Biomedical subjects

G C Borgia

Publications and source records attributed to G C Borgia.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Uniform-penalty inversion of multiexponential decay data. II. Data spacing, T(2) data, systemic data errors, and diagnostics.

The basic method of UPEN (uniform penalty inversion of multiexponential decay data) is given in an earlier publication (Borgia et al., J. Magn. Reson. 132, 65-77 (1998)), which also discusses the effects of noise, constraints, and smoothing on the resolution or apparent resolution of features of a computed distribution of relaxation times. UPEN applies negative feedback to a regularization penalty, allowing stronger smoothing for a broad feature than for a sharp line. This avoids unnecessarily broadening the sharp line and/or breaking the wide peak or tail into several peaks that the relaxation data do not demand to be separate. The experimental and artificial data presented earlier were T(1) data, and all had fixed data spacings, uniform in log-time. However, for T(2) data, usually spaced uniformly in linear time, or for data spaced in any manner, we have found that the data spacing does not enter explicitly into the computation. The present work shows the extension of UPEN to T(2) data, including the averaging of data in windows and the use of the corresponding weighting factors in the computation. Measures are implemented to control portions of computed distributions extending beyond the data range. The input smoothing parameters in UPEN are normally fixed, rather than data dependent. A major problem arises, especially at high signal-to-noise ratios, when UPEN is applied to data sets with systematic errors due to instrumental nonidealities or adjustment problems. For instance, a relaxation curve for a wide line can be narrowed by an artificial downward bending of the relaxation curve. Diagnostic parameters are generated to help identify data problems, and the diagnostics are applied in several examples, with particular attention to the meaningful resolution of two closely spaced peaks in a distribution of relaxation times. Where feasible, processing with UPEN in nearly real time should help identify data problems while further instrument adjustments can still be made. The need for the nonnegative constraint is greatly reduced in UPEN, and preliminary processing without this constraint helps identify data sets for which application of the nonnegative constraint is too expensive in terms of error of fit for the data set to represent sums of decaying positive exponentials plus random noise.

Geologic Sediments↗

PubMed1998

Uniform-penalty inversion of multiexponential decay data.

NMR relaxation data and those from many other physical measurements are sums of exponentially decaying components, combined with some unavoidable measurement noise. When decay data are inverted in order to give quasi-continuous distributions of relaxation times, some smoothing of the distributions is normally implemented to avoid excess variation. When the same distribution has a sharp peak and a much broader peak or a "tail," as for many porous media saturated with liquids, an inversion program using a fixed smoothing coefficient may broaden the sharp peak and/or break the wide peak or tail into several separate peaks, even if the coefficient is adaptively chosen in accord with the noise level of the data. We deal with this problem by using variable smoothing, determined by iterative feedback in such a way that the smoothing penalty is roughly constant. This uniform-penalty (UP) smoothing can give sharp lines, not broadened more than is consistent with the noise, and in the same distribution it can show a tail decades long without breaking it up into several peaks. The noise level must be known approximately, but it can be determined more than adequately by a preliminary inversion. The same iterative procedure is used to implement constraints such as non-negative (NN) or monotonic-from-peak (MT). The significance of an additional resolved peak may be tested by finding the cost of using MT to force a unimodal solution. A bimodal constraint can be applied. Decay data representing sharp lines in contact with broad features can require substantial computing time and some controls to stabilize the iterative sequence. However, UP can be made to function smoothly for a very wide variety of decay curves, which can be processed without adjustment of parameters, including the dimensionless smoothing parameters. Extensive testing has been done with artificial data. Examples are shown for artificial data, biological tissues, ceramic technology, and sandstones. Expressions are given relating noise level to line width and for significance of increase or decrease in error of fit.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1996

The effect of diffusion and susceptibility differences on T2 measurements for fluids in porous media and biological tissues.

A number of features of T2 measurements for fluids in porous media have shown behavior contrary to that suggested by intuition developed in other areas. For porous media with relatively uniform pore spaces the following have been observed, in each case for certain ranges only of Xv (susceptibility difference times frequency), D (diffusion coefficient), a (a pore dimension), porespace shape and distribution, echo-time t for single echoes and half-echo-spacing tau for CPMG): (1) In S(t) for FID (free induction decay, S for signal) with constant slope after an initial period of increasing slope; (2) In Ss(t) for single (subscript s) echoes linear (instead of cubic) in t after an initial period; (3) for CPMG R(tau) = 1/T2(tau) - 1/T2(tau-->0) linear in tau over a substantial range; (4) slope of R(tau) independent of D and alpha for this range; (5) slope R(s) of In Ss(t) independent of D and a, and (6) R(s)(t) and R(tau) at long times linear (instead of quadratic) in Xv. These features appear to be compatible with the assumption of a truncated Cauchy-Lorentz distribution of the local magnetic fields due to susceptibility differences. The statistics of repeated sampling of local fields in different parts of the porespace during diffusion lead to a suppression, after a short time, of the effects of diffusion on the FID decay rate and the single-echo decay rate over significant ranges of the parameters. Data are presented to extend the range of parameters studied previously.

Dental Porcelain↗

PubMed1996

Developments in core analysis by NMR measurements.

For a large suite of consolidated sandstone samples low in shale content we have measured the permeability k, irreducible water saturation Swi, porosity phi, electrical-resistivity formation factor F, porosity by NMR, geometric-mean relaxation times T1g, and stretched-exponential relaxation times T1s. We find that T1g (or T1s) is the decisive parameter for the estimation of k or Swi of porous sandstones by other than direct measurements of these quantities. The additional use of phi or F brings appreciable, but not decisive, improvement. We show isovalue maps of the error factor delta, which show substantial regions of near-minimum values of delta and show basic compatibility of our estimators for permeability with different published estimators. The exponents of T1g (or T1s) in our power-law estimators and those of various published estimators for k are not very far from 2.0 if either or both of phi and F are also used in the estimators.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy↗

PubMed1996

A robust method for calculating geometric mean times from multiexponential relaxation data, using only a few data points and only a few elementary operations.

A method is presented to compute values of geometric mean time Tg that uses only a few data points equispaced in the logarithm of time (or equispaced in time and weighted by 1/t) and a few elementary operations for the computation. The method has been tested on a large number of synthetic relaxation data and on actual NMR relaxation measurements in porous samples, using as few as four points (including the two points needed to normalize the relaxation for decay from 1.0 to 0) on each relaxation curve. This computation of the geometric-mean rate very adequately matches the synthetic data and the results of multiexponential inversion of many (or only a few) data points from NMR measurements. When many computations are needed in short times, as for voxel-by-voxel computations in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or for depth-by-depth computation in nuclear magnetism logging (NML) of oilwells, a very quickly computed estimate of Tg should be useful.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1996

Ceramic microstructure detected by NMR relaxation and imaging of fluids in the pores.

NMR Relaxation and Imaging have been applied to study preparation processes of ceramic porous samples. Relaxation analysis gives a clear characterization of the materials, with high sensitivity. Differences in the method of preparation and steps as low as 25 degrees C in the firing temperatures are well detectable. Furthermore, the images permit distinguishing the different samples. The effects of the contrast in relaxation times dominate those due to the different porosities of the samples. Scanning Electron Microscopy confirms the interpretation that the changes in relaxation times are due to different pore space structures associated with the different firing temperatures. The higher the firing temperature, the larger are the pores and the higher is the amount of compact, sintered matrix, leading to higher relaxation times.

Ceramics↗

PubMed1996

Quantitative determination of porosity: a local assessment by NMR imaging techniques.

The local determination of porosity is an extremely valuable target because of different applications in petrophysics. In fact, obtaining a reliable profile of porosity or saturations could considerably improve the evaluation of transport properties of porous media, especially if applied to multiphase flow test (i.e., for relative permeability characterisation). However, the best procedure to adopt for these kind of studies is currently under debate, involving different experimental choices both for acquisition and hardware solutions. The choice of a reliable procedure could be particularly important especially if heterogeneous samples (i.e., vugular or fractured carbonates) are approached. We have investigated selected carbonate cores, characterised by fractures and large vugs, using different instrumental solutions in order to assess usefulness of application of NMR imaging methods as a porosity measurement tool for heterogeneous samples. Local porosity data have been obtained and discussed relative to conventional measurements and petrographical aspects of rock samples.

Carbonates↗

PubMed1994

The many facets of current work in nuclear magnetic resonance for fluids in heterogeneous systems.

In the late 1980s, there were definite signs that the time was ripe for a direct exchange of experiences and ideas of groups who, independently and often by very different routes, were working on NMR for heterogeneous systems. At a time when NMR techniques were being applied on an increasingly wide scale in various fields from biomedical to oil, the idea of a meeting based on an interdisciplinary approach was suggested by historic circumstances. The explosive growth of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and relaxation for fluids in porous media, and the interdisciplinary approach adopted, determined the success of the First International Meeting on NMR Applications to Porous Media held in Bologna, from 14th to 16th November 1990. Many facets characterized and still characterize the work on MR for fluids in porous media. The distance normally separating purely scientific research from its possible technological fall-out is reduced. The wide range of applications induce specialists with different backgrounds to compare their experiences in a constructive way and often to work together. This does not mean reducing the research work of biologists, physicists, chemists, physicians, and reservoir engineers to the same criteria and methods of analysis; rather it means looking for unifying ideas, together with the critical transfer of techniques. Also, NMR offers an example of the possibility of a fruitful cooperation between industry and university.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Water-air saturation changes in restricted geometries studied by proton relaxation.

The results are reported of a systemic T1 and T2 investigation of natural (sandstones) and artificial (microporous porcelain) porous media, after each step of a water desaturation process by centrifugation in air. The analysis of the relaxation curves permitted distinguishing well the different behaviour of the natural samples as compared to the artificial ones, which can be explained by the different pore structures. In both kinds of samples the evolution of the relaxation time distributions yielded a clear picture of the changes of the water distribution in the pore framework following the displacement process, until irreducible water saturation was attained. The results are compatible with the assumption of a fixed amount of surface area contributing to the relaxation of decreasing amounts of fluid as SW is reduced.

Air↗

PubMed1994

A comparison among different inversion methods for multi-exponential NMR relaxation data.

The inversion of data to be represented by sums or continuous distributions of exponentials is done by different algorithms and compared. The published CONTIN program presents a chosen solution with an appropriate amount of detail. An in-house program EXDISTR allows operative choice of various constraints in order to show the consequences in quality of fit of allowing various features such as extra maxima or minima. Another in-house program based on the system theory approach, IDENT, treats the data as the output samples of a linear, time-invariant, autonomous dynamic system.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1994

Capillary water determination in core plugs: a combined study based on imaging techniques and relaxation analysis.

NMR Spectroscopy and Imaging (MRI) have been used in determining the presence and the distribution of residual water inside a dolomite core saturated with oil. 1H relaxation analysis revealed the presence of different "classes" of water within the core as a function of drying temperature. The results appear to be consistent with the peculiar porosity distribution of the rock, as shown by MRI and X-ray CT analysis. The latter technique provided details of the rock matrix complementary to the information acquired by the NMR method. This kind of approach, based on the application of different techniques, was found to be very useful for an accurate evaluation of petrophysical properties of rocks, a task of relevant interest for an oil company.

Calcium Carbonate↗

PubMed1994

A dedicated MRI apparatus for medical and industrial applications.

So far, one of the major obstacles to the development of special purpose MRI imaging apparatus has been the lack of a magnetic technology that could cater to the need for a light, compact and efficient magnet, capable of providing the required field uniformity at a reasonable cost. Today, recent advances in magnet design permit attaining, with the use solely of ferrite, low-cost, small-scale scanners, which can open up new areas of application of MRI, in both medical and industrial fields. A novel apparatus (ARTOSCAN) is described and some examples of applications in different fields are shown. The apparatus has been designed specifically for the imaging of extremities, but possible applications on the industrial side are numerous and not yet all identified. Such a device could be used, for example, in the agricultural, food, and oil industries, where some of the needs for nondestructive quality-control devices could be fulfilled. Some tests have been performed that demonstrate the potential of the apparatus in the study of rock properties, of the drying process of pasta and wood, and to display flaws that could be present in ceramic materials before firing.

Equipment Design↗

PubMed1990

Water 1H spin-lattice relaxation as a fingerprint of porous media.

The 1H spin-lattice relaxation curves of water in samples of natural porous media can be thought of as "fingerprints" of the porous samples. Also the whole of traditional petrophysical properties (permeability, irreducible water saturation, etc.) can be thought of as "fingerprints" of the porous samples. The characteristics of the pore space determine on one hand the relaxation curve shape, and on the other the petrophysical properties. The understanding of this correspondence can contribute to a better definition of the concept of the architecture of a porous medium. At this purpose we have obtained 1H spin-lattice relaxation curves from a collection of standard sandstone cores of known petrophysical properties and characterized by the same surface properties. The results corroborate the idea that the structure of relaxation curves contains information on the distance scale and on the architecture of the pore space, even if it is difficult to extract it without ambiguities. Different methods of curve fitting were performed and compared with the aim of getting the maximum information from the relaxation curves. Several aspects of this kind of investigation indicate the analogies between 1H response of water confined in porous media and in biological tissues.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Characterisation of crosslinked elastomeric materials by 1H NMR relaxation time distributions.

One of the most critical structural parameters in elastomeric materials is the density of cross-linking between the polymeric chains. This chemical feature greatly affects chain motions and is determinant in controlling mechanical properties of the final product. NMR techniques are widely and efficiently applied to investigation of such materials. In this study we have measured both transverse and longitudinal 1H relaxation times of a series of polybutadiene rubber samples with increasing crosslink density induced by chemical treatment. This approach allowed the observation of T(1) and T(2) decrease with the increase of crosslink density in the samples examined. The data obtained have been analyzed and compared to theoretical models.

Elastomers↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Examples of marginal resolution of NMR relaxation peaks using UPEN and diagnostics.

The multiexponential inversion program UPEN by the authors [J. Magn. Reson. 1998; 132: 65-77; Ibid. 2000;147:273-85] employs negative feedback to a regularization penalty to implement variable smoothing when both sharp and broad features appear on a single distribution of relaxation times. This allows a good fit to relaxation data that correspond to a sum of decaying exponentials plus random noise, but it usually does not give a good fit to data that are distorted by systematic errors from instrument problems, which can cause erroneous "resolution" or erroneous non-resolution of peaks. UPEN provides a series of diagnostic parameters to help identify such data problems that can lead to interpretation errors, and, in particular, to warn when a close call on the resolution or non-resolution of nearby peaks might be questionable. Examples are given from a series of T(2) data sets from desiccated bone samples, with examples where the presence of two peaks is required by good data, examples where the presence of two peaks is negated by good data, and examples where the resolution or non-resolution of peaks cannot be trusted because of instrumental distortions revealed by UPEN diagnostic parameters. It is suggested that processing relaxation data with UPEN in nearly real time could permit retaking data while a sample is still available if the diagnostic parameters show instrumental problems.

Bone and Bones↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of hydrophobic treatments of stone on pore water studied by continuous distribution analysis of NMR relaxation times.

The effects of protective hydrophobic products applied to porous media such as stone or mortar vary greatly with the product, the porous medium, and the mode of application. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) measurements on fluids in the pore spaces of both treated and untreated samples can give information on the contact of the fluid with the internal surfaces, which is affected by all the above factors. Continuous distributions of relaxation times T(1) and T(2) of water in the pores of both synthetic and natural porous media were obtained before and after hydrophobic treatment. The synthetic porous media are ceramic filter materials characterized by narrow distributions of pore dimensions and show that the treatment does not produce large changes in the relaxation times of the water. For three travertine samples most of a long relaxation time component, presumably from the largest pores, remains after treatment, while the amplitude of an intermediate component is greatly reduced. For three pudding-stone samples, treatment leads to a substantial loss from the long component and an even greater loss from the intermediate component.

Calcium Carbonate↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Performance evolution of hydrophobic treatments for stone conservation investigated by MRI.

1H-MRI has been applied to the evaluation of the performances of a hydrophobic polymer (Paraloid B72), widely used for the conservation of monumental buildings and other stone artifacts. By this technique it has been possible to visualize the water diffusion in a treated rock material (Pietra di Lecce, a highly porous Italian biocalcarenite) and then indirectly the spatial distribution of the polymer in the rock. The effects of wetting-drying cycles on the hydrophobic efficacy of the acrylic polymer in the inner layers of the rock were also studied. A notable decrease in the water-repellence inside the stone was detected and attributed to a loss of adhesion of the polymer to the substrate, promoted by the action of water.

Calcium Carbonate↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Improved pore space structure characterization by fusion of relaxation tomography maps.

Quantitative Relaxation Tomography in porous media furnishes maps of internal sections where each pixel represents T1 or T2 of water 1H in the corresponding voxel, so that quantitative information on the pore space structure can be obtained. The porosity can be determined at different length scales by correcting pixel by pixel the signal intensity for T2 decay. Moreover, on the basis of the distribution of T1, the microporosity fraction can be computed, as well as several voxel-average porosities. Since T1 and T2 encode different pieces of information, fusion image techniques can improve the characterization of the pore space, showing simultaneously, on the same image, maps of the two parameters. Examples are given of application to a water-saturated travertine core and to a pig femur. Different kinds of look-up tables were tried by varying two of the three dimensions of the HSV color space in such a way as to optimize both the T1 and T2 contrasts simultaneously.

Animals↗