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.

Multicenter trial finds MRI-targeted biopsies superior to standard biopsies for diagnosing prostate cancer

When treating men with a clinical suspicion of prostate cancer, providers often turn to an ultrasound-guided biopsy of the prostate, though that method has been associated with missing clinically significant cancers and detecting clinically insignificant cancers.

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Patients in yoga pants suffering burns during MRIs

If patients aren’t dressed appropriately when they undergo MRIs, they can suffer significant burns during the procedure. Due to small metal threads in the material, yoga pants and other similar clothing are a becoming a prime culprit.

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Wearable MRI glove captures clear images of bones, tendons moving together

A novel, flexible MRI component hit the national stage this week in the form of a glove, New York University researchers report. It is delivering science’s first-ever clear images of bones, tendons and ligaments moving together.

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ABVS means improved comfort, satisfaction for patients who would otherwise undergo MRI

Automated Breast Volume Scanner (ABVS) evaluation is close to matching traditional breast MRI in assessing tumor diameter and volume—and it’s leaving patients more satisfied and comfortable than its conventional counterpart, a study published in the European Journal of Radiology suggests.

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Researchers use fMRI to study the brains of crocodiles

It’s no secret that researchers often use MRI equipment in creative ways. That trend has been continued by a group that turned to functional MRI (fMRI) to view the brains of crocodiles as they were exposed to various sounds.

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New York hospital drops $4.4M on claustrophobia-fighting MRI suite

Kenmore Mercy Hospital in Buffalo, New York, is taking its advanced imaging services up a notch with a $4.4 million MRI suite, Niagara Frontier Publications reported this week.

Example of spectral, or dual-energy CT, confirming a pulmonary embolism (PE). Image courtesy of Philips Healthcare

MRA vs CTA for evaluating pulmonary embolism: Does the chosen modality impact downstream imaging utilization?

MR angiography (MRA) is a relatively new alternative to CT angiography (CTA) for the evaluation of suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) and it even has one major advantage over CTA: it does not expose patients to ionizing radiation.

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Exporting data from DXA exams directly to the EMR reduces errors, improves turnaround times

Automatically exporting bone mineral density (BMD) data from dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) exams to the electronic medical record (EMR) reduces errors and improves turnaround times, according to a new study published in the Journal of Digital Imaging.