Functional Neuroimaging with Multiple Modalities (eBook)

To bring the current state-of-the-art medical imaging techniques to forefront and to facilitate the applications of advanced scientific and research techniques is one of the dreams of the author. Yongxia Zhou had completed her Ph.D from University of Southern California in Biomedical imaging (2004). Her research interest is neuroimaging and neuroscience applications. She had been trained and worked as neuroimaging scientists in several prestigious institutes including Columbia University, New York University and University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on multi-modal neuroimaging including using MRI/PET and EEG instrumentation as well as the integration of these multi-modal to make the best usage of each modality and to help interpreting underlying co-existing pathophysiological for better disease diagnosis and treatment. Her specific interest in MRI technology includes mapping of blood flow, oxygen saturation and extraction fraction and metabolism as well as vascular reactivity assessment with BOLD and arterial spin labeling (ASL)-based blood flow measures. She has published several book chapters, over 20 papers and more than 40 abstracts in reputed international journals and conferences,. She has been serving as several journal and international conference abstract reviewers including JMRI, JCBFM, ISMRM and ICAD. Searching for an objective and specific in vivo biomarker for normal physiology and early disease diagnosis has always been a major goal, but also one of the most challenging aspects in brain research. Possible earlier identification of the key pathological signature of diseases (for instance, Alzheimer's disease (AD)) is critical for efficient treatment and disease prevention. The concept of combined imaging features is based on the recent accumulating evidence that neither PET nor MRI alone is enough for characterizing the earliest AD pathology. The results of this book will, for the first time, highlight in vivo the possibility to describe the early detection and multiple biomarkers based on combined imaging features using PET-MRI, which is the most ideal model for such studies. The newly-developed hybrid imaging technology combining PET and MRI (PET/MRI) for the past few years is emerging, and has drawn much attention in technical developments and clinical applications. PET-MRI opens new horizons in multi-parametric neuroimaging for clinical research that allows simultaneous imaging of multiple parametric changes, such as blood flow and metabolism at the same time. This integration significantly decreases the potential errors in image registration, the difficulty of interpreting underlying coexisting pathophysiological events, and most importantly, patient discomfort. This book will provide the most up-to-date and current status of multiple neuroimaging techniques. The most intriguing application of multi-modality neuroimaging lies in simultaneous interpretation and unique information that each modality can offer. Therefore, this book will present some forefront and interesting examples for the first time in this field of research. This will hopefully trigger the interest of colleagues in this challenging field and help facilitate the applications of the neuroimaging techniques described.Target Audience:College to Post-graduate students, professionals including faculties in universities and scientists and other research and development staff interested in this topic