MRI

If you use ultrasound to guide steroid and anesthetic injections to treat ankle injuries in high-performance athletes, chances are you do not practice in the U.S.

MRI performed at an unlimited specific absorption rate is safe in patients with some permanent pacemakers or implantable cardioverter/defibrillator (ICD) systems, as long as precautions are taken, according to a study from Israel.

Jeffrey Luci, Ph.D., would be the first to admit he is having a busy year. Having attained a faculty position at Vanderbilt University at the end of his National Institutes of Health research fellowship, the former University of Iowa chemistry grad student is now immersed in preparations for his forthcoming wedding. The list of last-minute details may seem endless, but at least the ring is taken care of, thanks to his $1000 award from the RSNA.

MRI is better than multislice CT for determining if and how far breast cancer has spread into the breast ducts, and it should be used before patients receive breast conserving therapy, according to a study in the August issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

Our journal review this month includes a new study using cardiac MRI that finds that unrecognized myocardial infarction is relatively common among the elderly and may become a new class of coronary artery disease. Other studies review cardiac MR safety and multislice CT of stent patency and compare 64-slice CT and gated SPECT for the evaluation of left ventricular function.

MRI performed at an unlimited specific absorption rate is safe in patients with some permanent pacemakers or implantable cardioverter/defibrillator (ICD) systems, as long as precautions are taken, according to a study from Israel.

By pinpointing the motor and language areas of the brain with functional MRI, surgeons can target brain tumors more effectively, while reducing the risk of damaging important cognitive and motor processes, according to a study in the September issue of Radiology.

Imaging may not diagnose actual condition, but it gives researchers insight into drug and genetic mechanisms

Stress echocardiography can accurately predict the onset of cardiovascular disease in patients waiting for kidney transplants.

After 19 years in a minimally conscious state, a man recovered language and motor function.

Diffusion-tensor and fiber tract reconstruction MR imaging can track white matter abnormalities that may affect children’s cognitive skills. University of Texas researchers say the new tool could help monitor brain development in pediatric patients.

Strategists focus attention on body applications at 3T to encourage widespread adoption in clinical practice

Organized coalition of imagers targets flimsy rationale behind Deficit Reduction Act

There is one central fact to which I owe my career, as do many of us in this room: that is the wondrous and mysterious fact that magnetic resonance never seems to be done.

Junior high school student with proper training could read certain cardiac CT studies

Researchers in the U.K. have found that an ultrasound-guided steroid and anesthetic injection can alleviate the pain and disability affecting soccer players with posterior ankle impingement. The minimally invasive treatment could help players recover pain-free mobility and return to the pitch sooner than conventional treatment would allow.

The June 2006 edition of the Health Devices journal by ECRI, an independent nonprofit health services research agency, contains an in-depth evaluation of 1.5T MR systems. The evaluation included GE’s Signa HD 1.5T, Siemens’ Magnetom Avanto, and Toshiba’s Vantage (the other major supplier of 1.5T systems, Philips, declined the invitation).

The FDA is advising caution in the use of gadolinium contrast agents with MRI in patients with advanced kidney failure.

PET can identify the brain receptors most vulnerable to nicotine absorption, measuring how just a single cigarette puff can drive the desire for smoking, according to National Institute on Drug Abuse researchers. Resulting data may lead to more effective treatments to help smokers quit.

In the first study in its kind, Japanese researchers have shown that MR imaging before and after contrast medium injection provides an accurate evaluation of articular cartilage repair. The technique could become an effective way to monitor treatment in this setting.

Various hemostatic vascular clips, other types of clips, fasteners, and staples evaluated for magnetic field interactions have been found to be acceptable for patients undergoing MR imaging procedures at 1.5T or less. These implants are made from nonferromagnetic materials such as tantalum, nitinol, and titanium. Some hemostatic and other similar clips are made from biodegradable materials, which do not pose a hazard to patients.

Researchers weigh alternatives while they search for optimal ferric material

Researchers focusing on various image-guided methods also evaluate quality of embolizing particles

Human immunodeficiency virus infection results in a wide spectrum of inflammatory, rheumatic, and neoplastic conditions

Exploiting signal-to-noise advantages of high field strength scanners proves key to making inroads and overcoming shortcomings

64-slice and dual-source scanners are improving visualization of coronary anatomy in patients

MR spectroscopy imaging is highly accurate for early detection of prostate cancer in asymptomatic patients, with 87% sensitivity and 93% specificity, according to new research from Spain.

Blood volume measurement and diffusion tensor imaging differentiate among tumor types

MR elastography could provide noninvasive diagnosis of hepatic fibrosis, according to researchers in Belgium and Minnesota. The technique could lead to earlier detection in patients at risk and reduce the need for biopsy.

Functional MRI can differentiate between people who experience substantial dread of adverse experiences and those who don't, according to a study released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.