The Reading Room: Potential fMRI Alternative -- fPACT

When it comes to brain imaging, functional MRI – commonly called fMRI – is considered the gold standard. However, it can be costly, time consuming, and come with several restrictions that can prohibit use with certain patients.

In recent years, investigators have been searching for a different brain imaging method that can side-step these problems and potentially provide better quality scans at the same time. Researchers from the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine and California Institute of Technology recently succeeded. They’ve developed functional photoacoustic computed tomography (fPACT) – a technique that works by emitting a laser beam of light into the area being imaged.

Drs. Charles Liu and Jonathan Russin join me to discuss the differences and benefits with fPACT.