Dear AuntMinnie Member,
MRI scanning at the 7-tesla field strength has mostly been confined to research institutions, but the powerful technology is offering tantalizing insights into new potential clinical applications. In our MRI Digital Community this month, we're featuring an article on a study by British researchers who used 7-tesla MRI to scan patients suspected of having multiple sclerosis.
The research group used 7-tesla MRI with a specialized scanning protocol; the improved signal-to-noise ratio and higher resolution of the technique enabled them to visualize smaller structures in the brain, including the internal structure of multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions.
They believe the capability could be applied to 3-tesla MRI, enabling physicians to differentiate MS from other brain conditions, leading to earlier diagnosis and treatment without the need for invasive workup. Learn more by clicking here, or visit the MRI Digital Community at mri.auntminnie.com.
Early uses of medical x-ray
In other news, we're pleased to bring you the fourth installment of our popular Moments in Radiology History series by radiology historian Otha Linton.
In this week's article, Mr. Linton describes some of the earliest medical uses of x-rays following Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen's momentous discovery in 1895. Physicians immediately recognized the potential of the new technology, and put it to work examining patients (it was easy to do so thanks to companies offering complete x-ray devices for just $15).
Some of the universities that first adopted x-ray units later became leading institutions in academic radiology, such as Johns Hopkins University and the University of California, San Francisco. But the technology also penetrated small towns across the U.S. Learn more about this fascinating period in medical imaging's history by clicking here.
Breast density can vary
Finally, it's widely understood that breast density is most common in younger women, but dense tissue may not be as prevalent as you think in this age group.
That's the conclusion of an article we're highlighting this week in our Women's Imaging Digital Community. The story spotlights work done by researchers from Philadelphia, who found that at least 40% of women in their 40s and 50s have fatty breast tissue, while about the same percentage of older women have dense breast tissue.
The findings indicate that decisions on how and whether to screen women shouldn't be based solely on assumptions that younger women always have more dense tissue. Learn more by clicking here, or visit the Women's Imaging Digital Community at women.auntminnie.com.
