MRI scans provide clear pictures of living tissues without using beams of radiation. But new technology developed by UNM neuroscientist Elaine Bearer and collaborators at Caltech and USC takes the approach a step further.
Medical professionals read and pore over radiology reports, which are filled with complex terminology. But one term that can be particularly perplexing is “unremarkable.” What does it mean?
Brain
The brain is a large mass of nerve tissue protected by the skull that controls nearly every major system in our bodies. It’s also where our thoughts, memories and emotions originate.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revolutionized neuroscience in the past 40 years, allowing scientists to capture clear snapshots of living brain structures without using beams of radiation. But Bearer, with collaborators at the University of Southern California and California Institute of Technology, is pushing MRI one step further with a technique called manganese-enhanced MRI.
Manganese, a trace mineral found throughout the body, binds to neurons and highlights their activity. This enables neuroscientists to create what are essentially time-lapse images of how the brain responds to experiences over time. “This is like a movie of the brain,” says Bearer. “It shows you how the changes take place.”
In a paper published in the journal NeuroImage, Bearer and her colleagues used MEMRI to show how exposure to a scary stimulus — such as being scared by a monster in a horror movie — influences the way the amygdala, a brain structure important for emotion, evolves over time. They also used MEMRI to track how the hippocampus, a complex brain structure embedded deep into the medial temporal lobe, changes as people learn.
To further improve the accuracy of MRI scans, a new deep learning (DL) approach — which uses ML algorithms and artificial intelligence to train models to analyze brain MRI data — was developed. The study results showed that DL significantly outperformed previous methods with the ability to detect and characterize csPCa lesions, even in low-grade tumors. While DL-based BTS is a critical advance, a number of challenges remain, including diverse tumor types, limited datasets and weak validation. However, the research team believes that future advances in DL-based BTS will address these limitations and revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumors.
Lungs
A specialized vessel to transport life-giving oxygen throughout the body, the lung is a remarkable organ. However, its delicate and complex pathways can be tricky to navigate. This virtual reality experience takes you inside the lungs to see how these vital organs replenish our bodies with oxygen.
As a first-line diagnostic modality for tuberculosis (TB), lung MRI is capable of delineating TB features with high sensitivity and specificity. The central saturation seen in caseous necrosis and the peripheral hyper-intensity of liquefactive necrosis are both characteristic of TB foci. The presence of a vascular stroma is also indicative of TB infection.
T2-weighted turbo spin-echo (TSE) MRI has good spatial resolution and demonstrates fine details of bronchial and vascular structure in the lung. Unlike CT, TSE MRI does not expose patients to radiation. However, TSE MRI is susceptible to respiratory and cardiac motion artifacts that limit its clinical utility.
In a study of 63 pulmonary TB patients, MRI using a new multichannel gradient echo sequence with a variable spatial echo delay (MultiVane) significantly improved image quality and reduced respiratory and cardiac motion artifacts. As shown in the figure, MultiVane significantly reduces image distortion and improves the diagnostic ability of T2-weighted TSE MRI for assessing TB lesions.
Similarly, the use of a combined protocol consisting of fast spin-echo sequences (T2-W single-shot half-Fourier and rotating phase encoding), T1/T2-W SSFP and Dixon T1-weighted 3-D gradient echo MRI improved image quality in a retrospective study of 24 participants with TB and other respiratory diseases. This MR imaging approach reached a diagnostic performance of >90% for the key features of pulmonary nodules, pleural effusion and ground-glass opacities.
MRI is a useful modality for the evaluation of cystic lung diseases such as lymphangioleiomyomatosis and hydatid cysts. MRI is more helpful than CT in detecting cystic disease with high signal-to-noise ratio, such as fibrosis and cavitations, which are not well depicted by DW CT. Moreover, short inversion time inversion-recovery T2-weighted MR imaging is more accurate than DW CT for T-factor evaluation of N-stage NSCLC.
Chest
The chest is a complex region, home to the lungs and heart. A chest MRI is an effective, noninvasive way for providers to explore the area, allowing them to better understand what’s going on inside and guide treatment plans accordingly. In addition, the images obtained from this study can be used to evaluate and monitor a wide variety of medical conditions.
When it comes to preparing for an MRI, like a Biomed Scan MRI, you should always follow the guidelines provided by your healthcare provider. They may instruct you to make dietary or medication adjustments, for example. They will also provide guidance regarding the type of clothing you should wear, if any. It is important to share any relevant information with your MRI technologist, especially in regard to previous surgeries, any medical devices present or known allergies.
As you get ready for your scan, it is helpful to plan ahead and give yourself a little extra time so you can relax and feel calm. The procedure itself is painless, but you will hear noises like a rhythmic thumping or tapping, which is normal and part of the process. Some facilities also offer earplugs and headphones with music to make the experience more comfortable for you.
After your test, the images from your chest MRI will be uploaded and reviewed by an experienced radiologist, who will look for any signs of disease activity or change. Once the results are available, your doctor will discuss them with you in person or over the phone to ensure you fully understand them.
The team of experts that review your MRI results are highly experienced and specially trained to interpret these types of images. It takes a great deal of skill and precision to identify the fine details in these images, so it is critical that you speak up if you have any questions or concerns about your results. In many cases, the MRI results will be clear and provide you with good news that your health is excellent. In other situations, the MRI will reveal some disease activity that requires further examination and treatment.
Ears
The ears are two amazing parts of your body that collect sounds around you and send them to your brain. They are made up of three different sections that work together to listen and communicate: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear.
The ear is an organ of hearing and balance. It uses sound waves to convert mechanical energy into electrical impulses, which are sent to the brain, where they are interpreted as sounds. It also controls balance (equilibrium).
Embark on a spectacular journey inside the body as you travel in an all-new, state-of-the-art submarine that is designed to navigate the human body’s delicate structures and complex pathways. Throughout this interactive experience, you will explore the body’s powerful systems, including its 5D heart theater, breathe along as red blood cells, and step into the world of one of our billions of living cells to learn how they fight deadly viruses.
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