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H Saint-Jalmes

Publications and source records attributed to H Saint-Jalmes.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Transient decrease in water diffusion observed in human occipital cortex during visual stimulation.

Using MRI, we report the observation of a transient decrease of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of water in the human brain visual cortex during activation by a black and white 8-Hz-flickering checkerboard. The ADC decrease was small (<1%), but significant and reproducible, and closely followed the time course of the activation paradigm. Based on the known sensitivity of diffusion MRI to cell size in tissues and on optical imaging studies that have revealed changes in the shape of neurons and glial cells during activation, the observed ADC findings have been tentatively ascribed to a transient swelling of cortical cells. These preliminary results suggest a new approach to produce images of brain activation with MRI from signals directly associated with neuronal activation, and not through changes in local blood flow.

Adult↗

MR monitoring of laser-induced lesions of the liver in vivo in a low-field open magnet: temperature mapping and lesion size prediction.

The aims of this study were, firstly, to monitor temperature with magnetic resonance (MR) during laser ablations performed in pig livers in vivo in a low-field open scanner (0.23T) and, secondly, to study the feasibility of lesion size prediction. Spin-echo (SE) images of 29 sec acquired during laser applications allowed calculation of temperature maps using T1 and M(0) temperature sensitivity. Temperature was also measured with thermocouples. Images of prediction of tissue damage were calculated using temperature maps and Arrhenius model. T2W sequences were acquired after the ablations. Animals were sacrificed immediately. Lesions were photographed macroscopically. Lesion surfaces were measured and compared in T2W images, temperature images, damage prediction images, and macroscopic pictures. A correlation exists between temperature measured with MR and with thermocouples (rho = 0.878; P < 0.001, Spearman test). Mean surface of predicted damaged tissue is consistent with mean early necrosis measured in macroscopic pictures. Early T2W images underestimate mean necrosis size. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2001;13:42-49.

Animals↗

MR monitoring of tumour thermal therapy.

Thermal therapy of tumour including hyperthermia and thermal ablation by heat or cold delivery requires on line monitoring. Due to its temperature sensitivity, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) allows thermal mapping at the time of the treatment. The different techniques of MR temperature monitoring based on water proton resonance frequency (PRF), longitudinal relaxation time T1, diffusion coefficient and MR Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI) are reviewed and debated. The PRF method appears the most widely used and the most efficient at high magnetic field in spite of important drawbacks. The T1 method is the easiest method of visualisation of qualitative temperature distribution and quantitative measurement seems possible in the tissue surrounding the tumour up to a temperature of 45-65 degrees C. Despite its high temperature sensitivity, application of the diffusion method in vivo is restricted due to its high motion sensitivity. The recent MRSI technique seems very promising provided acquisition times can be reduced. Results from the literature indicate that MR temperature monitoring in vivo can be achieved in vivo with a precision of about 3 degrees C in 13 s for a voxel of 16 mm3 (1.5 x 1.5 x 7 mm) in 1.5 T scanners.

Animals↗

Two-point method for T1 estimation with optimized gradient-echo sequence.

Relaxation times estimation methods play a central role in various problems, such as magnetic resonance (MR) hardware calibration, tissue characterization, or temperature measurement. Previous studies have proposed optimization criteria to estimate the relaxation time T1 faster than with a multipoint method leading to two-point methods. In this paper, the class of optimized two-point methods is extended to gradient-echo (GE) sequence offering new advantages over spin-echo (SE) or inversion recovery (IR) sequences. Two GE acquisitions, with optimal flip angles theta1 and theta2 minimizing both the total scan time and the variance in the computed T1 image were applied to estimate T1, and the results were compared with those of SE sequence with optimized paired repetition times T(R1) and T(R2). First, phantom studies were carried out with five tissue-like samples on a 0.5T scanner. Then in vivo, human brain T1 image were calculated using both optimized GE and SE two-point methods. More precise T1 GE estimates than those for SE were found thanks to high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) per unit of time, but with a small bias. These results also concern the temperature variation measurement methods, based on T1 estimation. Preliminary experimental data for temperature measurement are given.

Brain↗

In vivo high-resolution MR imaging of the skin in a whole-body system at 1.5 T.

High-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) images of the skin were acquired with a whole-body MR system at 1.5 T by adding a specific imaging module: A saddle-shaped surface gradient coil was connected in place of one of the gradient coils of the system, and a surface radio-frequency coil with a 1.5-cm radius was placed at the center of the gradient coil. The images, acquired in 3 minutes 25 seconds, represent a field of view of 18 x 50 mm2, which corresponds to a pixel size of 70 x 390 micro2; the section thickness was 1.2 mm. With this spatial resolution, the different layers of the skin are clearly delineated: Epidermis appears as a high-signal-intensity layer, while dermis appears hypointense due to its very short T2. Pilosebaceous units appear as inclusions of epidermis inside dermis. The high quality of the images obtained enables in vivo MR characterization of skin.

Humans↗

Design data for efficient axial gradient coils: application to NMR imaging.

A new design for an axial magnetic field gradient is described. Implemented in a four-coil configuration, it requires far less power than the conventional Maxwell pair, while maintaining the same field linearity. A practical design tool with a set of curves giving coil dimensions is proposed. Two realizations dedicated to NMR imaging are described and compared with the equivalent Maxwell pair. Substantial power reductions are achieved; in these cases, dc power is reduced by a factor of 5 and switching power by a factor of 15.

Equipment Design↗