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.

MRI-compatible tech allows for imaging without contrast agents

MRI-compatible technology out of Purdue University has the ability to detect and monitor cerebral vascular disorders and injuries without the use of potentially harmful contrast agents, the university announced this week.

June 6, 2018

fMRI research reveals how toddlers form memories

Research out of the University of California, Davis is offering insight into how toddlers form memories, marking the first study of its kind to shed light on how specific brain regions are activated during memory recall in 2-year-olds.

June 5, 2018

Philips gains FDA clearance for 3T MR solution, 2 applications

Royal Philips announced Tuesday, June 5, that its Ingenia Elition 3.0T MR solution and two clinical applications, Philips Compressed SENSE and 3D APT, have received FDA approval.

June 5, 2018
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Insights from 2016 Olympics: MRI study finds track and field athletes most likely to injure pelvis

Physicians performed 869 radiological exams in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during the 2016 Summer Olympics, finding track and field athletes were the most prone to pelvic muscle injuries of any Olympians, researchers have reported in the European Journal of Radiology. 

June 1, 2018
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MRI study finds businessmen bond with companies like fathers bond with children

Businessmen bond with their ventures the same way parents bond with their kids, Forbes reports—and that can have both positive and negative implications for those men.

May 31, 2018
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fMRI finds kids are best stimulated by traditional storybooks—not audio or animation

When it comes time for a bedtime story, 3- to 5-year-olds benefit most from traditional picture books and less from audio-only or animated alternatives, NPR has reported.

May 30, 2018
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Novel 3D-printing technique generates full anatomical models from MRI, CT scans

A 3D-printing technique originated at Harvard University allows clinicians to produce highly detailed models of human anatomy in less than an hour—for a fraction of the cost and labor needed for a lower quality product, researchers reported in 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing this month.

May 30, 2018

Amplified MRI captures brain movement in conjunction with heartbeat

Novel technology known as phase-base amplified MRI is the first to capture the brain’s movement in conjunction with a heartbeat, opening the door for earlier detection of brain disorders and abnormalities, researchers from Stanford University and the University of Auckland announced this week.

May 30, 2018