Method for in-vivo NMR measurements in the human breast to screen for small breast cancer in an otherwise healthy breast
A method is described of conducting a noninvasive female breast cancer test comprising the steps of: (a) forming an inhomogeneous magnetic field between the poles of a magnet wherein the magnetic field defines a specific volume between the poles wherein the specific volume has a specified magnetic field intensity H/sub o/ for NMR testing and the specific volume extends outwardly to an edge defined by the outer edge of the female breast; (b) moving incrementally the specific volume from a beginning point toward an ending point to scan a breast between the pole pieces of the magnet and thereby move the specific volume through the breast the movement being with N examinations located along the breast at different locations wherein each specific volume has the defined thickness and outward extent; (c) periodically interrogating by a transmitted pulse from a coil into the breast portion located in the specific volume for NMR response wherein the NMR response is dependent on hydrogen in the water, and the water has two states, one state in cancer cells and the other state in healthy tissue, and the cancer cells provide a different NMR response compared with water in the healthy tissue, the step of interrogating including first and second NMR interrogations of specific breast volumes forming NMR responses; (d) wherein the magnetic field intensity in the specific volume and the pulse from the coil cause an NMR response from water in the body tissue making up the breast portion; and (e) determining cancer cell anomalies arising from cancer cells in the breast as indicated by comparison of the NMR water responses to form difference signals.
- Assignee:
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4608991
- OSTI ID:
- 5219179
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 26 Sep 1984
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
MAMMARY GLANDS
NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE
CARCINOGEN SCREENING
FEMALES
HYDROGEN
IN VIVO
MAGNET POLE PIECES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
NEOPLASMS
NMR SPECTRA
PULSES
SIGNALS
THICKNESS
TISSUES
WATER
BODY
DIMENSIONS
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
GLANDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MAGNETIC RESONANCE
NONMETALS
ORGANS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RESONANCE
SCREENING
SPECTRA
550602* - Medicine- External Radiation in Diagnostics- (1980-)