Development of an outdoor MRI system for measuring flow in a living tree

作者：Nagata Akiyoshi; Kose Katsumi; Terada Yasuhiko^*

来源：Journal of Magnetic Resonance, 2016, 265: 129-138.

DOI：10.1016/j.jmr.2016.02.004

• Outdoor MRI system
• Living tree
• Flow
• q-space imaging

An outdoor MRI system for noninvasive, long-term measurements of sap flow in a living tree in its natural environment has been developed. An open-access, 0.2 T permanent magnet with a 160 mm gap was combined with a radiofrequency probe, planar gradient coils, electromagnetic shielding, several electrical units, and a waterproofing box. Two-dimensional cross-sectional images were acquired for a ring-porous tree, and the anatomical structures, including xylem and phloem, were identified. The MRI flow measurements demonstrated the diurnal changes in flow velocity in the stem on a per-pixel basis. These results demonstrate that our outdoor MRI system is a powerful tool for studies of water transport in outdoor trees.

• 出版日期2016-4