New 3D MRI technique offers better diagnostic capabilities
A new imaging technique developed by researchers at Mātai Medical Research Institute, New Zealand, offers unrivaled spatial resolution in three dimensions (3D), and allows for visualisation of motion in the brain at an unprecedented level of detail.
An innovative imaging technique was introduced previously called amplified magnetic resonance imaging (aMRI) that allowed researchers and clinicians to see the pulsating motions of the brain in real-time, giving insights into the biochemical responses of brain tissue.
Researchers have now improved the a MRI technique to offer impressive 3D animations instead of just 2D visualisations. This presents clinicians with a new diagnostic tool that offers a detailed picture of brain motion in 3D for the very first time; it also delivers researchers novel insights into neurological disorders.
As explained by Stanford University student Itamer Terem, The new method magnifies microscopic rhythmic pulsations of the brain as the heart beats to allow the visualisation of minute piston-like movements that are less than the width of a human hair. [The larger magnification factor] gives us better visibility of brain motion, and better accuracy.”
“We are also using the 3D aMRI to see if we can find new insights into the effect of mild traumatic brain injury on the brain,” said Samantha Holdsworth, a New Zealand researcher who worked on the original 2D aMRI technology. “One study already underway, a collaboration between Mātai and the University of Auckland, uses 3D aMRI together with brain modelling methods to see whether we can develop a non-invasive way of measuring brain pressure, which may in some cases remove the need for brain surgery.”
Meanwhile, fellow researcher Miriam Scadeng said 3D aMRI will allow the creation of entirely new kinds of brain motion models; the novel insights into how fluid is driven around the brain will help further research on how to maintain brain health and restore it in disease or disorder.
Read: Portable MRI pinpoints strokes that need surgical treatment
Category: Features, Technology & Devices
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