其在该领域中作为药物的靶向传递,蛋白的磁分离,核磁共振成像,热疗,以及基因治疗的载体等方面的研究应用进行了系统性的总结,阐述了Fe_3O_4磁性纳米粒子在生物医学领域中各种应用进展和优势。     

Physical interactions of static magnetic fields with living tissues

Clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was introduced in the early 1980s and has become a widely accepted and heavily utilized medical technology. This technique requires that the patients being studied be exposed to an intense magnetic field of a strength not previously encountered on a wide scale by humans. Nonetheless, the technique has proved to be very safe and the vast majority of the scans have been performed without any evidence of injury to the patient. In this article the history of proposed interactions of magnetic fields with human tissues is briefly reviewed and the predictions of electromagnetic theory on the nature and strength of these interactions are described. The physical basis of the relative weakness of these interactions is attributed to the very low magnetic susceptibility of human tissues and the lack of any substantial amount of ferromagnetic material normally occurring in these tissues. The presence of ferromagnetic foreign bodies within patients, or in the vicinity of the scanner, represents a very great hazard that must be scrupulously avoided. As technology and experience advance, ever stronger magnetic field strengths are being brought into service to improve the capabilities of this imaging technology and the benefits to patients. It is imperative that vigilance be maintained as these higher field strengths are introduced into clinical practice to assure that the high degree of patient safety that has been associated with MRI is maintained.     

核磁共振磁场照射对子代大鼠海马突触形态的影响

研究观察了孕期磁共振磁场照射对子代大鼠海马突触超微结构的影响。SD孕鼠妊娠第12-18d给予0．35T核磁共振(magnetic resonance imaging,MRI)磁场照射。测量1、2和5月龄雌性仔鼠海马CAl区和齿状回的突触结构参数,用立体计量学方法进行定量测定。结果显示,磁场照射可引起2月龄子代大鼠海马CAl区突触间隙增宽．齿状回突触活性区长度变短、突触界面曲率和活性区面密度减小;5月龄子代大鼠CAl区突触间隙增宽,突触后致密物变薄,突触界面曲率减小,齿状回突触间隙增宽。结果提示,妊娠期接受MRI磁场照射可引起海马突触超微结构的改变。对这些结构变化与行为损害之间的关系进行了讨论。     

Magnetic field direction differentially impacts the growth of different cell types

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines have horizontal or upright static magnetic field (SMF) of 0.1–3 T (Tesla) at sites of patients and operators, but the biological effects of these SMFs still remain elusive. We examined 12 different cell lines, including 5 human solid tumor cell lines, 2 human leukemia cell lines and 4 human non-cancer cell lines, as well as the Chinese hamster ovary cell line. Permanent magnets were used to provide 0.2–1 T SMFs with different magnetic field directions. We found that an upward magnetic field of 0.2–1 T could effectively reduce the cell numbers of all human solid tumor cell lines we tested, but a downward magnetic field mostly had no statistically significant effect. However, the leukemia cells in suspension, which do not have shape-induced anisotropy, were inhibited by both upward and downward magnetic fields. In contrast, the cell numbers of most non-cancer cells were not affected by magnetic fields of all directions. Moreover, the upward magnetic field inhibited GIST-T1 tumor growth in nude mice by 19.3% (p < 0.05) while the downward magnetic field did not produce significant effect. In conclusion, although still lack of mechanistical insights, our results show that different magnetic field directions produce divergent effects on cancer cell numbers as well as tumor growth in mice. This not only verified the safety of SMF exposure related to current MRI machines but also revealed the possible antitumor potential of magnetic field with an upward direction.