NON-INVASIVE IMAGING METHOD FOR EARLY DETECTION AND MAPPING THE SEVERITY OF DISEASES BY USING CEST MRI

摘要

A non-invasive CEST MRI imaging method is disclosed for early detection and mapping the severity of diseases by using MRI. The endogenous magnetic resonance image (MRI) contrast of the biological tissue can rely on the endogenous protons of the proteins and peptides as a source of the contrast, such as hydroxyl, amine, and amide protons, and thereby provide imaging of the accumulation of amyloid beta, accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles, aggregation proteins and peptides, the hypoxia in cancer and non-cancer tissue, the tissues atrophy, distinguish the edema from the tumor, determine tumor boundary, monitor response of tumor to treatment and detect lower grade tumor by using endogenous protons contrast via CEST MRI. The difference in CEST images signals is used to detect and map severity of the diseases and predict response to treatment. The method works without contrast agents or tracers.