Measuring 'Impossible' Intermolecular Cross-Peaks to Improve Selectivity and Sensitivity in Breast MRI
Abstract
This proposal focuses on development of a radically new method for breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which could improve detection of small tumors and reduce the unnecessary biopsies generated by false positives in conventional breast MRI and mammography. This method is based on my group's recent discovery of a significant omission in the decades-old theoretical framework of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR, the spectroscopic precursor to MRI). We have shown (both theoretically and experimentally) that it is possible to detect strong signals from intermolecular resonances - for example, simultaneously flipping up a water spin at one location while flipping down another water spin 100 micrometer away-even though such "intermolecular zero- quantum coherences" (IZQCs) would he predicted to he completely impossible to observe in the conventional formulation of NMR or MRI. This fundamentally new physics provides the basis for a potentially extremely useful contrast enhancement technique geared towards early detection and tumor grading. Our previous human work had been restricted to brain imaging; we have now demonstrated IZQC breast imaging on healthy volunteers, with and without fat suppression, and are beginning patient trials.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA403378
Entities
People
- Warren S. Warren
Organizations
- Princeton University