Regional cerebral metabolism rate of oxygen and regional cerebral blood flow in the human are being studied by means of oxygen-17 magnetic resonance spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging.
The methodology is unique in being non-invasive and in utilizing stable (not radio active) isotopes. The possible uses of this technique offer major advantages and infinite insights into many physiological and clinical problems.
The technique is used for examining both global and focal changes in brain physiology. Studies of normal neurological processes are being carried out in an attempt to determine changes in metabolic activity in areas of the brain which are known to be stimulated by certain external stimulation. Changes in response to simple sensory and motor cerebral activation procedures as the effect of flashing light stimulation on the primary visual cortex and changes during sleep and awake states are being investigated.
This technology could significantly extend the already superb applications of proton MRI for medical purposes and improve our understanding of numerous disease processes including dementia, stroke, head trauma and epilepsy. We plan to explore in a preliminary fashion this clinical potential.
Publications:
1. D. Fiat. Oxygen-17 magnetic resonance imaging at natural abundance using projection reconstruction and gradient recalled echo pulse sequences. Magnetic resonance and related Phenomena, 1994. Proceedings of the XXVII Congress Ampere on Magnetic Resonance to mark 50 years of Magnetic Resonance, kasan, August 1994, p. 187, 1074 (Invited talk presented in the section entitled: Recent progress in magnetic resonance).
2. D. Fiat, J. Dolinsek, J. Hankiewicz, M. Dujovny and J.I. Ausman. Determination of regional cerebral oxygen consumption in the human. 17O natural abundance cerebral magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy in a whole body system. Neurological Research, 15, 237-248 (1993).
3. D. Fiat and S. Kang. Determination of the rate of cerebral oxygen consumption and regional cerebral blood flow by non-invasive 17O in vivo NMR spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging. Part 2: Determination of CMRO2 for the rat by 17O NMR, and CMRO2, rCBF and the partition coefficient for the Cat by 17O MRI. Neurological Research 15, 7 (1992).
4. D. Fiat and S. Kang. Determination of the rate of cerebral oxygen consumption and regional cerebral blood flow by non-invasive 17O in vivo NMR spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging. Part 1: Theory and data analysis methods. Neurological Research 14, 303 (1992).