Probing Tissue Structures Using Short Diffusion Times

我建议开发和优化一种重要的新方法来区分非常小（~ 1µm）的组织结构的大小，如小轴突直径，使用扩散磁共振成像（MRI）。该方法依赖于探测尽可能短的扩散时间尺度，以便可以检测到最小结构内从受限扩散到受阻扩散的转变。目前最先进的方法无法区分这些小结构，因为目前的方法使用脉冲序列，这限制了探测最短扩散时间的能力。我的方法通过使用振荡梯度代替脉冲梯度来规避这些限制。我是使用振荡梯度进行扩散测量的世界级专家。这种新方法将具有重要的生物学和神经科学应用。

I propose to develop and optimize an important new method for distinguishing the size of very small (~ 1 µm) tissue structures, such as small axon diameters, using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The method relies on probing the shortest possible diffusion time scales so that the transition from restricted to hindered diffusion within the smallest structures can be detected. Current state-of-the-art methods cannot distinguish these small structures because current methods use pulse sequences which limit the ability to probe the shortest diffusion times. My method circumvents those limitations by using oscillating gradients in place of pulsed gradients. I am a world expert in the use of oscillating gradients for diffusion measurements. The new method will have important biological and neuroscience applications.