The Biological Underpinnings of Various Magnetic Resonance Imaging Techniques in Neuroscience

Dear Colleagues,

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique that enables the observation of the anatomic structures, physiological functions, and molecular composition of tissues. It operates on the principles of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), utilizing computer-generated magnetic field gradients and radio waves to create images. MRI is the most commonly used modality for imaging of the brain and spinal cord in contexts such as multiple sclerosis, spinal cord disease, stroke, tumors, brain damage from trauma, etc. Functional brain MRI (fMRI) is a special MRI method that produces images of brain activation via the detection of regional changes in blood flow to specific parts of the brain. It can be used to study human brain function and cognition in healthy individuals and groups with abnormal brain states, such as identifying the important areas of the brain for language and motor control in patients undergoing brain surgery. fMRI can also be used to assess the damage caused by head injuries or conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. Other examples of specialized techniques in neuroscience are diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and tractography, which provide unique insights into the movement of water molecules within tissues, elucidating details about fiber tracts in the brain and spinal cord. These techniques are particularly instrumental in assessing conditions such as stroke, neurodegenerative diseases, and white matter disorders. Perfusion imaging, which examines blood flow patterns, enhances our understanding of tissue vitality and is valuable in conditions like stroke and tumor evaluation. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is employed to analyze tissue chemical composition, measuring metabolite levels and aiding in the assessment of conditions such as tumors, metabolic disorders, and brain injuries.

The application of MRI in clinical diagnosis and scientific research has greatly promoted the rapid development of medicine, neurophysiology, and cognitive neuroscience.

This Special Issue aims to bring together the current research progress on MRI from both academia and hospitals to address the challenges in the complex biomedical data. Original research and review articles on MRI topics are welcomed.

Dr. Sven Månsson
Guest Editor

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• magnetic resonance imaging
• MRI
• neuroimaging
• Alzheimer's disease
• NMR
• cognitive neuroscience