We present a new steady-state imaging sequence, which simultaneously allows in a single acquisition the formation of two MR images with clearly different contrasts. The contrast of the first image is FISP-like, whereas the second image is strongly T2-weighted. In principle the T2 values in the image can be calculated from the combination of the first and second images. We also show calculated T2 images.
A research-type 4 T whole-body magnet, built by Siemens AG, Erlangen, FRG, was used to investigate magnetic resonance at high field strengths. Designs for head and body coils operating at 170 MHz are described. Proton images of the human head and body are degraded by dielectric resonances and penetration effects. The nature of the dielectric resonances was demonstrated in phantoms containing distilled and saline doped water. Radiation damping at 170 MHz generates secondary echoes after a spin echo sequence. This effect was observed in phantoms and with reduced amplitude in the human head. Hydrogen spectra of the human head were selected utilizing stimulated and spin echoes. The latter technique allows the volume size to be reduced to 1 cm3. Examples of brain tumors that have been routinely investigated with volumes of 8 cm3 are given. Natural abundance carbon and phosphorus spectra of muscle and liver demonstrate the expected increase in spectral resolution and signal to noise ratio. Carbon spectra from the liver show the glycogen signal. Fluorine spectroscopy was used to study the time course of the absorption and emptying of a fluorinated antibiotic from the human stomach.
The clinical potential and limitations of magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy at 4 T were investigated with the use of a newly constructed system, which has been in use since January 1987. The magnet has a warm bore that measures 1.25 m in diameter, and its homogeneity in a sphere with a diameter of 50 cm is better than +/- 2.5 ppm. It was hypothesized that the improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) afforded by the higher field strength would be useful in reducing imaging time and in improving spatial resolution. In experiments in human volunteers, believed to be the first in which an entire human body was exposed to a magnetic flux density of that magnitude, the subjects were exposed to 4 T for 10-30 minutes. They showed no changes in well-being or heart activity. The expected gain in spectral resolution due to chemical-shift scaling was achieved with the 4-T system, and an improvement in S/N was verified for phosphorus at 34 and 68 MHz. In sodium imaging, the high flux density appears to be useful in reducing imaging time, which should increase the usefulness of sodium imaging in evaluating brain tumors and strokes. In spectroscopy, the increase in flux density improves the quality of the spectra.
Determination of the relaxation times T1 and T2 which are important for tissue characterization generally requires the use of different pulse sequences in magnetic resonance imaging. In this study, a new pulse sequence which facilitates simultaneous determination of the T1 and T2 times is presented. Determination takes place in this case pixel by pixel from the measured images. The measuring time corresponds in this case approximately to that of a normal spin-echo sequence with long repetition time and two data acquisitions. The functional dependence of the accuracy of the T1 and T2 determination upon external errors, e.g., angle of rotation errors, is discussed. The tissue contrast behavior of the individual echoes is shown and its dependence on pulse parameters is explained.
It is generally agreed that the mechanical performance of continuous fiber-reinforced composites will depend to a large extent on the nature of the interface between the fiber and the matrix. In the case of many inorganic composites, compositional and/or morphological gradients can arise over an extended region between the matrix and reinforcing fiber as a result of processing conditions, mechanical forces, or chemical interactions. The term “interphase” has been applied to such a region.There have been numerous theoretical and experimental treatments of this subject in an effort to quantify the stress and strain in the interphase region, and to correlate the presence of such forces with the mechanical performance of the attendant composites. Much of the experimental work has emphasized controlling the nature of the interphase through careful control of the processing conditions or by the introduction of special interface layers, often by applying a coating to the reinforcing fiber prior to incorporating it into the matrix.
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