Clinical application of functional magnetic resonance imaging in China

摘要

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been widely used in basic research in the past decade, and more clinically in recent years. Unlike conventional MRI that demonstrates the anatomy and morphology of the brain, fMRI provides the functional information of the brain, including neuronal activation, perfusion, diffusion, metabolism, and fiber connection. Since the publication of the pioneer study by Ogawa et al1 in 1990, blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) technique has been adopted by neuroscientists and psychologists in research into the mechanisms of motion, vision, hearing, language, memory, and functions of the brain. Soon after, clinical studies with BOLD technique were conducted in some fields like surgery (surgical planning). In China, however, basic and clinical studies on fMRI in the early years were limited by the shortage of funding, difficulty in integrating personnel of different disciplines from different institutions, and long-term use of MR scanners. In recent years, the studies on fMRI in this country have been flourishing as the conditions are greatly improved, and the number of published papers has increased because more and more radiologists and clinicians are involved.