No abstract

A comparative investigation of the same specimen of scleractinian Fungia fungites L. coral skeleton performed by means of both X-and g-ray computer axial tomography has revealed several features such as annual growth rings, gastrovascular cavity or sclerosepta to sixths order and more. The apparent thickens of scleorosepta varied between 0.1 and 0.19 mm while the number of growth rings allows us to estimate the average annual growth ratio to about 8 mm/y. Although X-ray computer axial tomography images appear to be of a better quality, no significant differences concerning sensitivity or spatial resolution could be noticed between the two categories of tomographs.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of central nervous system with presumed autoimmune origin. It is largely accepted that the inflammatory induced loss of axons and neurons is the underlying cause of disability in multiple sclerosis patients. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a new neuroimaging technique based on MRI, used for quantification of water diffusion in tissues. We performed DTI to 12 MS patients in order to assess diffusion parameters (fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, longitudinal diffusivity (F1) and transversal diffusivities (F2, F3). We found that F1 may be used as an indicator of axonal loss in human as well, proving a good correlation with degree of disability.

No abstract