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.

overnight night shift attending radiologist burnout

New MRI guidelines help decrease call burden on off-hours neuroradiologists by 74%

“As radiology strives to lessen staff call burden, generalist triage can sustain clinical service levels and reduce at-home call burnout,” experts wrote in JACR

FDA clears artificial intelligence-based MRI assistant from South Korean developer

Vuno's DeepBrain is intended to automate the manual process of identifying, labeling and quantifying brain structures from MRIs. 

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Multidisciplinary quality improvement initiative significantly improves on-time starts for cardiac MRI

Such delays can result in longer patient fasts, extended wait times, and poor synchronization of anesthesia induction, researchers detailed in JACR

Inmate, prison guard stuck to MRI machine at unregulated site

The incident happened at a SimonMed location in Arizona after staff failed to remove a waist shackle from the inmate.

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21st Century Cures Act information-blocking rule has no impact on patient complaints in radiology

That’s according to a new single-center analysis from Vanderbilt University Medical Center published in JAMA Health Forum.

Price shopping transparency

‘Secret shopper’ study co-authored by Mark Cuban finds hospitals failing at imaging price transparency

“These results suggest that hospitals need to substantially improve the integration of their online pricing data with frontline staff who interact with patients," investigators wrote in JAMA Internal Medicine

AI artificial intelligence stethoscope doctor

After seeing 17 different doctors, boy with rare condition receives diagnosis from ChatGPT

The program landed on tethered cord syndrome, which a neurosurgeon later confirmed as the correct diagnosis. 

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Mayo Clinic, GE HealthCare launch strategic collaboration seeking to innovate in imaging and theranostics

Both will work in tandem to produce new research and products, aspiring to “transform the experience of patients and clinicians in the practice of radiology.”