Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
J Magn Reson. 2019 Sep;306:145-149. doi: 10.1016/j.jmr.2019.07.022. Epub 2019 Jul 9.
Molecular imaging using MRI is gaining momentum. While sensitivity of MR is limited compared to other molecular imaging modalities, the molecular specificity is high in comparison. Moreover, MRI offers contrast based on multitude of processes and scales, from intramolecular relaxation pathways to water diffusion. Living tissue offers abundance of potential molecular targets of interest in biology and medicine. In this short perspective we focus on some direct and indirect methods to visualize endogenous molecules. We briefly discuss Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI), Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) and Magnetization Transfer Contrast (MTC). Imaging molecules with MRI is part of the larger universe of imaging methods. Moreover, it is part of ever increasing pool of data combining imaging with other modalities, biology and patient outcomes.
磁共振成像的分子影像学正在兴起。虽然与其他分子影像学模式相比，磁共振的灵敏度有限，但与之相比，其分子特异性很高。此外，MRI 提供了基于多种过程和尺度的对比，从分子内弛豫途径到水扩散。活体组织在生物学和医学中提供了大量潜在的分子靶标。在这个简短的视角中，我们专注于一些直接和间接的方法来可视化内源性分子。我们简要讨论了波谱成像（MRSI）、化学交换饱和转移（CEST）和磁化转移对比（MTC）。用 MRI 对分子进行成像属于成像方法的更大范畴。此外，它还是将成像与其他模式、生物学和患者结果相结合的不断增加的数据池的一部分。
