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.

Pediatric TBI study links mild head injuries with behavioral problems in kids

A new analysis revealed that children are at a 15% increased risk of an emotional or behavioral problem if they have experienced a mild TBI.

September 13, 2022
Money dollar economics payment

New analysis reveals enormous variations in prostate MRI pricing

A total of 37,073 MRI examinations conducted at 552 facilities across the U.S. between January 2010 and March 2020 were included in the analysis.

September 12, 2022
Depression

Neuroimaging analysis suggests that the brains of patients with depression are not so different after all

“Results of this case-control study suggest that even for maximum univariate biological differences, deviations between patients with MDD and healthy controls were remarkably small," experts shared in JAMA Psychiatry.

September 8, 2022
soft tissue lymphoma versus soft tissue tumor

Soft tissue lymphomas versus soft tissue tumors: MRI features reliably differentiate between the two

A new analysis offers a detailed comparison of soft-tissue lymphomas and soft-tissue tumors based on imaging characteristics from MRI scans—an area of study that has not yet been rigorously explored, the authors of the paper indicated.

September 8, 2022
bone and soft tissue tumors

Radiologists' understanding of tumor 'mimics' vital when assessing bone and soft tissue lesions

Authors of the new EJR paper explained that, although most of these tumors present in a similar way—with a lump or localized pain—their origins are wide-ranging and require the use of additional imaging to characterize the lesion. 

September 7, 2022
With the shortage, which pertains specifically to all formulations and concentrations of GE Healthcare’s Omnipaque (iohexol), expected to last until mid-June, several organizations have eluded that conservation efforts are of critical importance.#contrastshortage #CTcontrast #iodinatedcontrast

Omnipaque and Visipaque still listed among the FDA's drug shortages

According to the FDA’s most recent update, some presentations will remain out of stock or backordered until January 2023. 

September 6, 2022
The University of Southern California was among the first imaging centers in the U.S. to install a 7T MRI. This high-end part of the MRI market is small and is mainly made up of academic research centers. The main MRI market is made of of 1.5T systems, but there is rising demand for 3T, which Signify research may eventually become the standard for MRI.

Time-of-flight intracranial MRA at 5T comparable to 7T, new analysis shows

A new paper published in Radiology details an analysis of 3-T, 5T and 7T MRI to determine which system could achieve the best intracranial vascular image quality.

September 1, 2022
Two of the top stories this month included the death of MRI pioneer Raymond Vahan Damadian. Experts at MIT also developed ultrasound stickers that can be worn in the same manner as a Band-Aid while also producing diagnostic quality images in real-time. #MRI

Top Health Imaging stories in August 2022

Here are the most popular stories on Health Imaging in August, based on our website analytics. 

September 1, 2022

Around the web

Automated AI-generated measurements combined with annotated CT images can improve treatment planning and help referring physicians and patients better understand their disease, explained Sarah Jane Rinehart, MD, director of cardiac imaging with Charleston Area Medical Center.

Two advanced algorithms—one for CAC scores and another for segmenting cardiac chamber volumes—outperformed radiologists when assessing low-dose chest CT scans. 

"Gen AI can help tackle repetitive tasks and provide insights into massive datasets, saving valuable time," Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, said Tuesday. 

Trimed Popup
Trimed Popup