In vivo magnetic resonance imaging of sodium in the human body

Abstract
Sodium magnetic resonance imaging of the human body in vivo has been tried and its clinical application is considered. A short T2 imaging algorithm with total volume excitation and a specialized RF coil focused to the region of interest have been adopted to improve the signal‐to‐noise ratio. Using a 1.5‐T human body imaging system, several important organs including heart, liver, gallbladder, kidney, and spine have been examined to demonstrate their sodium concentration in vivo. © 1988 Academic Press, Inc.