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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Thousands of MRI scans help experts understand 500-year-old heart mystery first described by Leonardo da Vinci

Artificial intelligence also played a large role in discovering how this intricate network of muscle fibers can influence health, experts explained in Nature.

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Radiologists should avoid MR imaging COVID-19 patients ‘except where absolutely necessary’

That’s according to new guidance on the deployment of magnetic resonance imaging during the pandemic issued recently by the American College of Radiology. 

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ADHD medication can negatively impact child brain development

A commonly prescribed drug used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) disproportionately affects the development of children’s brains compared to adults with ADHD, according to a new study published in Radiology.

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How Secure Is That Scanner?

In a world of networked medical devices, it’s not hard to imagine a radiology-heavy cyberattack that is not only malicious but also ingenious.
 

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SBRT an effective local treatment for HCC patients

“The results of this research are extremely exciting, as it will significantly impact clinical care,” reported study author Mishal Mendiratta-Lala, MD, with the division of abdominal radiology at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor.

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Cardiac MRI-derived T2 mapping may help heart failure patients

Researchers used T2 mapping taken from weekly cardiac MRIs to help identify cardiotoxicity at an early stage, according to results of a pig study published Feb. 18 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The findings could help cancer patients at risk of chemo-induced heart failure.

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T2 mapping may uncover cardiotoxic marker early enough to prevent heart failure

T2 mapping derived from weekly cardiac MRIs helped researchers identify cardiotoxicity at an early and reversible stage, a finding which may have implications for cancer patients at risk of chemotherapy-induced heart failure.

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Insurer's price calculator severely underestimates breast MRI cost for Philadelphia woman

Although many insurance providers have invested in price calculators for patients to determine out-of-pocket costs, one Philadelphia woman discovered they may severely underestimate actual prices for services, according to a recent report by The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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Around the web

Cardiovascular Business
Positron partners with Upbeat Cardiology Solutions to improve cardiac PET/CT access

Positron, a New York-based nuclear imaging company, will now provide Upbeat Cardiology Solutions with advanced PET/CT systems and services. 

Cardiovascular Business
Global shortage of nuclear imaging isotopes may be over

The nuclear imaging isotope shortage of molybdenum-99 may be over now that the sidelined reactor is restarting. ASNC's president says PET and new SPECT technologies helped cardiac imaging labs better weather the storm.

Cardiovascular Business
‘A huge win’: CMS significantly increases Medicare payments for cardiac CT

CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.