scholarly journals The Problem of Metal Needles in Acupuncture-fMRI Studies

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Beissner ◽  
Ulrike Nöth ◽  
Thomas Schockert
Keyword(s):  
Image Quality ◽  
Sensory Stimulation ◽  
Laser Acupuncture ◽  
Rf Heating ◽  
Rf Coil ◽  
Safe Alternative ◽  
Transmitter Coil ◽  
Acupuncture Research ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Metal Needle

Acupuncture is a therapy based on sensory stimulation of the human body by means of metal needles. The exact underlying mechanisms of acupuncture have not been clarified so far. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has become an important tool in acupuncture research. Standard acupuncture needles, which are made of ferromagnetic steel, however, are problematic in acupuncture-fMRI studies for several reasons, such as attraction by the scanner's magnetic field, significant image distortions and signal-dropouts, when positioned close to the head or even heating due to absorption of radio frequency (RF). The aim of this study was to compare two novel types of acupuncture needles with a standard needle for their effect on MRI image quality. The standard needle severely reduced image quality, when located inside the RF coil. The nonferromagnetic metal needle may pose a risk due to RF heating, while the plastic needle has a significantly larger diameter. In conclusion, our recommendations are: (1) standard needles should not be used in MRI; (2) Nonferromagnetic metal needles seem to be the best choice for acupoints outside of the transmitter coil; and (3) only plastic needles are suited for points inside the coil. Laser acupuncture may be a safe alternative, too.

The role of statistics in perception

2001 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 748-748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Horace Barlow
Keyword(s):  
Sensory Stimulation ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Hoffman is worried that perception itself leaves no time for the computation and compilation of statistics, but this has never been proposed. It is the underlying mechanisms that are thought to have evolved in response to the statistics of sensory stimulation, and which are capable of adjusting their parameters in response to changes in these statistics.

Development of a new RF coil and γ-ray radiation shielding assembly for improved MR image quality in SPECT/MRI

2010 ◽  
Vol 55 (9) ◽  
pp. 2495-2504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seunghoon Ha ◽  
Mark J Hamamura ◽  
Werner W Roeck ◽  
L Tugan Muftuler ◽  
Orhan Nalcioglu
Keyword(s):  
Image Quality ◽  
Radiation Shielding ◽  
Rf Coil ◽  
Mr Image ◽  
Γ Ray

Evoked Potential Correlates of Display Image Quality

1978 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 589-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank E. Gomer ◽  
Kenneth G. Bish
Keyword(s):  
Image Quality ◽  
Human Brain ◽  
Evoked Potential ◽  
Sensory Stimulation ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Display System ◽  
System Parameters ◽  
Gray Shade

The electrical activity generated in the human brain following sensory stimulation can be recorded as voltage differences between electrodes attached to the scalp. These voltage differences are referred to as evoked potentials, and they offer a unique, yet objective, means of assessing visual function. As such, they may link subjective judgments concerning the apparent quality of displayed information with more quantitative measures of perception that are obtained from psychophysical investigations. This report describes the changes in evoked potential amplitude which are exhibited in response to variations in two display system parameters, horizontal resolution and gray shade level. Suggestions are made with respect to future research of this nature.

The Progress of Advanced Engineering Materials in Acupuncture Needle

2016 ◽  
Vol 723 ◽  
pp. 277-281
Author(s):  
Yu Dan Liang ◽  
Xiu Hua Chen
Keyword(s):  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Laser Acupuncture ◽  
Magnetic Pole ◽  
International Database ◽  
Stainless Steel Needle ◽  
Acupuncture Needle ◽  
Fire Needle ◽  
Engineering Materials ◽  
Metal Needle

In order to promote the development of acupuncture technique and improve the effect of acupuncture, acupuncturists have innovated and produced many new acupuncture needles using suitable engineering materials. This article aims to show the progress of advance engineering materials in acupuncture needles. We searched the international database PubMed, EI, and the Chinese database CNKI, Wangfang. The MESH and Key words were: acupuncture needle, needle implement, acupuncture implement, float needle, new nine needles, fire needle, laser acupuncture. And we classified the new needles into 5 related parts: name, inventor, function, materials and application. In this study, we had summarized common used 13 needles and 15 materials. The mainly used needles were Stone Needle, Metal needle, Stainless steel needle, New nine needles, Magnetic pole needle and Floating-Acupuncture. The mainly used materials were Si Bin floating stone, stainless steel, magnet, molybdenum, tungsten .Stainless steel needle is the most frequently used in clinic. In conclusion, there are not many advance engineering materials applied in acupuncture needles. A few materials help to promote the development of acupuncture but they are not frequently used enough. The development of acupuncture needs more suitable materials to improve the function of needle. An ideal needle may be painless but thicker enough to manipulate, and produce some material effect to produce enough stimulating quantity.

scholarly journals Ultrasound Image Optimization (“Knobology”): B-Mode

2020 ◽  
Vol 06 (01) ◽  
pp. E14-E24
Author(s):  
David Zander ◽  
Sebastian Hüske ◽  
Beatrice Hoffmann ◽  
Xin-Wu Cui ◽  
Yi Dong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Image Quality ◽  
Ultrasound Imaging ◽  
Ultrasound Image ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Therapeutic Tool ◽  
Modern Equipment ◽  
Physical Knowledge ◽  
Image Optimization ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

AbstractUltrasound is a ubiquitous and indispensable diagnostic and therapeutic tool in medicine. Due to modern equipment and automatic image optimization, the introduction of ultrasound imaging currently requires only little technical and physical knowledge. However, in-depth knowledge of the device functions and underlying mechanisms is essential for optimal image adjustment and documentation. From a medical as well as an aesthetic point of view, the goal should always be to achieve the best possible image quality. The first part of this article provides an overview of the handling of ultrasound systems, fundamental adjustments, and their optimization in B-mode ultrasound.

MR Safety and In Vivo Thermal Characterization of an RF Coil at 9.4T

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devashish Shrivastava ◽  
Timothy Hanson ◽  
Robert Schlentz ◽  
William Gallagher ◽  
Carl Snyder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Change ◽  
Thermal Characterization ◽  
Rf Heating ◽  
Rf Coil ◽  
Rf Power ◽  
Ultra High Field ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Head Coil

Correlating In vivo temperatures to the radio-frequency (RF) coil induced total RF power is necessary to ensure human safety in an ultra high field magnetic resonance (MR) application. Thus to ensure human safety in an ultra high field MR head imaging experiment, temperatures were measured as a function of time in the brain and surrounding cutaneous layer of twelve human sized, anesthetized swine (mean animal weight = 52kg, SD = ±6.7kg). In vivo temperatures were correlated to the RF power by developing coil and geometry specific normalized temperatures such that the RF coil induced cranial temperature change could be obtained during an MR exam by measuring only the whole head average specific absorption rate (ASAR) and the duration of the RF deposition. Thus, the feasibility of the thermal characterization of an RF volume head coil was shown. More specifically, a continuous wave (CW) RF was deposited in porcine cranium using a four loop RF head coil at 400 MHz (proton larmor frequency at 9.4T). Temperatures were recorded continuously using an inline probe placed at a predetermined location of 15mm inside the brain and a separate probe in the cutaneous layer. To differentiate the temperature response caused by the RF from that of anesthesia, the temperatures were recorded in four unheated, anesthetized swine for the complete duration of experiments (∼8hours). To study the effect of the spatial distribution of the RF as well as the tissue thermal/electrical properties and blood perfusion, the inline temperature probe was placed at two locations (N = 4 for each location). Results showed that the thermal characterization of an RF coil was possible such that the normalized temperature maps when multiplied by the ASAR and the RF heating time would predict In vivo temperature change during heating. Further, it was shown that at 9.4 T 1) the RF heating caused an inhomogeneous normalized temperature distribution in the brain; and 2) the skin temperature change was an unreliable parameter to assess In vivo temperature change.

scholarly journals Ten Years Evidence-Based High-Tech Acupuncture Part 3: A Short Review of Animal Experiments

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerhard Litscher
Keyword(s):  
Animal Experiments ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Research Unit ◽  
Laser Acupuncture ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Spectral Edge Frequency ◽  
Spectral Edge ◽  
Acupuncture Research ◽  
Medical University

High-tech acupuncture research has been performed for 10 years at the Research Unit of Biomedical Engineering in Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine at the Medical University of Graz. This article as a part of a series comprises animal experiments in the field of needle and laser acupuncture. The investigations presented in this article were performed in pigs, dogs and sheep. In all studies sedative stimulation effects of the acupoint Yintang are described using different measurement parameters (EEG-bispectral index, EEG spectral edge frequency and metabolic parameters).

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