Magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

The invention provides a method of monitoring the vasodilatory or vasoconstrictive effects of a physiologically active substance administered to a human or non-human animal body, said method comprising the steps of: administering said substance into said body; administering into the systemic vasculature of said body a contrast enhancing amount of an intravascular paramagnetic metal containing magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent; subjecting said body to a magnetic resonance imaging procedure capable of generating from magnetic resonance signals from said body a series of temporally spaced images of at least a part of said body into which said agent passes, said procedure being a fast imaging procedure having an image acquisition time of less than five seconds; and detecting temporal variations in said signals or images whereby to monitor the vasoconstriction or vasodilation induced by said substance.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method of quantitatively monitoring surgically induced blood perfusion variations, said method comprising administering a contrast enhancing amount of an intravascular magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent into the systemic vasculature of a human or animal body which is undergoing or has undergone surgery, subjecting said body to a magnetic resonance imaging procedure capable of generating from magnetic resonance signals from said body a series of temporally spaced images of at least a part of said body into which said agent passes, and detecting temporal variations in said signals or images whereby to identify regions of surgically induced variations in blood perfusion flow or volume.  
     
     
         2 . A method of detecting regions of blood flow abnormality or variation in a human or non-human body, said method comprising the steps of (1) administering into the cardiovascular system of said body a contrast enhancing amount of a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent, (2) subjecting said body to a magnetic resonance imaging procedure and obtaining a series of temporally spaced magnetic resonance signals or images from regions in at least a part of said body into which said agent passes, (3) detecting temporal variations in said signals or images, and (4) identifying from said temporal variations in said signals or images regions of abnormal or modified blood flow in said body and providing a spatial indication of the degree of blood flow abnormality or modification therein.