Data from: Tracking free water in human body by magnetic resonance imaging: New insights on the network pathways

Water is the most indispensable material for life. Although extensive
research has been carried out at the microscopic level, including studies
focusing on transport and molecular effects, the macroscopic water system
of the human body is still unclear. In this study, the distribution of
free water in the human body under natural conditions was non-invasively
depicted by magnetic resonance hydrography sequences. Spatial saturation
technique was used to explore the dynamic properties of free water.
Imaging and post-processing results reveal that abundant free water formed
a macroscopic network consisting of interconnected pathways. The slow-flow
trajectories of some waterways were captured in the saturation band. The
free water channels enclosed or bordered the space around blood vessels
and nerves or traversed the tissues. This spatial relationship is similar
to the fluid flow patterns in the interstitial space in the periphery and
the glymphatic system of the brain, suggesting potential physiological
functions and pathological variations.