EFFECT OF MRI & MRS ON ACUPUNCTURE IN HUMANS: PILOT STUDY

针灸是中国传统医学的重要组成部分， 药 它在中国已经实行了几千年， 治疗各种疾病的一部分。 正逐步 作为一种缓解疼痛的方法在西方国家被接受， 在其他疾病的治疗中。 此外，还有更多和 进一步研究针灸对人体的生理作用 尸体 这项研究是一个探索的物理效应， 人体针灸 使用磁共振成像， 光谱技术（MRI和MRS），我们将检查信号变化， 如果有的话，在大脑活动和身体代谢反应， 针刺刺激 我们假设针灸治疗 会改变血液流动模式和代谢率 我们一直在测试血液流动的适用性 这项研究的量化技术，特别是在他们 使我们能够识别针刺引起的功能变化， 大脑骨骼肌和内脏器官 使用功能磁共振成像，我们将 比较大脑激活模式之前，期间，和之后 针灸治疗 我们还将从控制组生成数据 没有接受针灸治疗的受试者。 我们用流量量化方法做了两个案例研究。 一 目的：观察针刺足三里穴对慢性阻塞性肺疾病的影响。 用2D-flash血流敏感序列定量腿部血流。 的 另一个是，使用类似的序列，观察 影响门静脉和肾动脉的血流。 那里 是针刺引起血流变化的指标。 但更多 需要对研究对象进行研究以获得结论性结果。

Acupuncture is a significant component of traditional Chinese medicine. It has been practiced in China for thousands of years as part of the treatment for diverse medical conditions. It is gradually becoming accepted in Western countries as a method of pain relief and in the treatment of other diseases. In addition, there is more and more research into the physiological effects of acupuncture on human bodies. This study is an exploration of the physical effects of acupuncture on humans. Using magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopic techniques (MRI & MRS), we will examine signal changes, if any, in cerebral activity and body metabolism in response to acupuncture stimulation. We hypothesize that acupuncture treatment will modify blood flow patterns and metabolic rates. We have been testing the applicability of blood flow quantification techniques to this study, particularly insofar as they enable us to identify the functional changes induced by acupuncture in the brain, skeletal muscle and visceral organs. Using fMRI, we will compare the brain activation pattern before, during, and after acupuncture treatment. We will also generate data from control group of subjects not treated with acupuncture. We did two case studies with flow quantification method. One case was to observe the effects of acupuncture at acupoints St36 on leg blood flow quantified with 2D-flash flow sensitive sequence. The other one was, using the similar sequence, to observe how acupunture would influence the flow of portal vein and kidney arteries. There are indication of flow change induced by acupuncture. However, more subjects need to be studied for conclusive results.