Angle Sensitive MRI for Musculoskeletal Diagnostics

“包括韧带和肌腱在内的组织通常在正常的磁共振成像（MRI）中产生很少或没有信号。因此，它们通常呈黑色，而任何明亮的区域都可能是伪影或可能的疾病迹象。很大程度上正是这种异常导致了使用外科手术进行进一步的研究。帝国理工学院的研究人员开发了一种全新类型的MRI扫描仪，它提供了获得新信息的可能性，这些信息可能在临床上很重要，并提供了诊断关节疾病或损伤的新方法，这些方法是非侵入性的，安全的，同时提供了通过其他手段无法轻易获得的信息。此外，这款扫描器较一般医院所用的扫描器便宜、体积小巧，而且更容易安装。我们建议的计划旨在证明这方法的可行性，并提供所需的证据，以促进进一步的医学研究。我们会将实验室现有的核磁共振成像原型设备升级，加入专业的电子设备和软件，使其更适合临床使用。将对扫描仪硬件和图像处理软件进行各种详细的改进。影像学研究将涉及使用体模、我们实验室提供的代表性动物组织样本以及健康志愿者。将与医学专家合作分析MRI图像，以确定如何最好地使用新的MRI功能并展示其临床价值。"

"Tissues including ligaments and tendons usually produce little or no signal in normal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Consequently they usually appear black, while any bright areas are possible artefacts or possible signs of disease. It is largely this anomaly that leads to further investigation using surgical procedures. Researchers at Imperial College have developed an entirely new type of MRI scanner, which offers the potential to obtain new information which may be important clinically and to provide new methods for diagnosing disease or injury in joints, which are non-invasive and safe, while providing information that cannot be easily obtained by other means. This scanner is also much cheaper, very compact and easier to install than those normally found in hospitals.In the proposed project we aim to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach and to provide the evidence needed to facilitate further medical research. We will upgrade the existing prototype MRI in our laboratory with professional electronics and software so that it is suitable for clinical use. Various detailed improvements in the scanner hardware and image processing software will be carried out. Imaging studies will involve the use of phantoms, representative animal tissue samples available in our laboratories, as well as healthy volunteers. The MRI images will be analysed in collaboration with medical specialists in order to establish how best to use the new MRI capabilities and demonstrate its clinical value."