MRI

For victims of psychological trauma, the challenge of suppressing painful memories may be rooted in the wiring of the brain, an ongoing study revealed at the RSNA conference Wednesday.

With the help of new robotic training, victims of stroke may be able to extend the narrow six-month window to regain their mobility, according to a recent study presented at the RSNA conference Wednesday.

A neuroradiologist, a neurosurgeon, and a radiological technologist explained to an RSNA audience how working together to analyze fMR scans has significantly helped them pinpoint hard-to-reach brain tumors and plan delicate surgery, resulting in improved surgical outcomes.

Adolescent gymnasts are developing a wider variety of arm, wrist, and hand injuries than previously described in gymnast-related medical literature, according to a retrospective review presented Monday at the RSNA meeting.

Results of a study by University of Vermont researchers suggest that 3T MRI should be considered as an alternative to CT in the evaluation of pediatric and young adult patients presenting to the emergency room with acute abdominal pain.

Philips Healthcare unveiled two MR scanners on the RSNA 2008 exhibit floor: one at 3T, the other at 1.5T. Both emphasize productivity and clinical value, albeit by different means.

Results from papers released Sunday at the 2008 RSNA suggest that a less rigid approach to treatment, coupled with knowledgeable practitioners and judicious patient selection can improve the commercial prospects of outpatient MRI-guided focused ultrasound ablation of uterine fibroids. There are caveats, though.

Breast MRI can have a positive impact on clinical decision making for African American women with newly diagnosed breast cancer, leading to wider excisions and mastectomies, according to a new study carried out in Ohio. Age is also a factor.

An aggressive, stealthy small breast cancer sub-type accounts for 10 percent of all breast cancers but half of all lesion-related deaths.

Patient comfort during MR and the efficiency of functional MR got a boost at RSNA 2008 with the unveiling by Resonance Technology of enhancements to its CinemaVision audio video systems and FuncLAB automated fMRI image data processor.

Preliminary results from American College of Radiology Imaging Network Trial 6657 show that MRI estimates residual breast cancer disease area better than clinical exams or mammography.

A new technique may help characterize diffusion anisotropy in the spinal cord in a clinical setting. Researchers have determined that using 3D single-shot diffusion-weighted stimulated echo-planar imaging in the cervical spinal cord results in higher resolution and less distortion than 2D single-shot diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging.

Results from the largest and longest trial of its kind suggest that patients with intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinomas who undergo systematic treatment with three chemotherapeutic agents and arterial embolization plus imaging follow-up have better survival rates than those who undergo nonstandardized chemoembolization regimes.

The RSNA will underscore the unique achievements of Japanese imaging researchers in “Japan Presents,” a presentation of seven scientific papers focusing on diagnostic radiology. On Monday, Dec. 1, each paper will be introduced with the Japanese spin on ideas and concepts.

Themes emerging from breast imaging abstracts at the upcoming RSNA include the increased use of breast MRI, full-field digital mammography versus film-screen mammography, and more.

President-elect Barack Obama’s appointment of former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle to head the Department of Health and Human Services, combined with a commitment from insurers and a detailed plan from the chair of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, suggests strongly that healthcare reform will be a top priority for the new administration and the 111th Congress.

There is nothing like a little momentum to help the RSNA organizers present the latest developments in imaging research in the meeting’s scientific sessions. Everyone associated with imaging sciences from Beijing to New York City understands that presenting research in Chicago is an essential requirement for membership in this unique community.

Every day, I’m getting better at making tough decisions. I know this because searching the Internet stimulates the parts of my brain that control decision making and complex reasoning.

Using brain imaging and chocolate milkshakes, scientists have found that women with weakened “reward circuitry” in their brains are at increased risk of weight gain over time and potential obesity. The risk increases even more for women who also have a gene associated with compromised dopamine signaling in the brain.

An advisory legal opinion from the Department of Health and Human Services in favor of a specialized service to handle the processing of high-tech preauthorization requests for referring physicians has drawn a mixed response among legal and industry authorities.

Last week the FDA posted a recall notice on its website, notifying healthcare providers that the maker of the Nebion HLX-8 Magnetic Resonance Device had made unsupported claims. The marketing folks behind this product apparently believed it possessed quasi-magical powers.

Those of us who recognize our frailties -- the prejudices and biases that creep almost imperceptibly into our decision making -- would welcome a quantifiable means for ensuring that those decisions are best made. Last month, prosecutors successfully convinced a court in Mumbai, India, that a scan that records activity in distinct areas of the brain can be such a measure. On the basis of a “Brain Electrical Oscillations Signature” test, the court convicted and sentenced to life in prison a 24-year-old woman for murdering her fiancé.

Sonography can accurately detect the causes of stump pain in amputees, according to researchers in the U.K. Investigators say ultrasound findings could guide management, help educate patients about their condition, and allow prosthesis design customization.

Radiologists worry about surprise rate cuts and tighter tech regulation but still wield influence over IT and healthcare quality initiatives

MRI’s changing status as an instrument for breast cancer diagnosis and evaluation was apparent last month at the 2008 American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting. One study suggested that MR’s growing popularity for treatment planning may had led to more mastectomies, and another trial added to growing evidence about its ability to identify metastatic lymph nodes.

Evidence that plaque pathophysiology and not just stenosis may be responsible for cardiac and cerebrovascular disease continues to accumulate. Three-D MRI can accurately detect bleeding carotid artery walls, a potentially predictive warning of stroke, according to Canadian investigators.

The deadline for implementation of the EU Physical Agents (Electromagnetic Field) Directive was originally set as April 2008. As this deadline approached, information about the legislation's likely impact on the daily use of MRI was distributed widely.