第31回 日本 エ ム ・イ ー 学 会 大 会 Japan Soc.

ME&BE (May, 1992)

IL-1

BIOMAGNETISM: AN OVERVIEW OF THIS TECHNOLOGY

DAVID COHEN
Francis Bitter National Magnet Laboratory
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

Biomagnetism is defined as the phenomenon where biological material produces an

external magnetic field. This definition will be discussed, and the difference will be

shownbetweenthis phenomenonand other phenomenasuch as magnetobiology(the

effectof magneticfieldson biologicalmaterial). Then an outlinewill be givenof the
three ways, in biomagnetism, that the magnetic fields are produced; it will be shown

how these three ways lead to further subdivisions such as neuromagnetism and cardio-

magnetism, pneumomagnetism and cytomagnetism. Next, the main historical devel-

opments in biomagnetism will be given, leading to the present-day technique of using

multi-channel SQUIDs in a magnetically-shielded room. Then the present status of

the various subdivisions of biomagnetism will be outlined, especially the status of the

most popular subdivision, which is neuromagnetism. In this subdivision, the capability

of the magnetoencephalogram(MEG) will be considered, and the fact that it is co-

plementaryto the electroencephalogram(EEG),

The presentcontroversyoverMEGvs.
EEG localization accuracy will be mentioned, leading to the conclusion that the MEG

is indeed useful, not so much for spatial localization, but for deciding between different

source models; this is because of the unique feature of the MEG where its response

to radially-oriented sources in the brain is strongly suppressed. In this regard, it will

be seen that multi-channel MEG SQUID systems have a use both in basic research of

the brain, and in clinical application. Finally, a guess will be made as to the future

of the various subdivisions in biomagnetism, such as neuromagnetism and cardiomag-

netism. The possibilities produced by high-temperature superconductors will be taken

into account, especilally the use of SQUIDS cooled in liquid nitrogen.

医 用 電 子 と生 体 工 学 第30巻 特 別 号(1992)

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