Dear AuntMinnie Member,
The clinical condition popularly known as whiplash has long confounded imaging providers seeking reliable markers of injury -- much to the chagrin of defense attorneys.
But recent studies indicate that MRI could be used as a tool for detecting anatomical changes common to many whiplash sufferers. That's according to an article by staff writer Shalmali Pal that we're featuring this week in our MRI Digital Community.
U.S. and Australian researchers used MRI to assess victims of whiplash, and found that in many cases patients had higher levels of fat within all extensor muscles. The changes could be caused by greater injury to the muscles, the researchers speculated. The findings correlate to other studies published in the past year on the topic.
Could MRI eventually become a tool to screen the true whiplash sufferers from the ambulance chasers? Researchers may not be ready to make that claim yet, but learn more about MRI's expanding role in assessing whiplash pain by clicking here.
In another article we're featuring in the community, the folks at Junk Architects of Kansas City, MO, offer yet another cautionary article on MRI site design. In this case, it's a little known feature of MRI suites that could cause a big headache -- the cryogen vent discharge, or quench pipe.
According to the story, many quench pipes are installed in such a way that they may not fully prevent wind-driven rain or water from other sources from entering the pipe. And if this happens, you could be looking at major damage to your imaging investment. Get the details by clicking here.
Get these stories and more news from the world of MRI in the MRI Digital Community, at mri.auntminnie.com.
