Matthews P M, Clare S, Adcock J
Department of Clinical Neurology, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, UK.
J Inherit Metab Dis. 1999 Jun;22(4):337-52. doi: 10.1023/a:1005535102667.
Demonstration that contrast in magnetic resonance images can be generated based on differences in blood oxygenation has led to an explosion of interest in so-called functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI). FMRI can be used to map increases in blood flow that accompany local synaptic activity in the brain. The technique has proved remarkably sensitive and has been used to map a broad range of cognitive, motor and sensory processes in the brain entirely non-invasively. More recently, efforts have been made to extend this technique to the analysis of clinical problems. A major application is for presurgical localization of cerebral functions, e.g. in the surgical treatment of epilepsy. The technique also is beginning to provide information on functional consequences of abnormal brain development. Perhaps most exciting are applications to neurological impairments that are not associated with structural abnormalities, such as learning problems, dyslexia and movement disorders. It is possible that useful applications of FMRI may be found for directly mapping sites of action of CNS-active drugs. Although the extent of the potential clinical applications of this new brain mapping technique is not clear, the widespread availability of MRI scanners suggests that the technique should in some form soon become a routine tool in major neuroradiological centres.
基于血液氧合差异可在磁共振图像中产生对比度这一发现，引发了人们对所谓功能磁共振成像（FMRI）的极大兴趣。FMRI可用于描绘大脑局部突触活动所伴随的血流增加情况。该技术已被证明具有极高的灵敏度，并且已被用于完全非侵入性地描绘大脑广泛的认知、运动和感觉过程。最近，人们努力将这项技术扩展到临床问题分析中。一个主要应用是在术前对脑功能进行定位，例如在癫痫的外科治疗中。该技术也开始提供有关大脑发育异常的功能后果的信息。或许最令人兴奋的是其在与结构异常无关的神经功能障碍方面的应用，如学习问题、诵读困难和运动障碍。FMRI有可能直接用于描绘中枢神经系统活性药物的作用部位，从而找到有用的应用。尽管这种新的脑图谱技术潜在临床应用的范围尚不清楚，但磁共振成像扫描仪的广泛普及表明，该技术应以某种形式很快成为主要神经放射学中心的常规工具。
