Measuring Random Microscopic Motion of Water in Tissues with MR Imaging

Cat brain images sensitized to incoherent motion by additional gradient pulses were obtained on a 4.7 T magnetic resonance unit equipped with shielded gradient coils. The apparent diffusion coefficient of water in gray and white matter was accurately determined and imaged from the signal attenuation curve obtained as a function of gradient strength. Contrast in calculated diffusion images differed from typical T2-weighted contrast. Furthermore, in gray matter and in areas containing flowing CSF the attenuation curve was found to be biexponential. These results are interpreted in terms of a simple voxel model with microcirculation and diffusion contributions.