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S Patz

Publications and source records attributed to S Patz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

3He lung imaging in an open access, very-low-field human magnetic resonance imaging system.

The human lung and its functions are extremely sensitive to gravity; however, the conventional high-field magnets used for most laser-polarized (3)He MRI of the human lung restrict subjects to lying horizontally. Imaging of human lungs using inhaled laser-polarized (3)He gas is demonstrated in an open-access very-low-magnetic-field (<5 mT) MRI instrument. This prototype device employs a simple, low-cost electromagnet, with an open geometry that allows variation of the orientation of the imaging subject in a two-dimensional plane. As a demonstration, two-dimensional lung images were acquired with 4-mm in-plane resolution from a subject in two orientations: lying supine and sitting in a vertical position with one arm raised. Experience with this prototype device will guide optimization of a second-generation very-low-field imager to enable studies of human pulmonary physiology as a function of subject orientation.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed2002

Measuring surface-area-to-volume ratios in soft porous materials using laser-polarized xenon interphase exchange nuclear magnetic resonance.

We demonstrate a minimally invasive nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique that enables determination of the surface-area-to-volume ratio (S/V) of soft porous materials from measurements of the diffusive exchange of laser-polarized 129Xe between gas in the pore space and 129Xe dissolved in the solid phase. We apply this NMR technique to porous polymer samples and find approximate agreement with destructive stereological measurements of S/V obtained with optical confocal microscopy. Potential applications of laser-polarized xenon interphase exchange NMR include measurements of in vivo lung function in humans and characterization of gas chromatography columns.

Lasers↗
PubMed2002

The narrow pulse approximation and long length scale determination in xenon gas diffusion NMR studies of model porous media.

We report a systematic study of xenon gas diffusion NMR in simple model porous media, random packs of mono-sized glass beads, and focus on three specific areas peculiar to gas-phase diffusion. These topics are: (i) diffusion of spins on the order of the pore dimensions during the application of the diffusion encoding gradient pulses in a PGSE experiment (breakdown of the narrow pulse approximation and imperfect background gradient cancellation), (ii) the ability to derive long length scale structural information, and (iii) effects of finite sample size. We find that the time-dependent diffusion coefficient, D(t), of the imbibed xenon gas at short diffusion times in small beads is significantly affected by the gas pressure. In particular, as expected, we find smaller deviations between measured D(t) and theoretical predictions as the gas pressure is increased, resulting from reduced diffusion during the application of the gradient pulse. The deviations are then completely removed when water D(t) is observed in the same samples. The use of gas also allows us to probe D(t) over a wide range of length scales and observe the long time asymptotic limit which is proportional to the inverse tortuosity of the sample, as well as the diffusion distance where this limit takes effect (approximately 1-1.5 bead diameters). The Padé approximation can be used as a reference for expected xenon D(t) data between the short and the long time limits, allowing us to explore deviations from the expected behavior at intermediate times as a result of finite sample size effects. Finally, the application of the Padé interpolation between the long and the short time asymptotic limits yields a fitted length scale (the Padé length), which is found to be approximately 0.13b for all bead packs, where b is the bead diameter.

Diffusion↗
PubMed2000

Reduced xenon diffusion for quantitative lung study--the role of SF(6).

The large diffusion coefficients of gases result in significant spin motion during the application of gradient pulses that typically last a few milliseconds in most NMR experiments. In restricted environments, such as the lung, this rapid gas diffusion can lead to violations of the narrow pulse approximation, a basic assumption of the standard Stejskal-Tanner NMR method of diffusion measurement. We therefore investigated the effect of a common, biologically inert buffer gas, sulfur hexafluoride (SF(6)), on (129)Xe NMR and diffusion. We found that the contribution of SF(6) to (129)Xe T(1) relaxation in a 1:1 xenon/oxygen mixture is negligible up to 2 bar of SF(6) at standard temperature. We also measured the contribution of SF(6) gas to (129)Xe T(2) relaxation, and found it to scale inversely with pressure, with this contribution approximately equal to 1 s for 1 bar SF(6) pressure and standard temperature. Finally, we found the coefficient of (129)Xe diffusion through SF(6) to be approximately 4.6 x 10(-6) m(2)s(-1) for 1 bar pressure of SF(6) and standard temperature, which is only 1.2 times smaller than the (129)Xe self diffusion coefficient for 1 bar (129)Xe pressure and standard temperature. From these measurements we conclude that SF(6) will not sufficiently reduce (129)Xe diffusion to allow accurate surface-area/volume ratio measurements in human alveoli using time-dependent gas diffusion NMR.

Diffusion↗
PubMed2000

Analytic reconstruction of magnetic resonance imaging signal obtained from a periodic encoding field.

We have proposed a two-dimensional PERiodic-Linear (PERL) magnetic encoding field geometry B(x,y) = g(y)y cos(q(x)x) and a magnetic resonance imaging pulse sequence which incorporates two fields to image a two-dimensional spin density: a standard linear gradient in the x dimension, and the PERL field. Because of its periodicity, the PERL field produces a signal where the phase of the two dimensions is functionally different. The x dimension is encoded linearly, but the y dimension appears as the argument of a sinusoidal phase term. Thus, the time-domain signal and image spin density are not related by a two-dimensional Fourier transform. They are related by a one-dimensional Fourier transform in the x dimension and a new Bessel function integral transform (the PERL transform) in the y dimension. The inverse of the PERL transform provides a reconstruction algorithm for the y dimension of the spin density from the signal space. To date, the inverse transform has been computed numerically by a Bessel function expansion over its basis functions. This numerical solution used a finite sum to approximate an infinite summation and thus introduced a truncation error. This work analytically determines the basis functions for the PERL transform and incorporates them into the reconstruction algorithm. The improved algorithm is demonstrated by (1) direct comparison between the numerically and analytically computed basis functions, and (2) reconstruction of a known spin density. The new solution for the basis functions also lends proof of the system function for the PERL transform under specific conditions.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1999

Probing porous media with gas diffusion NMR.

We show that gas diffusion nuclear magnetic resonance (GD-NMR) provides a powerful technique for probing the structure of porous media. In random packs of glass beads, using both laser-polarized and thermally polarized xenon gas, we find that GD-NMR can accurately measure the pore space surface-area-to-volume ratio, S/V rho, and the tortuosity, alpha (the latter quantity being directly related to the system's transport properties). We also show that GD-NMR provides a good measure of the tortuosity of sandstone and complex carbonate rocks.

Calcium Carbonate↗
PubMed1998

Pulsed-field-gradient measurements of time-dependent gas diffusion.

Pulsed-field-gradient NMR techniques are demonstrated for measurements of time-dependent gas diffusion. The standard PGSE technique and variants, applied to a free gas mixture of thermally polarized xenon and O2, are found to provide a reproducible measure of the xenon diffusion coefficient (5.71 x 10(-6) m2 s-1 for 1 atm of pure xenon), in excellent agreement with previous, non-NMR measurements. The utility of pulsed-field-gradient NMR techniques is demonstrated by the first measurement of time-dependent (i.e., restricted) gas diffusion inside a porous medium (a random pack of glass beads), with results that agree well with theory. Two modified NMR pulse sequences derived from the PGSE technique (named the Pulsed Gradient Echo, or PGE, and the Pulsed Gradient Multiple Spin Echo, or PGMSE) are also applied to measurements of time dependent diffusion of laser polarized xenon gas, with results in good agreement with previous measurements on thermally polarized gas. The PGMSE technique is found to be superior to the PGE method, and to standard PGSE techniques and variants, for efficiently measuring laser polarized noble gas diffusion over a wide range of diffusion times.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy↗
PubMed1998

Skeletal muscle chemoreflex and pHi in exercise ventilatory control.

To determine whether skeletal muscle hydrogen ion mediates ventilatory drive in humans during exercise, 12 healthy subjects performed three bouts of isotonic submaximal quadriceps exercise on each of 2 days in a 1.5-T magnet for 31P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS). Bilateral lower extremity positive pressure cuffs were inflated to 45 Torr during exercise (BLPPex) or recovery (BLPPrec) in a randomized order to accentuate a muscle chemoreflex. Simultaneous measurements were made of breath-by-breath expired gases and minute ventilation, arterialized venous blood, and by 31P-MRS of the vastus medialis, acquired from the average of 12 radio-frequency pulses at a repetition time of 2.5 s. With BLPPex, end-exercise minute ventilation was higher (53.3 +/- 3.8 vs. 37.3 +/- 2.2 l/min; P < 0.0001), arterialized PCO2 lower (33 +/- 1 vs. 36 +/- 1 Torr; P = 0.0009), and quadriceps intracellular pH (pHi) more acid (6.44 +/- 0.07 vs. 6.62 +/- 0.07; P = 0.004), compared with BLPPrec. Blood lactate was modestly increased with BLPPex but without a change in arterialized pH. For each subject, pHi was linearly related to minute ventilation during exercise but not to arterialized pH. These data suggest that skeletal muscle hydrogen ion contributes to the exercise ventilatory response.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Line scan diffusion imaging: characterization in healthy subjects and stroke patients.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to evaluate a new scanning method, MR line scan diffusion imaging, and assess the apparent diffusion coefficient in the brains of healthy subjects and stroke patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Line scan diffusion imaging without cardiac gating or head restraints was implemented on low- (0.5 T) and medium- (1.5 T) field-strength scanners with conventional hardware. Diffusion-weighted images were obtained in six healthy subjects and eight stroke patients. Unidirectional diffusion encoding was used for fast localization of stroke lesions. For further characterization, orthogonal diffusion encoding was applied, and the trace of the apparent diffusion coefficient was calculated. Single-shot diffusion-weighted echoplanar imaging served as the reference standard. For healthy subjects, imaging was repeated four times on each scanner. Mean and relative precision of the apparent diffusion coefficient trace values were calculated for each pixel. In stroke lesions and adjacent normal tissue, apparent diffusion coefficient trace values were determined. RESULTS: In the 108 scans obtained, line scan diffusion imaging proved to be robust, virtually free of artifact (independent of slice location and orientation), reproducible, and rapid for localization of a stroke. Scan time for 14 slices at 7-mm thickness was 8 min at 0.5 T and 7 min at 1.5 T. Image qualities with line scan diffusion imaging and single-shot diffusion-weighted echoplanar imaging were comparable. At 1.5 T, precision was essentially the same for line scan diffusion imaging (4.3%) and echoplanar imaging (4.7%). With line scan diffusion imaging at 0.5 T and 1.5 T, normal paraventricular apparent diffusion coefficient trace values averaged 0.71 microm2/msec, and with echoplanar imaging these values averaged 0.69 microm2/msec. In acute lesions apparent diffusion coefficient trace values were low, and in chronic lesions these values were high. CONCLUSION: Line scan diffusion imaging on low- and medium-field-strength MR scanners equipped with conventional hardware was reliable and practical for measuring brain apparent diffusion values, which can be applied to the early diagnosis, and hence timely management, of stroke.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Line scan diffusion imaging.

A novel line scan diffusion imaging sequence (LSDI) is introduced. LSDI is inherently insensitive to motion artifacts and high quality diffusion maps of the brain can be obtained rapidly without the use of head restraints or cardiac gating. Results from a stroke study and abdominal diffusion images are presented. The results indicate that it is feasible to use the LSDI technique for clinical evaluation of acute ischemic stroke. In contrast to echo-planar diffusion imaging, LSDI does not require modified gradient hardware and can be implemented on conventional scanners. Thus, LSDI should dramatically increase the general availability of robust clinical diffusion imaging.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1995

Simultaneous calculation of flow and diffusion sensitivity in steady-state free precession imaging.

In this paper the authors quantitatively evaluate the combined effect of both flow and diffusion in steady-state free precession (SSFP) imaging. A partition analysis (PA) is used to derive a fourth order approximation (in E2) of the signal in an echo SSFP sequence. The authors also introduce a novel very fast simulation technique, based on a circular convolution, which accurately accounts for both flow and diffusion. A 2D SSFP-echo sequence was implemented to obtain experimental data from a phantom containing three different solutions. Excellent agreement between the theory and the experimental data was found. Then by using the simulation algorithm and experimental measurements of in vivo brain motion, the authors estimated the artifacts to be expected in SSFP diffusion imaging of the brain and found them to be comparable with those of pulsed gradient spin echo. Finally, the authors point out the equivalence between the flow sensitivity of SSFP and RF spoiling commonly used in fast imaging.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1995

The Rician distribution of noisy MRI data.

The image intensity in magnetic resonance magnitude images in the presence of noise is shown to be governed by a Rician distribution. Low signal intensities (SNR < 2) are therefore biased due to the noise. It is shown how the underlying noise can be estimated from the images and a simple correction scheme is provided to reduce the bias. The noise characteristics in phase images are also studied and shown to be very different from those of the magnitude images. Common to both,however, is that the noise distributions are nearly Gaussian for SNR larger than two.

Artifacts↗
PubMed1994

Chemical shift imaging of particle filtration in sandstone cores.

Recent developments have led to increased interest in the application of borehole nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) as a probe of petrophysical properties. Of particular importance in this connection is the measurement of the longitudinal relaxation time, T1. As T1 is controlled by the pore surface area, its value may be strongly influenced by the invasion of submicron-sized clay particles found in drilling muds. We have studied this effect by the application of phase encode magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. The extent to which T1 values are affected by particulate invasion is found to depend strongly on the mud characteristics. With thinned spud muds there is a region deep within the core where T1 values are significantly reduced due to an initial spurt of clay particles. In better formulated muds this effect is greatly reduced.

Image Enhancement↗
PubMed1991

Analytical solution and verification of diffusion effect in SSFP.

Assuming that the SSFP magnetization response maintains a steady state which is periodic in the presence of diffusion, we can solve for the diffusion effect in such sequences. Formulating a Fourier series decomposition solution to the Bloch-Torrey equation and imposing the steady-state condition, analytical expressions describing the signal decay due to diffusion are developed. Magnetization responses for any system and sequence parameters can then be obtained. Also, sensitivity to b factor changes is quite different than standard diffusion measurement techniques. Assumptions made in the solution are verified via finite difference solutions and simulations of the Bloch-Torrey equation.

Diffusion↗
PubMed1991

Application of missing pulse steady state free precession to the study of renal microcirculation.

Missing pulse steady state free precession (MP-SSFP), an extension of steady state free precession (SSFP), was evaluated for its ability to measure slow fluid flows. In experiments using flow phantoms, the MP-SSFP signal was sensitive to fluid velocities in the millimeters per second range. Isolated perfused rabbit kidneys were then used to determine if MP-SSFP could measure perfusion in a biological tissue. The signal intensities in the different anatomical regions of the kidney were observed to be related to the total flow to the organ. Furthermore, increasing the flow sensitivity of the pulse sequence by increasing the gradient strength resulted in decreases in the image signal intensity. The MP-SSFP signal was more sensitive to flow in the medulla than in the cortex. This can be related to slow flow sensitivity of MP-SSFP and the known differences in velocity profiles between these two regions. These results suggest that MP-SSFP may be a powerful tool for the noninvasive measurement of slow fluid flows in different regions of the kidney.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Missing pulse steady-state free precession.

A fast imaging technique, missing pulse steady-state free precession (MP-SSFP), is described. MP-SSFP is one of a class of steady-state free precession techniques in which every nth RF pulse is missing. MP-SSFP has been implemented for the case where every third RF pulse is omitted: [-theta 1-r-theta 2-r-echo-r-]. A RF-refocused echo forms at the time of the missing pulse. This echo is less sensitive to field inhomogeneities than the gradient-recalled echoes used in most fast imaging methods. An analytical expression is obtained for the signal strength as a function of the flip angles theta 1 and theta 2, the interpulse interval tau, and the amount of interpulse dephase. The expression shows that theta 1 and theta 2 provide two degrees of freedom to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio and improve tissue contrast. Two different cases, theta 1 = theta 2 and theta 1 = -theta 2, are described to demonstrate the difference in contrast. The first case gives a strong signal from spins with short T1 and short T2 while the second case has contrast very similar to a conventional SSFP technique. The theoretical expression predicts that the signal consists of multiple components which may be observed experimentally by adjusting the gradient pulses.

Head↗