Page 26 - BB Neuromedicine Highlights 2019

the higher magnetic field allows
neuroimaging to exhibit markedly
better image details.

The POTeNTIal BeNeFITs OF
ulTra-hIgh FIelD mrI
The best way to explain the
advantages of Ultra-High Filed
MRI is to define its level of detail.
For a traditional MRI scan of the
brain, a “voxel” on the scan con-
tains about 100,000 brain cells. A
voxel is simply a cubic unit of the
image similar to a pixel on your
smartphone. For Ultra-High Fast
MRI scans, each voxel contains a
much smaller number of cells to
view. In fact, the estimate is that
these voxels only contain a few
thousand cells. The more refined
these advances in neuroimaging
have become, the more details
Last year, the FDA approved especially with a current U.S. MRI tissue characteristics. The protons are seen in cellular structure and
the clinical use of Ultra-High Field market worth $6.1 billion. return to their normal position function. This has notable impli-
MRI scanners in patients. What So how does MRI work? MRI and state once the radio frequen- cations in diagnostic and treating
exactly is an Ultra-High Field MRI? neuroimaging exposes your body’s cy waves stop. Because different many neurological diseases.
Think of it as your regular MRI on tissue to high-powered magnetic tissues have different amounts The high resolution of Ul-
steroids. instead of the measly fields that temporarily align hy- of hydrogen (water), images tra-HighField MRI scans is
1.5 Tesla magnet in most hospital drogen proton “spin” in the same can be created based on these attractive for clinical and research
MRI scanners, Ultra-High Field direction. The application of radio subtle differences. The difference areas. Greater detail means better
MRIs have a 7-Tesla magnet or frequency causes these same pro- for Ultra-High Field MRI is that diagnostic capabilities and less
higher. The images are incredible. tons to “flip” their spin based on patient risk. A prime example
Could this be a breakthrough in
detecting, monitoring and even
managing neurological diseases?
Some experts certainly think so.

lOOkINg Back aT mrI NeurO-
ImagINg
the mRi neuroimaging has
been around for some time, but
its clinical use only took off in the
early 1980s. Only a few know, but
research used Ultra-High Filed
MRIs beginning 1998. In 2015,
nearly 40 million MRI scans were
performed on patients in the U.S.
alone.
Neurologists and physicians
consider the mRi as the most im-
portant medical development in
the last quarter century. it’s there-
fore not surprising that MRI neu-
roimaging continues to advance,