3T MRI in pediatrics
May 17, 2011
3T MRI is being increasingly performed for clinical purposes. The increased SNR is a significant advantage in pediatrics – improved spatial and temporal resolution assist in overcoming the major anatomic, physiologic and behavioural challenges of imaging children. 3T MRI has the potential to image all the systems in pediatrics. However, optimising the parameters with due consideration to specific pediatric features, such as the increased water content of non myelinated brain, is essential. The neonatal brain and pediatric spine are difficult to image at 3T. Several factors also limit cardiac imaging at present. Further improvements in coil technology and newer sequences may help overcome the challenges that remain. On the other hand, some 3T artefacts inherent to specific anatomic regions, like the dielectric effects encountered in adult abdominal imaging, are less problematic in pediatrics due the smaller size.
For more information, see this white paper
MR images of the birth process
December 21, 2010
MR keeps bringing exciting images of the human body. Who would have expected to have a woman in labor having an MR scan? Well, last November, physicians at the Charité University Hospital in Berlin followed the birth of a child on an open MR system. The movements of the baby in the birth canal to the exit of the head, were monitored through MR imaging.
This is part of a study that tries to show some light into the fact that 15% of pregnant women need a C-section because of the baby not moving properly into the birth canal.
MR/PET combined scanner
November 21, 2010
PET/CT is a reality nowadays. PET provides functional information, while CT gives high resolution morphological information. The combination of both in one image perfectly aligned is highly important for a more accurate disease assessment. However, CT gives poor detail of soft-tissue and it involves a considerable amount of radiation, which means that MR/PET would be of high relevance. Having said that, it seemed to be nearly impossible to integrate MR and PET technologies: the conventional PET detectors, which use photomultiplier tubes, could not be used in the strong magnetic field generated by an MR system. Integration was further limited by the lack of space inside the MR device. Those difficulties seem to be part of the past, according to Siemens.
Biograph mMR Whole-Body Integrated MR-PET System is currently undergoing clinical use testing (not commercially available yet – no 510k yet).
