@phdthesis{Purea2008,
  author    = {Purea, Edmund Armin},
  title     = {New Methods and Applications in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Microscopy using small RF Coils},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-31066},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2008},
  abstract  = {Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging is a well-established imaging technique. If the achieved spatial resolution is below 100 um, it is usually denoted as magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM). The spatial resolution limit is on the order of a few um. As a downside, high resolution imaging is usually time-consuming and technological requirements are very sumptuous. Furthermore, miniaturization of the radiofrequency (RF) coil leading to a so-called microcoil is necessary; it also brings along detrimental effects. Therefore, there is a high potential for optimizing present MRM methods. Hence it is the aim of this work to improve and further develop present methods in MRM with focus on the RF coil and to apply those methods on new biological applications. All experiments were conducted on a Bruker 17.6 T system with a maximum gradient strength of 1 T/m and four RF receiver channels. Minimizing the RF coil dimensions, leads to increased artefacts due to differences in magnetic susceptibility of the coil wire and surrounding air. Susceptibility matching by immersing the coil in FC-43 is the most common approach that fulfills the requirements of most applications. However, hardly any alternatives are known for cases where usage of FC-43 is not feasible due to its specific disadvantages. Two alternative substances (bromotricholoromethane and Fomblin Y25) were presented and their usability was checked by susceptibility determination and demonstration experiments after shimming under practical conditions. In a typical MRM microcoil experiment, the sample volume is significantly smaller than the maximum volume usable for imaging. This mismatch has been optimized in order to increase the experiment efficiency by increasing the number of probe coils and samples used. A four-channel probehead consisting of four individual solenoid coils suited for cellular imaging of Xenopus laevis oocytes was designed, allowing simultaneous acquisition from four samples. All coils were well isolated and allowed quantitative image acquisition with the same spatial resolution as in single coil operation. This method has also been applied in other studies for increased efficiency: using X. laevis oocytes as a single cell model, the effect of chemical fixation on intracellular NMR relaxation times T1 and T2 and on diffusion was studied for the first time. Significant reduction of relaxation times was found in all cell compartments; after reimmersion in buffer, values return close to the initial values, but there were small but statistically significant differences due to residual formaldehyde. Embryos of the same species have been studied morphologically in different developmental stages. Wild type embryos were compared to embryos that had experienced variations in protein levels of chromosomal proteins HMGN and H1A. Significant differences were found between wild type and HMGN-modified embryos, while no difference was observed between wild type and H1-modified embryos. These results were concordant with results obtained from light microscopy and histology. The technique of molecular imaging was also performed on X. laevis embryos. Commercially available antibodies coupled to ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) dextrane coated particles (MACS) served as a specific probe detectable by MRM, the aim being the detection of tissue specific contrast variations. Initially, the relaxivity of MACS was studied and compared to Resovist and VSOP particles. The iron concentration was determined quantitatively by using a general theoretical approach and results were compared to values obtained from mass spectroscopy. After incubation with MACS antibodies, intraembryonal relaxation times were determined in different regions of the embryo. These values allowed determination of local iron oxide particle concentrations, and specific binding could be distinguished from unspecific binding. Although applications in this work were focused on X. laevis oocytes and embryos, 3D-imaging on a beewolf head was also carried out in order to visualize the postpharyngeal gland. Additionally, an isolated beewolf antenna was imaged with a spatial resolution of (8 um)^3 for depiction of the antennal glands by using a microcoil that was specially designed for this sample. The experiments carried out in this work show that commercially available MRM systems can be significantly optimized by using small sample-adapted RF coils and by parallel operation of multiple coils, by which the sample throughput and thus time-efficiency is increased. With this optimized setup, practical use was demonstrated in a number of new biological applications.},
  subject      = {Magnetische Resonanz},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Heidemann2008,
  author    = {Heidemann, Robin},
  title     = {Non-Cartesian Parallel Magnetic Resonance Imaging},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-26893},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2008},
  abstract  = {Besides image contrast, imaging speed is probably the most important consideration in clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MR scanners currently operate at the limits of potential imaging speed, due to technical and physiological problems associated with rapidly switched gradient systems. Parallel imaging (parallel MRI or pMRI) is a method which allows one to significantly shorten the acquisition time of MR images without changing the contrast behavior of the underlying MR sequence. The accelerated image acquisition in pMRI is accomplished without relying on more powerful technical equipment or exceeding physiological boundaries. Because of these properties, pMRI is currently employed in many clinical routines, and the number of applications where pMRI can be used to accelerate imaging is increasing. However, there is also growing criticism of parallel imaging in certain applications. The primary reason for this is the intrinsic loss in the SNR due to the accelerated acquisition. In addition, other effects can also lead to a reduced image quality. Due to unavoidable inaccuracies in the pMRI reconstruction process, local and global errors may appear in the final reconstructed image. The local errors are visible as noise enhancement, while the global errors result in the so-called fold-over artifacts. The appearance and strength of these negative effects, and thus the image quality, depend upon different factors, such as the parallel imaging method chosen, specific parameters in the method, the sequence chosen, as well as specific sequence parameters. In general, it is not possible to optimize all of these parameters simultaneously for all applications. The application of parallel imaging in can lead to very pronounced image artifacts, i.e. parallel imaging can amplify errors. On the other hand, there are applications such as abdominal MR or MR angiography, in which parallel imaging does not reconstruct images robustly. Thus, the application of parallel imaging leads to errors. In general, the original euphoria surrounding parallel imaging in the clinic has been dampened by these problems. The reliability of the pMRI methods currently implemented is the main criticism. Furthermore, it has not been possible to significantly increase the maximum achievable acceleration with parallel imaging despite major technical advances. An acceleration factor of two is still standard in clinical routine, although the number of independent receiver channels available on most MR systems (which are a basic requirement for the application of pMRI) has increased by a factor of 3-6 in recent years. In this work, a novel and elegant method to address this problem has been demonstrated. The idea behind the work is to combine two methods in a synergistic way, namely non-Cartesian acquisition schemes and parallel imaging. The so-called non-Cartesian acquisition schemes have several advantages over standard Cartesian acquisitions, in that they are often faster and less sensitive to physiological noise. In addition, such acquisition schemes are very robust against fold-over artifacts even in the case of vast undersampling of k-space. Despite the advantages described above, non-Cartesian acquisition schemes are not commonly employed in clinical routines. A reason for that is the complicated reconstruction techniques which are required to convert the non-Cartesian data to a Cartesian grid before the fast Fourier transformation can be employed to arrive at the final MR image. Another reason is that Cartesian acquisitions are routinely accelerated with parallel imaging, which is not applicable for non-Cartesian MR acquisitions due to the long reconstruction times. This negates the speed advantage of non-Cartesian acquisition methods. Through the development of the methods presented in this thesis, reconstruction times for accelerated non-Cartesian acquisitions using parallel imaging now approach those of Cartesian images. In this work, the reliability of such methods has been demonstrated. In addition, it has been shown that higher acceleration factors can be achieved with such techniques than possible with Cartesian imaging. These properties of the techniques presented here lead the way for an implementation of such methods on MR scanners, and thus also offer the possibility for their use in clinical routine. This will lead to shorter examination times for patients as well as more reliable diagnoses.},
  subject      = {NMR-Bildgebung},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Arnold2008,
  author    = {Arnold, Johannes F. T.},
  title     = {Funktionelle Bildgebung der Lunge und des Bronchialkarzinoms mittels Magnetresonanztomographie},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-26388},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2008},
  abstract  = {Ziel dieser Arbeit war es, die Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT) an der Lunge als Alternative zur traditionellen Lungenbildgebung voranzutreiben. So sollten MRT-Verfahren zur regionalen und quantitativen Lungenfunktionspr{\"u}fung f{\"u}r die klinische Routine entwickelt werden. Im Hinblick auf die Strahlentherapie von Patienten mit Bronchialkarzinom sollen funktionelle Lungenareale erkannt werden, um diese w{\"a}hrend der Bestrahlung optimal schonen zu k{\"o}nnen. An den zahlreichen Luft-Gewebe-Grenzfl{\"a}chen in der Lunge entstehen Magnetfeldinhomogenit{\"a}ten. Daraus resultiert ein schneller Zerfall des MRT-Signals in der Lunge. Es wurde in dieser Arbeit ein Ansatz aufgezeigt, um die Ursache f{\"u}r den raschen Signalzerfall, n{\"a}mlich die unterschiedlichen magnetischen Suszeptibilit{\"a}ten von Luftr{\"a}umen und Lungengewebe, zu beseitigen. Durch die intravaskul{\"a}re Injektion von paramagnetischen Kontrastmitteln kann die Suszeptibilit{\"a}t des Blutes an die Suszeptibilit{\"a}t der Luftr{\"a}ume angeglichen werden. Durch die Entwicklung einer MR-kompatiblen aktiven Atemkontrolle (MR-ABC) wurde in dieser Arbeit ein weiteres fundamentales Problem der Lungen-MRT adressiert: Die Bewegung w{\"a}hrend der Datenakquisition. Die MR-ABC detektiert Herzschlag und Atemposition und ist in der Lage die Atembewegung in jeder beliebigen Atemphase reproduzierbar f{\"u}r eine definierte Zeit auszusetzen. Dies wird durch einen Verschluss der Atemluftzufuhr realisiert. Traditionelle Verfahren k{\"o}nnen zwar ebenfalls die Atemphase detektieren, gestatten jedoch nicht deren Konservierung. Es wurde demonstriert, dass mit der MR-ABC hochaufl{\"o}sende Bilder der Lunge in hoher Bildqualit{\"a}t und durch die Verwendung langer Akquisitionsfenster in relativ kurzer Messzeit erreicht werden k{\"o}nnen. Eine regionale Lungenfunktionspr{\"u}fung ist f{\"u}r die Diagnose und Evaluierung vieler Krankheitsbilder vorteilhaft. In diesem Sinne wird seit einigen Jahren das Potential der Sauerstoff-verst{\"a}rkten Lungen-MRT erforscht, die auf den paramagnetischen Eigenschaften des molekularen Sauerstoffs basiert. Im Blut gel{\"o}ster Sauerstoff f{\"u}hrt zu einer Verk{\"u}rzung der T1-Relaxationszeit. Statt diese T1-Verk{\"u}rzung quantitativ zu bestimmen wird aus praktischen Gr{\"u}nden meist ein T1-gewichteter Ansatz gew{\"a}hlt. In dieser Arbeit wurde jedoch gezeigt, dass nicht-quantitative Verfahren ein erhebliches Risiko zur Falschinterpretation beinhalten. Um Fehldiagnosen zu vermeiden, sollten deshalb prinzipiell quantitative Methoden zur Messung der durch die Sauerstoff-Verst{\"a}rkung bedingten T1-Verk{\"u}rzung in der Lunge verwendet werden. Herk{\"o}mmliche Techniken zur quantitativen T1-Messung ben{\"o}tigen allerdings l{\"a}ngere Messzeiten. Deshalb war zur Vermeidung von Bewegungsartefakten bisher die Datenaufnahme im Atemanhaltezustand notwendig. Wiederholtes Atemanhalten von mehreren Sekunden Dauer ist allerdings f{\"u}r einige Patienten sehr belastend. Aus diesem Grund wurden in dieser Arbeit zwei Methoden entwickelt, die eine quantitative Lungenfunktionspr{\"u}fung mittels MRT bei freier Atmung der Patienten erm{\"o}glichen. Eine gute Sauerstoffversorgung des Tumors wirkt sich positiv auf den Erfolg der Bestrahlung aus. Ein Ansatz zur Verbesserung der Strahlentherapie des Bronchialkarzinoms k{\"o}nnte daher in der Beatmung der Patienten mit hyperoxischen hypercapnischen Atemgasen w{\"a}hrend der Bestrahlung bestehen. In diesem Zusammenhang k{\"o}nnte die quantitative Messung der T1-Ver{\"a}nderung im Tumor nach Carbogenatmung ein Selektionskriterium darstellen, um diejenigen Patienten zu identifizieren, die von einer Carbogenbeatmung w{\"a}hrend der Bestrahlung profitieren k{\"o}nnen. Die Differenzierung zwischen vitalem Tumorgewebe, Nekrosen und atelektatischem Lungengewebe ist von großer Bedeutung bei der Bestrahlungsplanung des Bronchialkarzinoms. Einen neuen Ansatz bildet die in dieser Arbeit vorgestellte Magnetiserungstransfer-MRT. Um einen Magnetisierungstransfer zu erzeugen, wurde ein speziell auf die Bildgebung an der Lunge optimiertes Pr{\"a}parationsmodul entworfen. In Verbindung mit einer schnellen Bildakquisitionstechnik konnte die Magnetisierungstransfer-Lungenbildgebung in einem kurzen Atemstopp durchgef{\"u}hrt werden. Diese Technik wurde an mehreren Patienten mit Bronchialkarzinom evaluiert und die Ergebnisse mit denen der Fluor-Deoxyglykose-Positronen-Emissions-Tomographie (FDG-PET) verglichen. Es wurde festgestellt, dass mit diesem MRT-Verfahren {\"a}hnliche diagnostische Erkenntnisse erzielt werden k{\"o}nnen. Allerdings besitzt die MRT Vorteile im Hinblick auf r{\"a}umliche Aufl{\"o}sung, Messzeit, Bildqualit{\"a}t, Kosten und Strahlenbelastung. Das erhebliche Potential f{\"u}r die Bestrahlungsplanung des Bronchialkarzinoms durch eine Magnetisierungstransfer-Bildgebung wurde damit nachgewiesen.},
  subject      = {Magnetische Resonanz},
  language  = {de}
}