Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold standard imaging modality for soft tissues. It produces detail cross-sectional images of soft tissue and bone anatomy, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, brain and organs, without the use of ionizing radiation. In addition to orthopedic imaging, MRI is also used for heart, brain and breast. MRI uses gadolinium contrast in many exams to highlight tissues and blood vessels, which enhances images and offers better diagnostic quality. It can also be used in conjunction with PET scans. How does MRI work? MR creates images by using powerful magnets to polarize hydrogen atoms in water (the body is made of of more than 80% water) so they face in one direction. A radiofrequency pulse is then used to ping these atoms, causing them to wobble, or resonate. The MRI coils detect this and computers can assemble images from the signals. Basic MRI scans will focus on the resonance of fat and water in two different sequences, which highlight and contrast different features in the anatomy.

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Brain MRI research fuels hopes for an answer to Alzheimer’s

Tens of millions of baby boomers are expected to live long enough to develop Alzheimer’s, and just about as many are worried about those prospects. One of them is a writer on Cape Cod named Susan Moeller. A recent memory lapse prompted her to publish her hopes, fears and observations.

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Structural MRI identifies insomnia as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s

Going by structural MRI of the brain, older people under 80 who have normal cognitive function but poor sleep quality are at heightened risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).

AMRA receives FDA approval for MRI body measurement solution

AMRA, a medical technology company based out of Linköping, Sweden, has received FDA clearance for AMRA Profiler, an MR solution that measures a patient’s fat volumes, fat fractions and lean tissue volumes.

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Ultrafast MRI brain scans sufficient for diagnosing stroke in a hurry

MRI scans completed in just one minute can produce images of decent enough quality to diagnose stroke as well as intracranial abnormalities in patients who can’t hold still for long, including children, according to the authors of a pilot study published online Dec. 7 in the Journal of Neurology.

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Whole-body PET/MRI shows promise for staging high-risk prostate cancer patients

Whole-body PET/MRI shows potential to provide physicians with a “one-stop-shop” for staging high-risk prostate cancer patients, according to new research published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

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Functional MRI shows war veterans’ brains compensating for blast-related TBI

The brains of war veterans who have suffered blast-related mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) appear to ward off long-term memory loss by changing connectivity across multiple regions, according to a pilot study published online Dec. 5 in Brain Imaging and Behavior.

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AI trained to detect, measure aneurysms in MRA images

A convolutional neural network (CNN) can detect and measure cerebral aneurysms in magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) images, according to findings published in the Journal of Digital Imaging.

RSNA 2018: What fMRI tells us about men with internet gaming disorder

The brains of men with internet gaming disorder (IGD) showcase issues not present in the brains of women with the same disorder, according to a study presented Nov. 28 at RSNA 2018 in Chicago.