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Biomedical subjects

F Ståhlberg

Publications and source records attributed to F Ståhlberg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Pulsatile brain movement and associated hydrodynamics studied by magnetic resonance phase imaging. The Monro-Kellie doctrine revisited.

Brain tissue movements were studied in axial, sagittal and coronal planes in 15 healthy volunteers, using a gated spin echo MRI sequence. All movements had characteristics different from those of perfusion and diffusion. The highest velocities occurred during systole in the basal ganglia (maximum 1.0 mm/s) and brain stem (maximum 1.5 mm/s). The movements were directed caudally, medially and posteriorly in the basal ganglia, and caudally-anteriorly in the pons. Caudad and anterior motion increased towards the foramen magnum and towards the midline. The resultant movement occurred in a funnel-shaped fashion as if the brain were pulled by the spinal cord. This may be explained by venting of brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through the tentorial notch and foramen magnum. The intracranial volume is assumed to be always constant by the Monro-Kellie doctrine. The intracranial dynamics can be viewed as an interplay between the spatial requirements of four main components: arterial blood, capillary blood (brain volume), venous blood and CSF. These components could be characterized, and the expansion of the arteries and the brain differentiated, by applying the Monro-Kellie doctrine to every moment of the cardiac cycle. The arterial expansion causes a re-moulding of the brain that enables its piston-like action. The arterial expansion creates the prerequisites for the expansion of the brain by venting CSF to the spinal canal. The expansion of the brain is, in turn, responsible for compression of the ventricular system and hence for the intraventricular flow of CSF.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Quantification of complex flow using MR phase imaging--a study of parameters influencing the phase/velocity relation.

In this study, we describe how motion-induced phase angle is affected by different flow models and imaging parameters when using the MR flow phase mapping technique. In a phantom with straight as well as constricted tubes, simulating healthy and stenotic vessels, nonpulsatile flow in the velocity range 0-1 m/sec was maintained. The phase/velocity relation was studied for various degrees of complex flow caused by the constriction, and regions with a breakdown in linearity were determined. Further studies in these regions were made regarding the influence of pulse sequence parameters on the phase/velocity relation. The results showed that in poststenotic areas characterized by so-called separated flow, the phase/velocity relation became nonlinear due to dephasing effects. In regions with fully developed turbulent flow in straight tubes, however, no breakdown in linearity was observed. Parameters seen to have a substantial influence on the phase/velocity relation were first- and second-order velocity encoding and voxel size. Finally, a pilot in vivo demonstration of complex flow was done using a sequence designed to be robust with respect to linearity of the phase/velocity relation. The results indicate that the MR phase mapping technique can be used to measure flow quantitatively in regions with complex flow. This opens possibilities for future clinical use of the technique in the study of areas of complex flow such as valvular heart disease.

Aortic Valve Stenosis↗
PubMed1992

Circadian variation in human cerebrospinal fluid production measured by magnetic resonance imaging.

Recent advances in magnetic resonance imaging have made it possible to visualize and quantify flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain. The net flow of CSF through the cerebral aqueduct was used to measure CSF production in six normal volunteers at different times during a 24-h period. CSF production varied greatly both intra- and interindividually. The average CSF production in each time interval showed a clear tendency to circadian variation, with a minimum production 30% of maximum values (12 +/- 7 ml/h) approximately 1800 h and a nightly peak production approximately 0200 h of 42 +/- 2 ml/h. The total CSF production during the whole 24-h period, calculated as an average of all measurements, was 650 ml for the whole group and 630 ml for repeated measurements in each time interval in one of the volunteers.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

MR imaging, flow and motion.

The present work is intended as a nonmathematical review of the role of flow and motion in nuclear magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. A historical review of MR flow measurement techniques is given, followed by a short overview of flow models in vitro and in vivo. The theory behind the influence of motion on the modulus and phase MR signal information is discussed and effects such as washin/washout, flow-induced signal void, phase offset, and phase dispersion are defined. A simple approach to the concept of MR angiography is given, and methods for quantitative flow measurements such as the phase mapping technique, are surveyed. Aspects of the measurement of diffusion and microcirculation are given, and finally, an overview of the role of MR flow imaging in present and future clinical application is given.

Blood Circulation↗
PubMed1990

Fourier analysis of cerebrospinal fluid flow velocities: MR imaging study. The Scandinavian Flow Group.

An interleaved pseudocinematographic FLASH (fast low-angle shot) sequence with additional pulsed gradients for flow encoding was used to quantify cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow velocities and CSF production. Flow-dependent phase information was obtained by subtracting two differently encoded phase images. The phase information in the resultant image was converted to flow velocity with a calibration curve with the slope 26.5 radian.m-1.sec. The velocity versus time function was Fourier transformed and a continuous curve was fitted to the measured data with use of the first three harmonics. The in vivo measurements showed a significant variation in flow velocities in the cerebral aqueduct (range, 6-51 mm/sec). Calculated CSF production was in the range of 0.6-1.2 L/24 h. The present method gives valuable information about CSF hydrodynamics in an imaging time of less than 8 minutes.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Healing of esophagojejunal anastomoses after experimental total gastrectomy. A comparative study using manually sutured or stapled anastomoses.

In construction of the eosphagojejunostomy after total gastrectomy, the EEA stapled (US Surgical Corporation, Norwalk, CT) and the two-layer interrupted 3-0 Dexon anastomoses are compared concerning the radiological appearance, breaking strength, circulation, and collagen concentration. Thirty female pigs were used. After total gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y preparation, the pigs were randomized to achieve sutured or stapled anastomoses. 141Ce-labeled microspheres were used for measurements of anastomotic blood flow. After the pigs were killed, the breaking strength of the anastomosis was recorded, the collagen content determined, and an anastomotic index calculated comparing two perpendicular diameters in the anastomosis and 5 cm above. Breaking strength, leakage frequency, and anastomotic index were the same in the two groups. One week after surgery, there was a significant increase in anastomotic circulation (p less than 0.05) in both the sutured and the stapled anastomoses compared to controls. Collagen increased equally with time in the two groups (p less than 0.01). The stapled esophagojejunostomy was faster to perform (20 min) than the sutured (28 min) (p less than 0.05).

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Method for quantification of low flow velocities by magnetic resonance phase imaging.

The aim of this study was to compare the influence of flow in the velocity range 0 to 25 mm/s on modulus, phase, real and imaginary images obtained with a standard magnetic resonance scanner (Siemens Magnetom, 0.5 T), and to develop a simple method for determination of flow velocities in vivo from this information. Using a flow phantom, the flow dependent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal has been studied as a function of flow perpendicular to the image slice with non-doped water (simulating moving cerebrospinal fluid) as well as with water doped with Mn2+ (simulating moving blood) for each of the four mentioned image types. The results show a marked flow dependence on all types of images studied. The variation of the signal with flow in the modulus images is relaxation-time dependent in the studied velocity range and it is non-monotone for non-doped water. In the phase images, however, the variations are monotone and not dependent on relaxation times. In modulus images the curve shape is relatively independent on flow direction, while phase images are clearly dependent on flow direction in the studied velocity range. The signal versus velocity curves for the real and imaginary images show resemblance to those for the modulus and the phase images, respectively. It is concluded that the phase information can be used to generate a signal versus velocity calibration curve, which can be used to quantify low flow velocities in vivo.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging↗
PubMed1986

Cerebrospinal fluid flow studied with gated magnetic resonance imaging during the various parts of the cardiac cycle.

The pulsatile movement of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through the Sylvian aqueduct has been studied in two normal volunteers. A standard magnetic resonance scanner was used as well as a routine spin echo sequence. Series of ECG-gated axial images were obtained perpendicular to the long axis of the Sylvian aqueduct. Previously it has been demonstrated by flow phantom experiments that the phase information can be used to obtain a linear relation between phase and flow velocity. By multiplying the CSF flow velocity by the cross-sectional area of the aqueduct of Sylvius obtained in each image, the CSF flow variation during the cardiac cycle could be demonstrated and measured.

Cerebrospinal Fluid↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Improved receiver coil for upper thoracic spine imaging in a vertical magnetic field.

To improve image quality in the upper thoracic spine, an anatomically shaped copper wire loop coil, made to fit over the patient's shoulders, was constructed. The coil was permanently mounted on a foam-rubber vest to facilitate attachment to the patient. Phantom and in vivo studies of the performance of the coil in healthy volunteers showed as much as a two times greater signal-to-noise ratio relative to that of standard coils for the upper thoracic spine. In a patient with lesions in the upper thoracic cord, the coil gave better image quality in the region of interest than did the standard coils. The coil has been integrated into the authors' routine imaging equipment and has been the coil of choice for imaging of the upper thoracic spine on their 0.3-T vertical field system.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Mitral and aortic valvular flow: quantification with MR phase mapping.

When magnetic resonance phase mapping is used to quantitate valvular blood flow, the presence of higher-order-motion terms may cause a loss of phase information. To overcome this problem, a sequence with reduced encoding for higher-order motion was used, achieved by decreasing the duration of the flow-encoding gradient to 2.2 msec. Tested on a flow phantom simulating a severe valvular stenosis, the sequence was found to be robust for higher-order motion within the clinical velocity range. In eight healthy volunteers, mitral and aortic volume flow rates and peak velocities were quantified by means of phase mapping and compared with results of the indicator-dilution technique and Doppler echocardiography, respectively. Statistically significant correlations were found between phase mapping and the other two techniques. Similar studies in patients with valvular disease indicate that phase mapping is also valid for pathologic conditions. Phase mapping may be used as a noninvasive clinical tool for flow quantification in heart valve disease.

Aortic Valve↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A rotating phantom for the study of flow effects in MR imaging.

A common type of phantom used for the study of flow effects in MR imaging is the tube phantom, where a liquid passes through a set of tubes placed in the main magnetic field of an MR scanner. Among the disadvantages with this type of phantom are that a distribution of velocities is present in each tube, and that quantifications of flow effects using tube phantoms may be very time-consuming. In this work, we describe the design and the properties of a rotating wheel flow phantom used for quantification of the effects of flow through the imaging plane as well as in the imaging plane. The proposed phantom is constructed as a rotating gel-filled wheel, surrounded by static volumes filled with the same gel, and the evaluation of the information from rotating and static parts is made with a specially designed computer program. The phantom can be used as a plug flow phantom covering simultaneously an interchangeable velocity interval, which at present has the range -52 mm/s, +52 mm/s. It is shown that the phantom gives adequate information on the dependence of pixel content on first-order motion in MR modulus and phase images. Among the fields of application are rapid calibration of MR imaging units for flow determination using phase information, as well as testing of pulse sequence characteristics and verification of theoretical predictions concerning the flow dependence in MR images.

Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A method for MR quantification of flow velocities in blood and CSF using interleaved gradient-echo pulse sequences.

The aim of this study was to establish a rapid method for in vivo quantification of a large range of flow velocities using phase information. A basic gradient-echo sequence was constructed, in which flow was encoded along the slice selection direction by variation of the amplitude of a bipolar gradient without changes in sequence timings. The influence of field inhomogeneities and eddy currents was studied in a 1.5 T interleaved sequences for calibration and in vivo flow determination were constructed, and flow information was obtained by pairwise subtraction of velocity-encoded from velocity non-encoded phase images. Calibration was performed in a nongated mode using flow phantoms, and the results were compared with theoretically calculated encoding efficiencies. In vivo flow was studied in healthy volunteers in three different areas using cardiac gating; central blood flow in the great thoracic vessels, peripheral blood flow in the popliteal vessels, and flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the cerebral aqueduct. The results show good agreement with results obtained with other techniques. The proposed method for flow determination was shown to be rapid and flexible, and we thus conclude that it seems well suited for routine clinical MR examinations.

Aorta↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cardiac gated MR imaging of cerebrospinal fluid flow.

This is a preliminary investigation of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces using cardiac gated magnetic resonance imaging. A variation of intensity of the signal from the cerebral aqueduct is demonstrated during the cardiac cycle. The pattern of this variation suggests pulsatile CSF flow. Calculations that have been verified by phantom measurements show that CSF flow rates less than 1 mm/s may be detectable. Magnetic resonance may therefore offer a new method for the demonstration and measurement of CSF flow.

Cerebral Aqueduct↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Quantitative study of flow dependence in NMR images at low flow velocities.

A basic theoretical model that describes the effects of flow in and out of the imaging plane in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) images, obtained with the standard pulse sequences single spin echo, multiple spin echo, and inversion recovery, is presented. Theoretically calculated signal values are compared with experimental results obtained from single-slice images of a flow phantom for variable flow velocity v as well as for variable echo time and inversion time at flow velocities less than 10 mm/s, corresponding to those found in cerebrospinal fluid, in capillary systems, and in smaller veins. The quantitative correspondence between theory and experiment is good in the range of velocities studied and for the imaging parameters used, but discrepancies occur when higher velocities are studied. In addition, flow in a capillary model is demonstrated qualitatively for very low linear flow velocities, less than 1 mm/s. It is concluded that the model describes the essentials of the inflow-outflow effect and that this effect can predict the flow dependence of the NMR signal for low flow velocities. Observed differences between model and experiment may be due to effects of flow-induced phase alterations and due to uncertainty in measurements of the relaxation times T1 and T2. The model described here can be extended to suit other types of pulse sequences and to suit multislice imaging. It can also be extended to incorporate flow-induced phase effects.

Blood Flow Velocity↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Low flip angle gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine at 0.3 tesla.

The influence of flip angle and TR on signal to noise ratio and contrast between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and cord was evaluated in cervical spine imaging in 5 volunteers, using gradient echo technique. All experiments were performed on a 0.3 tesla Fonar beta-3000 M scanner using solenoidal surface coils. The most useful sequence was considered to be TR/TE = 300/12 ms and 10 degrees flip angle. This sequence provided images with a 'myelographic appearance' with good delineation of cord, CSF and epidural space. The grey and white matter was also regularly visualized. The acquisition time was considerably shorter than would have been necessary if a long TR/TE spin echo sequence had been used to obtain the same contrast pattern and the sequence was not as sensitive to motion as was the spin echo sequence. The sequence was also evaluated in 10 patients with degenerative disease and in 5 with lesions in the cord. The gradient echo sequence was found to be equal to or better than short and long TR/TE spin echo sequences in demonstrating narrowing of the spinal canal and cord lesion. The drawback is the limited signal to noise ratio.

Cerebrospinal Fluid↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Coil selection for magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical and thoracic spine using a vertical magnetic field.

In order to optimize the coil selection for cervical and thoracic spine imaging the signal characteristics of two different solenoidal surface coils (15 cm and 30 cm diameter, respectively) as well as the head coil and body coil were determined using a 0.3 T MR scanner with a vertical magnetic field. Signal-to-noise ratio curves were obtained for each coil using tube phantoms and a human-like phantom. The findings were compared with images obtained in two healthy volunteers. The head coil was found to be superior for imaging of the cranio-cervical junction while the 15 cm surface coil gave better results in the remaining part of the cervical spine and the upper thoracic spine. The body coil was superior for imaging of the thoracic region at the level of the shoulders (T4-T6) but the 30 cm surface coil was better for the more caudal part of the thoracic spine. Combined phantom and in vivo studies are also recommended for evaluation of future, improved coils.

Cervical Vertebrae↗
PubMedDate not supplied

In vivo evaluation of femoral blood flow measured with magnetic resonance.

Quantitative measurements of blood flow based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using conventional multiple spin echo sequences were evaluated in vivo in healthy young volunteers. Blood flow was measured using MRI in the femoral vein. The initial slope of the multiple spin echo decay curve, corrected for the T2 decay of non-flowing blood was used to calculate the blood flow. As a reference, the blood flow in the femoral artery was measured simultaneously with an invasive indicator dilution technique. T2 of non-flowing blood was measured in vivo in popliteal veins during regional circulatory arrest. The mean T2 of non-flowing blood was found to be 105 +/- 31 ms. The femoral blood flow ranged between 0 and 643 ml/min measured with MRI and between 280 and 531 ml/min measured by the indicator dilution technique. There was thus poor agreement between the two methods. The results indicate that in vivo blood flow measurements made with MRI based on wash-out effects, commonly used in multiple spin echo imaging, do not give reliable absolute values for blood flow in the femoral artery or vein.

Adipose Tissue↗