In vivo NMR imaging of sodium-23 in the human head.
We report the first clinical nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) images of cerebral sodium distribution in normal volunteers and in patients with a variety of pathological lesions. We have used a 1.5 T NMR magnet system. When compared with proton distribution, sodium shows a greater variation in its concentration from tissue to tissue and from normal to pathological conditions. Image contrast calculated on the basis of sodium concentration is 7 to 18 times greater than that of proton spin density. Normal images emphasize the extracellular compartments. In the clinical studies, areas of recent or old cerebral infarction and tumors show a pronounced increase of sodium content (300-400%). Actual measurements of image density values indicate that there is probably a further accentuation of the contrast by the increased "NMR visibility" of sodium in infarcted tissue. Sodium imaging may prove to be a more sensitive means for early detection of some brain disorders than other imaging methods.
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D006257:Head; D006801:Humans; D002538:Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D012964:Sodium
D012964:Sodium