Szopiński Jan Z, Mngomezulu Victor
Pain Clinic, Mayo Medical Centre of South Africa, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa.
Division of Diagnostic Radiology, Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital and University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa.
Med Acupunct. 2017 Oct 1;29(5):300-307. doi: 10.1089/acu.2017.1243.
Pathology of an internal organ/body part changes electrical features of the corresponding skin areas-organ projection areas (OPAs)-which are often identified with traditional acupuncture points/zones. Once the resistance "breakthrough effect" has been induced in these specific skin areas, rectification of applied electrical currents (a diode phenomenon) occurs. In addition, increased impedance can be observed. It is presumed that these skin bioelectrical phenomena are the result of increased local capillary permeability with extravasation of blood-plasma albumins. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the microvasculature, using labeled albumins as markers, allows visualization of skin areas with higher albumin concentrations. The goal of this research was experimental verification of the abovementioned physiologic hypothesis by visualization of the OPAs. Preselected, comparative, contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of the auricular microvasculature were performed in the Division of Diagnostic Radiology of Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, in a group of 42 volunteers with proven clinical conditions of 49 (in total) chosen internal organs/body parts. Previously, 28 auricular OPAs related to internal organs/body parts with proven pathologies showed the abovementioned bioelectrical phenomena and 21 auricular OPAs in a control group did not show those phenomena to a significant extent. Contrast-enhanced MRI assessment of the study participants' ear auricle vascular permeability was performed after 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 minutes after a standard contrast, which binds to albumins transiently, was injected intravenously. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance images of the diseased body part-related OPAs versus images of the same but healthy body part-related OPAs (control group) were subjected to a final statistical comparison. It was presumed that 24 OPAs related to internal organs/body parts with serious pathologies were visualized by means of labeled albumins and 25 OPAs corresponding to healthy body parts or minor pathologies were not seen. OPA visibility depended on the extent of pathology within the related internal organ/body part, but not on the kind of organ/body part nor etiology or kind of disease. Pathology of internal organ/body parts appears to cause higher concentrations of albumins within related OPAs and, in this way, creates specific electrical phenomena observed at the OPAs. Contrast-enhanced MRI of the microvasculature, using labeled albumins, can be useful for visualizing OPAs.
体内器官/身体部位的病理学改变了相应皮肤区域——器官投影区（OPAs）的电学特征，这些区域常与传统的穴位/区域相对应。一旦在这些特定皮肤区域诱发了电阻“突破效应”，施加电流就会发生整流（一种二极管现象）。此外，还可观察到阻抗增加。据推测，这些皮肤生物电现象是局部毛细血管通透性增加以及血浆白蛋白外渗的结果。使用标记白蛋白作为标志物的微血管对比增强磁共振成像（MRI），能够可视化白蛋白浓度较高的皮肤区域。本研究的目的是通过可视化器官投影区来对上述生理假说进行实验验证。在南非约翰内斯堡夏洛特·马克西克学术医院诊断放射科，对一组42名志愿者进行了预先选定的、对比性的、耳部微血管对比增强磁共振成像（MRI）研究，这些志愿者患有经证实的49个（总共）选定的体内器官/身体部位的临床病症。此前，28个与患有经证实病症的体内器官/身体部位相关的耳部器官投影区出现了上述生物电现象，而对照组中的21个耳部器官投影区在很大程度上未出现这些现象。在静脉注射一种与白蛋白短暂结合的标准造影剂后1、2、3、4和5分钟，对研究参与者耳廓血管通透性进行了对比增强MRI评估。对患病身体部位相关的器官投影区的对比增强磁共振图像与相同但健康身体部位相关的器官投影区（对照组）的图像进行了最终的统计学比较。据推测，24个与患有严重病症的体内器官/身体部位相关的器官投影区通过标记白蛋白得以可视化，而25个与健康身体部位或轻微病症相对应的器官投影区未被观察到。器官投影区的可见性取决于相关体内器官/身体部位的病理程度，而不取决于器官/身体部位的种类、病因或疾病类型。体内器官/身体部位的病理学似乎会导致相关器官投影区内白蛋白浓度升高，从而在器官投影区产生特定的电现象。使用标记白蛋白的微血管对比增强MRI可用于可视化器官投影区。
