Magnetic resonance imaging

A community portal about Magnetic resonance imaging with blogs, videos, and photos. According to Wikipedia.org: Magnetic Resonance Imaging , formerly referred to as Magnetic Resonance Tomography or, in chemistry, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance , is a method used to visualize the inside of living organisms as well as to detect the composition of geological structures. It is primarily used to demonstrate pathological or other physiological alterations of living tissues and is a commonly used form of medical imaging. MRI has also found many novel applications outside of the medical and biological fields such as rock permeability to hydrocarbons and certain non-destructive testing methods such as produce and timber quality characterization. The scanners used in medicine cost approximately $1 million USD per Tesla for each unit, with several hundred thousand dollars per year for maintenance. A man from Fraserburgh, Scotland, with terminal liver cancer become the first patient in the world to receive an MRI body scan in Aberdeen, U.K.

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Use of imaging studies in the diagnosis of vasculitis

Written by Cynthus on

From: cynbagley.blogspot.com

Wolfgang A. Schmidt1

(1) Medical Center for Rheumatology Berlin-Buch, Karower Strasse 11, D-13125 Berlin, Germany

Abstract Imaging studies are necessary to determine disease extension and disease activity in the small-vessel vasculitides. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) increase the number of pathologic findings compared with conventional radiography.

MRI delineates mucosal inflammation and granulomas in the paranasal sinuses, whereas CT provides information about osseous lesions. CT is superior to MRI for the detection of pulmonary lesions.

Radiograph angiography has been the gold standard for medium- and large-vessel vasculitides for decades. Echocardiography and MRI correspond well with conventional angiography to assess cardiac involvement in Kawasaki disease. MRI, CT, and CT angiography are alternative noninvasive techniques to delineate vasculitic lesions in polyarteritis nodosa, Takayasu’s arteritis, and large-vessel giant cell arteritis.

Duplex ultrasonography has the greatest resolution. It delineates typical artery wall swelling in temporal arteritis and Takayasu’s arteritis. Positron emission tomography can assess inflammatory activity of large arteries.

Abstract can be found here.

My Analysis: This information helps the vasculitis patient understand why they are being given imaging tests. Sometimes when we are in the hospital, we are given one test after another and the health professionals do not take the time to tell us what is going on... We need to know.

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