Dear AuntMinnie Member,
It's not a common ailment or even a particularly serious one, but cat scratch disease (CSD) can cause significant patient anxiety, as some of its symptoms mimic those of more serious pathologies such as cancer or multiple sclerosis. Recently, U.S. researchers discovered that MRI is a good tool for diagnosing CSD and subsequently relieving patient worries.
Most CSD patients experience lymphadenopathy as their primary symptom, but a few have optic neuropathy, which can also be caused by a tumor or by MS, according to an article in our MRI Digital Community by staff writer Tracie L. Thompson.
A research group from the University of Florida in Gainesville found that more than half of the cases of cat scratch disease they detected on MRI had very specific patterns of enhancement in the optic nerve that were fundamentally different from MS. MRI was also able to deliver a diagnosis before other characteristic symptoms of CSD appeared. Read all about it by clicking here.
In another story appearing in the community, a second U.S.-based research group found that MRI could provide better image guidance than CT during interstitial brachytherapy for recurrent endometrial cancer. The technique prevents brachytherapy needles from being inserted into the bladder and rectum, and allows conformal treatment planning. You'll find more details by clicking here.
Get other news about MRI by visiting the MRI Digital Community, at mri.auntminnie.com.
