Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) News and Research

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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses a large magnet and radio waves to look at organs and structures inside your body. Health care professionals use MRI scans to diagnose a variety of conditions, from torn ligaments to tumors. MRIs are very useful for examining the brain and spinal cord. Also called: Magnetic resonance imaging, NMR, Nuclear magnetic resonance.

Study shows image fusion guided biopsy improves accuracy of prostate cancer diagnosis

A recent study by investigators from LIJ Medical Center demonstrated that using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in men with an elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA) resulted in a prostate cancer detection rate that was twice as high as data reported in the March 1999 Prostate journal that analyzed men undergoing the standard 12-core biopsy with an elevated PSA.

22 May 2014

New optical approach to brain scanning for patients with electronic implants

Scientists have advanced a brain-scanning technology that tracks what the brain is doing by shining dozens of tiny LED lights on the head. This new generation of neuroimaging compares favorably to other approaches but avoids the radiation exposure and bulky magnets the others require, according to new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

20 May 2014

New technique can predict which stroke victims will benefit from clot-busting drugs

Johns Hopkins researchers say they have developed a technique that can predict — with 95 percent accuracy — which stroke victims will benefit from intravenous, clot-busting drugs and which will suffer dangerous and potentially lethal bleeding in the brain.

20 May 2014

Low risk prostate cancer not always low risk

More and more men who believe they have low-risk prostate cancers are opting for active surveillance, forgoing treatment and monitoring the cancer closely with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests, digital rectal exams and ultrasounds at regular intervals to see if their tumors are growing. Nearly 400 men are now enrolled in the UCLA Active Surveillance program, the largest in Southern California.

19 May 2014

Autoimmune epilepsy diagnostics: an interview with Dr. Joseph J. Higgins, Medical Director, Neurology, Athena Diagnostics, a business of Quest Diagnostics

Epilepsy is a group of neurological disorders often characterized by seizures and cognitive impairment due to electrical disturbances in the brain.

From Quest Diagnostics 14 May 2014

Cryogenically-cooled technology significantly enhances current capabilities of cardiac and brain MRI in mice

To effectively study cardiac morphology and function, or follow neuroinflammatory processes in the brain, image quality is everything. The current capabilities of cardiac and brain MRI in mice are being significantly enhanced by cryogenically-cooled technology, which is proving invaluable to researchers around the world.

From Bruker BioSpin - NMR, EPR and Imaging 14 May 2014

Molecular imaging and multimodality: an interview with Professor Silvio Aime, University of Turin

Molecular imaging aims at the visualization of molecules or molecular events that occur at the cellular level. Clearly it also allows the possibility of looking inside the biochemical pathway at the cellular level and therefore enables us to look at the onset of diseases well before they are resolved into structural change.

From Bruker BioSpin - NMR, EPR and Imaging 12 May 2014

GE Healthcare, Tesla Engineering announce collaboration to develop ultra high-field MRI systems

Today at the joint meeting of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and the European Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and Biology, GE Healthcare and Tesla Engineering Ltd. announced that they will collaborate together to produce 7.0 tesla (7.0T) human whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, and build upon the ten year history of GE innovations in this advanced, technical field.

12 May 2014

BIOTRONIK's Entovis pacemaker system gets FDA approval

BIOTRONIK, a leading manufacturer of cardiovascular medical devices, announced today that the Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for its Entovis pacemaker system with ProMRI technology.

7 May 2014

Snacking linked with abdominal fat and fatty liver

Researchers from The Netherlands found that snacking on high-fat and high-sugar foods was independently associated with abdominal fat and fatty liver (hepatic steatosis).

7 May 2014

Study shows cognitive deficits, structural differences in brains of school-age children born late preterm

The brains of children who were born just a few weeks early differ from those born on time, and these differences may affect learning and behavior, according to a study to be presented Monday, May 5, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

6 May 2014

New phase III clinical trial shows non-invasive focused ultrasound treatment relieves cancer pain

When cancer progresses and spreads to the bone, patients often suffer debilitating pain. Now, a new phase III clinical trial shows that non-invasive magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound treatment that heats the cancer within the bone, relieves pain and improves function for most patients when other treatment options are limited.

6 May 2014

New two-year data from Biogen Idec’s Phase 3 trial for peginterferon beta-1a presented at AAN annual meeting

New two-year data from the Phase 3 ADVANCE clinical trial for peginterferon beta-1a in adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS) has been presented at the 66th American Academy of Neurology (AAN) annual meeting.

5 May 2014

Researchers discover potential genetic variant that may make brains more resilient against Alzheimer's

Autopsies have revealed that some individuals develop the cellular changes indicative of Alzheimer's disease without ever showing clinical symptoms in their lifetime.

5 May 2014

UCSD neurosurgeons study MRI-guided biopsy approach to diagnose patients with brain cancer

Neurosurgeons at UC San Diego Heath System have, for the first time, combined real-time magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology with novel non-invasive cellular mapping techniques to develop a new biopsy approach that increases the accuracy of diagnosis for patients with brain cancer.

2 May 2014

Severe diabetes linked to brain atrophy

Type 2 diabetes may be associated with brain degeneration, according to a new multicenter study published online in the journal Radiology. The study also found that, contrary to common clinical belief, diabetes may not be directly associated with small vessel ischemic disease, where the brain does not receive enough oxygenated blood.

29 Apr 2014

Measuring tumors' oxygen levels could help doctors make decisions about treatments

Unlike healthy cells, cancer cells thrive when deprived of oxygen. Tumors in low-oxygen environments tend to be more resistant to therapy and spread more aggressively to other parts of the body.

25 Apr 2014

New study suggests easy, effective way to alleviate negative effects of bad memories

What's one of your worst memories? How did it make you feel? According to psychologists, remembering the emotions felt during a negative personal experience, such as how sad you were or how embarrassed you felt, can lead to emotional distress, especially when you can't stop thinking about it.

21 Apr 2014

Research roundup: Colonscopy in the countryside; retiree health benefits; what should hip surgery cost?

Rural residents who commonly seek treatment for advanced stages of colorectal cancer have been thought to lack access to cancer screening and adjuvant therapy. ... Several theories have been postulated to explain these findings, some of which include low socioeconomic status, lower educational attainment, lack of insurance coverage, underinsurance, and travel distance to health care facilities.