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We attempted to assess the feasibility of a 1.6-mm isotropic voxel diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography at 3T in visualizing nerve bundles in the limbic system. We examined 20 healthy volunteers by conventional DTI with a voxel size of 1.6 × 1.6 × 3.0 mm and by high-resolution DTI with a voxel size of 1.6 × 1.6 × 1.6 mm and generated tractographs of three limbic nerve bundles: the fornix, cingulum, and uncinate fasciculus. We visually assessed whether these bundles reached their targets and compared their diffusion parameters between the two techniques. The entire pathways of the fornix, cingulum, and uncinate fasciculus were more readily visualized by high-resolution DTI than by conventional DTI. Among these, the fimbria of the fornix and the uncinate fasciculus adjacent to the temporal pole were identified more frequently by high-resolution DTI (visualization rate 83 and 100%, respectively) than by conventional DTI (visualization rate 63 and 83%, respectively) at a statistical significance of P

Purpose: We used a whole-brain, isotropic-voxel acquisition technique to improve the geometric distortion in diffusion-weighted (DWI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in coronal directions, which is remarkable at high magnetic fields. Materials and Methods: We performed magnetic resonance imaging of 17 healthy volunteers using a 3T scanner and obtained coronal DWI/DTI as well as coronal images that were reformatted from isotropic volume data acquired by 1.6-mm-thick axial DWI/DTI. We visually evaluated the degree of image distortion and quantitated the findings by co-registration analysis. Results: In-plane geometric distortions in coronal DWI/DTI, particularly at the frontal base and medial temporal lobe, were dramatically diminished when the isotropic-voxel acquisition technique was used. Quantitative measurement revealed a reduction in areas of misregistration, but not their absence, in reformatted coronal images, mainly because of distortion in the anteroposterior direction in the source images. Conclusion: The isotropic-voxel DWI/DTI technique enabled acquisition of coronal images that represented anatomical details accurately with permissible spatial distortion while maintaining spatial resolution, even at 3T.

To get high quality magnetic resonance (MR) micro-images for the physiological and anatomical investigation of tree stems, the imaging with various combinations of parameters was tested on a Signa VH/i 3.0 T MR imaging system (General Electric Medical Systems). Proton density and T2 weighted spin echo (SE) sequences are commonly used to detect areas with abundant water. Cambial zone and the area consisting of water-filled conduits looked whitish in the MR images of healthy Pinus densiflora and Quercus serrata stems that were obtained by these sequences. In the MR images of diseased P. densiflora that had been inoculated with a wilt pathogen, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the area dehydrated as a result of embolism appeared pitch-black. In the images of diseased Quercus crispula saplings, that had been inoculated with the wilt pathogen Raffaelea quercivora, the dehydrated xylem was shown as a dark area. The T1 weighted SE or gradient echo (FSPGR) sequence, that is used to detect fat and protein distribution, provided high intensity MR signals for the pathogenic heartwood and necrotic areas resulting from fungal activity. The resolution of MR images obtained by SE sequences was estimated 100–150 μm from the FOV and image size. The data sets obtained by the FSPGR sequence that consist of 0.8 mm thick serial sections enables the three-dimensional analysis of the affected area. This technique is helpful for detecting the water distribution and areas affected by pathogenic microorganisms in living tree stems.

Purpose: To investigate age-related changes in the locus ceruleus (LC) in healthy subjects using neuromelanin magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at 3 Tesla. Methods: We examined 64 healthy volunteers (aged 23 to 80 years) using neuromelanin-sensitive T1-weighted images and measured the contrast of areas of high signal intensity corresponding to the LC. Results: A pair of punctate areas of high signal intensity that represented neuromelanin within the noradrenergic neurons of the LC was easily recognized in all subjects. The contrast ratio of the LC to the adjacent pontine tegmentum increased to the age of 40 to 59 years and gradually and significantly decreased in elderly subjects. This correlates well with pathologically proven age-related changes in neuromelanin content within the LC. Conclusion: Age-related variance should be considered when determining the existence of abnormalities in the LC.

The temperature change of the fractional dissociation of imidazole (alpha-imidazole) in resting human lower leg muscles was measured noninvasively using (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3.0 and 1.5 T on five normal male volunteers aged 30.6 +/- 10.4 yr (mean +/- SD). Using (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, water, carnosine, and creatine in the muscles could be simultaneously analyzed. Carnosine contains imidazole protons. The chemical shifts of water and carnosine imidazole protons relative to creatine could be used for estimating temperatures and alpha-imidazole, respectively. Using the chemical shift, the values of temperature in gastrocnemius (Gast) and soleus muscles at ambient temperature (21-25 degrees C) were estimated to be 35.5 +/- 0.5 and 37.4 +/- 0.6 degrees C (means +/- SE), respectively (significantly different; P0.01). The estimated values of alpha-imidazole in these muscles were 0.620 +/- 0.007 and 0.630 +/- 0.013 (means +/- SE), respectively (not significant). Alternation of the surface temperature of the lower leg from 40 to 10 degrees C significantly changed the temperature in Gast (P0.0001) from 38.1 +/- 0.5 to 28.0 +/- 1.2 degrees C, and the alpha-imidazole in Gast decreased from 0.631 +/- 0.003 to 0.580 +/- 0.011 (P0.05). However, the values of alpha-imidazole and the temperature in soleus muscles were not significantly affected by this maneuver. These results indicate that the alpha-imidazole in Gast changed significantly with alternation in muscle temperature (r = 0.877, P0.00001), and its change was estimated to be 0.0058/ degrees C.

Purpose: To investigate the difference in enhancement effects and relaxivities of the gadolinium chelate at 1.5 and 3 Tesla (T) and to elucidate the contribution of the high magnetic field to contrast enhancement in spin-echo (SE) and gradient-echo (GRE) images. Methods: Phantoms containing water with or without gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) at different concentrations were scanned using 1.5T and 3T MRI scanners of the same manufacturer and under the same temperature conditions and scanning parameters. Relaxivities of gadolinium, R1 and R2, were estimated from serial T1 and T2 values of the phantoms using linear regression. Contrast enhancement ratios in SE and GRE T1-weighted images were compared at 1.5 and 3T. Results: The R1 and R2 of Gd-DTPA at 1.5 and 3T were 4.79 and 5.14, and 4.50 and 5.09, respectively. Although the relaxivities at 3T were slightly lower than those at 1.5T, the contrast enhancement ratio improved in both SE and GRE images as a result of T1 prolongation of the water at 3T. Conclusion: The decrease in relaxivities of the Gd-DTPA at 3T appears to be so small that T1 prolongation of the water improves contrast enhancement, suggesting a potential clinical advantage in administration of Gd-DTPA at high field strength.