title: Investigation of biochemical changes in skin layers by NMR microscopy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Biochemical changes occurring in epidermis are hardly visible on a conventionally acquired magnetic resonance image. Objectives of the present study were to noninvasively visualize the biochemical changes in skin layers and to investigate the feasibility of dermal NMR microscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  (1) H NMR microscopy was utilized to investigate histological changes and/or skin pathology between normal skin and abnormal skin. Animal skin was used for both in vivo and in vitro investigations while human skin for the in vivo study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relaxation times and diffusion information were found to be sensitive indicators of the biochemical changes arising from epidermis due to skin abnormality. Also, the swelling process of abnormal epidermis was monitored.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dermal NMR microscopy was found useful for the study of the biochemical changes occurring in thin skin layers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Pai Chai University, TaejonEfficacy Safety Microbiology Team, Institute of Skin Biology, Pacific Corporation, Kyounggi-do, South Korea.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Pai Chai University, TaejonEfficacy Safety Microbiology Team, Institute of Skin Biology, Pacific Corporation, Kyounggi-do, South Korea.
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Pai Chai University, TaejonEfficacy Safety Microbiology Team, Institute of Skin Biology, Pacific Corporation, Kyounggi-do, South Korea.
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: NMR microscopy; diffusion coefficients; lattice relaxation time; skin pathology; spin; spin relaxation time