Erik Odeblad

STUDIES ON VAGINAL CONTENTS AND CELLS WITH PROTON MAGNETIC RESONANCE

There are only a few methods available for examination of the physicochemical properties of living and relatively intact cells. One such method is nuclear magnetic resonance. This method is a form of spectroscopy using electromagnetic radiation of very long wave lengths (low frequency), which implies that the energy supplied to the biological sample is far beyond any level of damage to the cells subjected to investigation. The first successful attempts to observe nuclear magnetic resonance in bulk matter were made by Bloch et al. (1946) and Purcell et al. (1946). Nuclear physics, physical chemistry, organic chemistry, and in the latest years, biochemistry and biology have begun to make extensive use of the nuclear magnetic resonance techniques.

Scintillometric length of uterus during adolescence.

The size of the uterus was determined with the method of scintillometry in adolescent girls. The correlation between age and uterine size showed large variations. The correlation between other signs of estrogenic activity and uterine size showed better correlation. A relation between time after menarche and uterine size is also presented. A comparison is made between the rectal and vaginal routes of scintillometry of the uterus. The diagrams are available as a normal reference in clinical applications.

The Structure of Water in the Myometrium

Myometrial slices from 76 mice, 25 guinea pigs, 5 non-pregnant and 2 full-term pregnant women were investigated, both during spontaneous activity and following stimulation and relaxation with drugs. 10-20 mm:’ of the specimen were sucked into a glass capillary and placed in a magnetic field of about 3000 gauss, surrounded by a microcoil supplying the radiofrequency (usually 13.6 Mdsec). The same coil served to pick up the resonance signal which was amplified and recorded. Signal area position, relaxation times and line widths were determined.