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<title>Chinese Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging RSS feed</title>
<link>http://med-sci.cn/cgzcx/en/contents_list.asp?issue=201406</link>
<language>zh-cn</language>
<copyright>An RSS feed for Chinese Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging</copyright>
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<title><![CDATA[Brain imaging study on acupuncture: where we are and where we are headed]]></title>
<link>http://med-sci.cn/cgzcx/en/en_articlexml.asp?doi=10.3969/j.issn.1674-8034.2014.06.001</link>
<description><![CDATA[Over the course of the past few decades, brain imaging tools have advanced the investigation of acupuncture and shed new light on our understanding of acupuncture treatment. In this manuscript, we will focus on several key questions regarding fMRI brain imaging studies, including acupoint specificity, the relationship between acupuncture and placebo treatments, and the potential for using fMRI as a biomarker or predictor in acupuncture treatment. The development of brain imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) has greatly enhanced our understanding of acupuncture. Technical improvements in MRI resulting from more powerful magnets, increasingly sophisticated imaging hardware, development of new scan methods (Arterial Spin Labeling, ASL, diffusion tensor imaging, DTI), the application of new experimental paradigms (event related and resting state fMRI) and analysis methods allow us to investigate functional and anatomical changes in the brain.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri,20 Jun 2014 00:00:00  GMT</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[Facial Bell’s palsy affects default mode network connectivity]]></title>
<link>http://med-sci.cn/cgzcx/en/en_articlexml.asp?doi=10.3969/j.issn.1674-8034.2014.06.002</link>
<description><![CDATA[Objective: Bell’s palsy (BP) is common peripheral idiopathic disease affecting the facial nerve (CN VII) causing loss of control facial muscles on the affected side. We investigated BP’s effects on the resting state default mode network (DMN) connectivity due to neuroplasticity in brain. Materials and Methods: 1.5 T- MRI scanner was used to aquire fMRI data over 35 healthy volunteers and 52 BP patients (Some of patients participated more than once) at different pathological stages (based on disease duration and House-Brackmann Score) in resting state. Dual regression independent component analysis (ICA) approach was used for functional connectivity analysis. Results: DMN connectivity had varied changes for different stages of BP. In early group, DMN connectivity was increased with right (r.) SI, r. MI, and r. DLPFC; while for late group it was increased with bilateral MCC, r. VMPFC, r. PCC, bilateral precuneus. For recovered group, DMN connectivity was increased with left (l.) lingual gyrus and l. cerebellum. Conclusions: BP induced different DMN brain connectivity changes with different brain regions such as sensorimotor, motor mapping, emotional regions and cognitive regions and this connectivity changes are varied between different pathological stages.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri,20 Jun 2014 00:00:00  GMT</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[Brain response to transcutaneous electronical stimulation on auricular concha of the healthy subjects using fMRI]]></title>
<link>http://med-sci.cn/cgzcx/en/en_articlexml.asp?doi=10.3969/j.issn.1674-8034.2014.06.003</link>
<description><![CDATA[Objectives: To investigate the BOLD fMRI response to transcutaneous vagus nerve electronical stimulation (tVNS) at auricular concha region (ACR) on the healthy. It is hypothesized that tVNS modulates the network of nucleus of tract solitary-limbic system. Materials and Methods: Sixteen healthy subjects (18—27 y)  were enrolled in the fMRI study. The fMRI was conducted during tVNS on ACR controlled with sham-tVNS on the superior scapha respectively. Subjects’ sensations were recorded after every fMRI scan. Each functional scan lasted 6 minutes. SPM8 was employed for the fMRI data processing. Results: The current, and the sensations’ frequency and strength of electronical stimulation were similar between two groups. The tVNS induced the predominant deactivation in the left nucleus of tract solitary and brain regions involving in limbic function, and the activation was limited in left SII, left anterior insula, etc. However, the sham tVNS showed the deactivation in the areas of right nucleus of trigeminal nerve, the obvious activation in the somato-sensory areas. Conclusions: tVNS modulated the network of nucleus of tract solitary-limbic system. It would provide the basis of therapeutic mechanism of tVNS treating Depression.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri,20 Jun 2014 00:00:00  GMT</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[Heterogeneous neural pathways underlying acupuncture revealed by multivariate granger causality analyses]]></title>
<link>http://med-sci.cn/cgzcx/en/en_articlexml.asp?doi=10.3969/j.issn.1674-8034.2014.06.004</link>
<description><![CDATA[Objectives: Although accumulating evidence has demonstrated a wide range of cortico-subcortical networks underlying acute effects of acupuncture, less is understood regarding how and by what neural pathways these brain areas interact. We have recently proposed that acupuncture is a slow-acting agent and can induce specific patterns of dynamic CNS activities. Implicit in this evidence was the prediction that the reconfiguration of brain networks underlying both acute and sustained effects of acupuncture may elucidate its overall functional specificity. Materials and Methods: We address the idea directly by adopting a non-repeated event-related design paradigm and multivariate Granger causality analysis (mGCA). Results: We found that brain areas were only sparsely causal connected at early acupuncture needling stage, mainly including ascending path from the thalamus as well as top-down control signals from frontal cortices to nociceptive information processing areas. As time prolonged (sustained effect), more extensive regions integrated into a dense, causally interconnected network only following acupuncture at ST36 but not nonacupoint. Additionally, this reorganization of wide brain networks seemed to be evolved from the resting state. Conclusions: These findings highlighted that the specific effect of acupuncture may involve the integration of recurrent information flow among multi-levels of brain networks.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri,20 Jun 2014 00:00:00  GMT</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[Cerebral regional homogeneity of peripheral facial paralysis treated by acupuncture: a resting-state fMRI study]]></title>
<link>http://med-sci.cn/cgzcx/en/en_articlexml.asp?doi=10.3969/j.issn.1674-8034.2014.06.005</link>
<description><![CDATA[Objective: To analyze the changes of regional homogeneity and explore the central mechanisms through the treatment of peripheral facial paralysis with acupuncture in the different pathological stages. Materials and Methods: 32 healthy adult volunteers and 47 patients with peripheral facial paralysis participated in the study. Resting-state fMRI were acquired for each volunteer and patient. The ReHo approach was used to compare the peripheral facial paralysis groups of different pathological stages to healthy group. Results: Compared to healthy group, (1) In the early group, the increased ReHo areas were showed in the right superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, and the left precuneus, posterior cingulated gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, while the decreased areas were showed in the right inferior temporal gyrus, cuneus and precuneus. (2) In the later group, the increased ReHo were found in the left SII, superior temporal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, paracentral lobule, cuneus, precuneus, and the right inferior frontal gyrus. (3) In the recovered group, the increased ReHo were found in the left paracentral lobule, fusiform gyrus and superior temporal gyrus. Conclusions: The brain areas of the premotor cortex (PMA), supplementary motor area (SMA) were likely to be the key areas of compensatory and brain functional reorganization in patients with peripheral facial paralysis. These areas may be the key regions for integration and modulation in the patients suffering from peripheral facial paralysis treated by acupuncture.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri,20 Jun 2014 00:00:00  GMT</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[The study of regional homogeneity of DMN in patients with CSNP after acupuncture in group acupoint]]></title>
<link>http://med-sci.cn/cgzcx/en/en_articlexml.asp?doi=10.3969/j.issn.1674-8034.2014.06.006</link>
<description><![CDATA[Objective: To explore the influence of  the default network (DMN) after the group acupoint treatment on the cervical spondylosis neck pain (CSNP), and to explain the mechanisms of their central nerve effect. Materials and Methods: 49 CSNP patients were divided into two groups, one group given the acupuncture treatment at bailao (single acupoint), the other group at bailao and hegu (group acupoint), then we record their NPQ/MPQ/SF-36 score and scan the MRI before treatment and after, use the method of ReHo to deal with the data. Results: After the treatment of single acupoint, in DMN it shows stronger ReHo on left anterior cerebellum anterior lobe, weaker ReHo on right angular, inferior parietal lobule, middle frontal gyrus and superior frontal gyrus. The group acupoint group shows stronger ReHo on middle temporal gyrus and cuneus, weaker ReHo on left inferior temporal gyrus and inferior parietal lobule. Conclusions: The study discovered that both groups can achieve the analgesic effect in the clinical treatment on the chronic pain, and have the same curative effect. But there are different mechanisms of their central nerve effect on analgesia, and those can be useful to explain the mechanism of central nerve effect of acupuncture.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri,20 Jun 2014 00:00:00  GMT</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[Comparatively analysis imaging signs between meningeal primary peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor and angiomatous meningioma]]></title>
<link>http://med-sci.cn/cgzcx/en/en_articlexml.asp?doi=10.3969/j.issn.1674-8034.2014.06.007</link>
<description><![CDATA[Objective:  To compare difference of MRI signs between the meninges primary peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor and angiomatous type meningioma. Materials and Methods: Retrospectively analyzed preoperative MRI imaging data of 10 patients meningeal primary primitive neuroectodermal tumors and 15 cases of angiomatous type meningioma pathologically confirmed, comparing the differences of the MRI signs of the two meningeal tumor. Results: In the signs, some are more common in meningeal primary primitive neuroectodermal tumors, such as mixed signals in unenhanced MR, cystic necrosis, inhomogeneous enhancement adjacent bone changes (P<0.05), and some are more common in angiomatous type meningioma such as flowing void effect and peritumoral edema (P<0.05), and others, such as high signal of T2WI, strengthen higher degree of vascular , lobulated , fuzzy brain tumor interface, signs of meningeal tail showed no significant difference (P>0.05). Conclusions: There is difference in MRI signs between meningeal primary primitive neuroectodermal tumor meningioma tumors and angiomatous type meningioma , which is helpful in the differential diagnosis.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri,20 Jun 2014 00:00:00  GMT</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[The study of difference of white matter degeneration between urban and rural population in Beijing]]></title>
<link>http://med-sci.cn/cgzcx/en/en_articlexml.asp?doi=10.3969/j.issn.1674-8034.2014.06.008</link>
<description><![CDATA[Objective: To evaluate the difference of degree of white matter degeneration between urban and rural population in Beijing. Material and Methods: Except cerebral infarction (diagnosed by DWI), hemorrhage, hydrocephalus and other white matter degeneration diseases, the MR image was obtained in a cohort of 41 urban [aged 56—72 years, mean age (62.85±4.28) years, 13 males and 28 females] and 41 rural patients [aged 56—69 years, mean age (62.68±4.00) years, 17 males and 24 females] who live in Beijing. The Fazekas scale was used to evaluate the degree of white matter degeneration. Independent-samples t test was made to exclude effect of age, and χ2 test was made to exclude the effect of gender. Independent-samples rank sum test was made to evaluate the difference of degree of white matter degeneration between urban and rural population. Rank correlation was made to evaluate the influence of age on total score according to the Fazekas scale. Results: There was statistically significant difference in degree of white matter degeneration between urban and rural population in Beijing (Z=-2.730, P=0.006, P<0.05). And the influence of age (t=0.187, P=0.852, P>0.05) and gender (P=0.395, P>0.05) can be excluded. The degree of white matter degeneration in rural population (mean rank 48.15) was more serious than that in urban population (mean rank 34.85). There was correlation between age and total score (r=0.484, P=0.000, P<0.05). The degree of white matter degeneration increased with age. Conclusions: The degree of white matter degeneration in rural population in Beijing is more severe than that in urban population. Rural population in Beijing may have a greater possibility of cerebral vascular disease and cognitive disorder. Therefore, more attention should be paid to rural population.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri,20 Jun 2014 00:00:00  GMT</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[A diffusion tensor imaging study of mild traumatic brain injury]]></title>
<link>http://med-sci.cn/cgzcx/en/en_articlexml.asp?doi=10.3969/j.issn.1674-8034.2014.06.009</link>
<description><![CDATA[Objective: To evaluate the value of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Materials and Methods: Thirty-five cases of mTBI patients (case group) and 15 healthy controls (control group) underwent taditional MRI and DTI scans. The bilateral white matter of the frontal lobes, bilateral anterior region, the genu and splenium of corpus callosum midline position (a total of 6) were chosen as the region of interest. FA value, ADC value of each region of interest were measured. The FA value, ADC value in all parts of the case group and the control group were statistically analyzed. Results: There was no significant difference between the case group and control group in each part for ADC value. The FA value in bilateral frontal lobe white matter, internal capsule and splenium of corpus callosum were statistically significant between the case group and control group (P<0.05). Conclusions: The value of FA can quantitatively determine the metabolism of water molecules for mild traumatic cerebral. DTI can be used as an objective index, to accurately assess the severity and prognosis of the patients with mild traumatic brain injury.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri,20 Jun 2014 00:00:00  GMT</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[The clinical value of single-dose three-dimensional contrast-enhanced MR angiography in diagnosis of cerebral arterio-venous malformation]]></title>
<link>http://med-sci.cn/cgzcx/en/en_articlexml.asp?doi=10.3969/j.issn.1674-8034.2014.06.010</link>
<description><![CDATA[Objective: To investigate the clinical value of single-dose three-dimensional contrast-enhanced MR angiography (SD 3D-CE-MRA) in diagnosis of cerebral arterio-venous malformation. Materials and Methods: 11 cases of cerebral arterio-venous malformation proved by operation or DSA underwent conventional MRI and SD 3D-CE-MRA. Results: The findings of cerebral arterio-venous malformation on SD 3D-CE-MRA: among 11 cases, 10 clearly displayed the nidus, feeding artery and draining vein. Feeding arteries were derived from single artery in 6 cases, and mixed supply in 4 cases. Draining veins were drained single vein in 7 cases, and mixed venous drainage in 3 cases. 1 case showed normal. Conclusions: Combined use of SD 3 D-CE-MRA and conventional MRI in the diagnosis of cerebral arterio-venous malformation and guiding clinical treatment has very important value.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri,20 Jun 2014 00:00:00  GMT</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[Quantitative assessment of small bowel motility in healthy individuals using MR cine]]></title>
<link>http://med-sci.cn/cgzcx/en/en_articlexml.asp?doi=10.3969/j.issn.1674-8034.2014.06.011</link>
<description><![CDATA[Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the small bowel motility in healthy individuals using MR cine. Materials and Methods: From Oct. 2012 to Mar. 2014, 44 healthy individuals were included in this study. A two minutes MR cine sequence was performed on each individual with no breath-hold using 3.0 T MR (GE 750 Dicovery). Time-caliber graph was plotted on two selected small bowel segments at left upper quadrant and right lower quadrant on each image to obtain the maximum luminal diameter, contraction period, frequency and duration of pause. Results: All subjects were tolerated to the examination without complications. 86 small bowel segments were measured on MR cine images. Duration of pause existed in all selected small bowel segments. The maximum luminal diameter, contraction period, frequency and duration of pause on left upper quadrant and right lower quadrant were (17.66±2.27) mm, (8.64±0.69) s, (3.03±0.61) min, (54.19±15.10) s and (17.42±1.87) mm, (8.75±0.77) s, (3.86±0.54) min, (47.47±15.82) s. The difference of frequency and duration of pause between two selected small bowel segments was statistically significant. Conclusions: MR cine enables us to evaluate the small bowel motility quantitatively and noninvasively. Further study could be made on the impaired peristalsis on different kinds of functional or organic small bowel diseases based on the characterization of the normal small bowel motility.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri,20 Jun 2014 00:00:00  GMT</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[Prenatal MRI diagnosis of placenta previa complicated with placenta accreta]]></title>
<link>http://med-sci.cn/cgzcx/en/en_articlexml.asp?doi=10.3969/j.issn.1674-8034.2014.06.012</link>
<description><![CDATA[Objective: To investigate the prenatal MRI imaging features of placenta previa complicated with placenta accreta. Materials and Methods: The clinical and MRI data of 48 cases of placenta previa including 12 placenta accreta confirmed by clinic and surgery were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Forty-three cases of placenta previa were diagnosed by MRI pre-operation, including 31 cases of complete placenta previa, 9 cases of partial placenta previa and 3 cases of marginal placenta previa. The overall diagnose accordance rate was 89.5% (43/48). Nine cases of placenta accreta were diagnosed by MRI pre-operation, the diagnose accordance rate was 75.0% (9/12). Conclusions: MRI has a high accuracy for the diagnosis of placenta previa, the combination of different MR sequence can make accurate diagnosis possible.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri,20 Jun 2014 00:00:00  GMT</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[T2-weighted image and diffusion tensor imaging of cuprizone-induced demyelination in C57BL/6 mouse model]]></title>
<link>http://med-sci.cn/cgzcx/en/en_articlexml.asp?doi=10.3969/j.issn.1674-8034.2014.06.013</link>
<description><![CDATA[Objective: Cuprizone (CPZ) mouse model of demyelination was recognized and used to explore multiple sclerosis (MS)-like brain lesions. In this study, we assessed CPZ-treated mice using T2-weighted imaging and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Materials and Methods: C57BL/6 mice were scanned with a 7.0 T MRI (Agilent, USA) respectively after four weeks 0.2% CPZ-containing diet (n=10) and regular chow diet (n=10) using fast spin-echo and fast spin-echo DTI sequences. Then we calculated the normalized T2 signal intensity (normalized to the cerebrospinal fluid) and measured fractional anisotropy (FA value), mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity and radial diffusivity of each region. Regions of interest (ROIs) included cerebral cortex (CTX), caudate putamen (CP), hippocampus (HP) and thalamus (TH). Results: Compared with controls, obvious increased normalized T2 signal intensities were observed in CTX, HP and CP (P<0.01), which was mild in TH (P=0.119). Reduced FA values were evident in CTX, HP and CP (P<0.05), which was also mild in TH (P=0.178). In the regions of reduced FA, an increase in mean diffusivity (P<0.05) and radial diffusivity (P<0.05) were found. Obvious decreased axial diffusivity were only observed in CTX (P<0.05). Conclusions: DTI is sensitive to detecting cuprizone mouse model of demyelination, reflecting tissue structure. This study suggests that CTX, HP and CP are more susceptible to cuprizon-induced demyelination compared with TH. Our results also indicate that the decreases of FA may be more likely due to increased radial diffusivity.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri,20 Jun 2014 00:00:00  GMT</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[Spatiotemporal evolution of blood brain barrier damage associated with changes of brain metabolites following ischemia onset]]></title>
<link>http://med-sci.cn/cgzcx/en/en_articlexml.asp?doi=10.3969/j.issn.1674-8034.2014.06.014</link>
<description><![CDATA[Objectives: Blood brain barrier (BBB) damage that occurs within the thrombolytic time window is increasingly appreciated to negatively impact the safety and efficacy profiles of thrombolytic therapy for ischemic stroke. Here, we investigated the topographical distribution of BBB damage and its association with tissue injury within the first 3 h after ischemia onset and the related roles of neurochemical metabolites profiles in this process. Materials and Methods: Here, using contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) and single-voxel localization technique, we assessed BBB disruption onset time and related neurochemical alteration in rats following middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 1, 2 and 3 h. Proton metabolites were quantified using LCModel software. Results: In the 1.5 h MCAO group, after 0.5 h reperfusion, abnormal hyperintense signals were seen in both lateral ventricles and the central canal in the CE-T1WI image, and expanded with time to other MCA regions, including the ventromedial striatum in the 2 h MCAO group, after 0.5 h reperfusion. The concentrations of glutamate+glutamine (Glu+Gln), taurine (Tau) and creatine+phosphocreatine (Cr+PCr) increased gradually within the first 2 h (P<0.05, respectively), and then decreased (P<0.05, respectively) in the following 1 h after ischemia onset, as evaluated by 1H-MRS. Other metabolites observed in this study did not show significant changes over the time. Conclusions: Our findings suggest Tau, Glu+Gln and Cr+PCr levels may be useful biomarkers to detect BBB damage and relevant events in the ischemic cascade, and predict onset time of BBB disruption to improve the accuracy of acute stroke diagnosis and determine the safety and efficacy of early thrombolytic therapy.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri,20 Jun 2014 00:00:00  GMT</pubDate>
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