MRI OF The Brain
Magnetic resonance Imaging is a non invasive, essentially painless, imaging test which provides an excellent tool in evaluation of a wide range of medical conditions.
MR utilizes a very strong static magnetic field (which is many times stronger than that of the earth's field, measured in Tesla units), as well as radio waves and computer software in order to create a very detailed image of the brain parenchyma, the adjacent soft tissues, bone marrow and essentially any material which contains protons. The images are created without the use of ionizing radiation.
MR allows physicians to better evaluate the brain for disease processes that may not be assessed adequately with other imaging modalities.
Equipment
Two state-of-the-art MR scanners (GE Healthcare), including one 1.5-Tesla scanner and a new powerful 3-Tesla scanner. The stronger magnetic field provides better resolution without prolonging scan time and also allows cutting down in the amount of contrast media without compromising image quality.
Common uses
MRI of the head is the modality of choice in demonstrating:
- Developmental anomalies of the brain
- Subtle changes in the brain parenchyma (for example in metabolic diseases)
- Tumors of the brain (diagnosis and follow up)
- Pituitary gland lesions (e.g adenoma)
- Disorders of the eyes and the inner ear.
- Certain chronic disorders, such as multiple sclerosis.
- Epilepsy- in search of subtle abnormalities and preoperative assessment
- MR Angiogram (MRA), a non invasive technique by which we can demonstrate the arterial vasculature in search for aneurysms and other vascular malformations.
- MR Venogram (MRV), a non invasive study of the venous system for investigating Venous vascular malformations as well as sinus venous thrombosis
- Chemical consistency of a lesion (MRS) for evaluating metabolic disorders and tumor activity
- Functional imaging, to identify eloquent brain areas (responsible for language, vision, sensory and motor activity) as part of preoperative assessment in order to minimize neurological deficits.
- Fetal brain development when ultrasound is inconclusive
- Document brain abnormalities in patients with dementia.
