Medicexchange.com News

Posts Tagged ‘MRI Scanning’

People with back pain/problems can now skip an MRI Scan, and save the MRI Cost, a study report

 

In pain clinics, steroid shots are quite common for patients with back-pain; about the MRI cost back scans, with contrast-agent – the rates are high; in care-units, physicians routinely order an MRI scan, prior the therapy.

An MRI scanner uses powerful magnets for more detailed images, for internal anatomy and physiology; and therefore the MRI machine costs are high; would vary from one supplier to the other, per different product attributes; and, similarly for the procedures, about MRI cost brain scans, back, knee, or more – it would vary for, with and without contrast-enhanced procedures.

And, if you go through world-wide statistics, you would realize, be it MRI scan cost in US, and/or other countries, the figures may not be that pocket-friendly, for the patients; Dr. Steven Cohen (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine) says, $1,500 each for the scans is not justified, and not necessary when the imaging offers a little chance to avoid a procedure (citing steroid injections from the doctors for back-pain patients), lessen complexities, or ameliorate outcomes.

Of the study results (led by Dr. Steven Cohen), the research team found that about 132 patients that have had an MRI before were being given steroid injections, by doctors, without even clarifying the test-results.

He added further that, by skipping the procedure (in advance), it could save patients significant MRI cost, and time; please refer the Archives of Internal Medicine, for more studies and observations of Dr. Steven Cohen in patients with sciatica and other.

We understand, the higher MRI cost for back, knee or brain scan definitely is a matter of concern for many out there; but then, the non-invasive imaging approach is safer than other imaging methods (X-ray, CT etc.) that use ionizing radiation.

It is like, ‘too-much’ of unneeded examinations (any) always add-up to medical bills, and that should be avoided, by the doctors.

So, be it MRI cost knee, brain, back or other: for the procedures, or information about new and refurbished equipment providers, MRI Machine Costs - people of the healthcare community can always be of good help, and you can join the MedicExchange community, for more knowledge and information.

The tremendous scope the non-invasive MRI technology has, is not new to any; let us take a quick peek, again, but then, for more detailed versions, in the coming year!

 

For people in the healthcare sector, the term MRI Scans or MRI Scanning (Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan) is not at all new; when the healthcare sector is growing like anything, with new booming technologies, for care and treatment, MRI screening definitely is preferred more than others of the slot (CT, X-Ray), to keep patients away from ionizing radiation effects.

And then, those who joined late, about the technology (during MRI screening), nuclear magnetic resonance/reverberations are being used to create two-dimensional/three-dimensional proton-density images, to visualize internal body structures, viz. muscles, bones, organs etc.

Well, we all know the power of magnet, and then superconducting magnets in MRI scanners are quite common, for various medical applications; gone are the days, when without knowing the main cause of diseases in people, the treatments were used to be given, and the results then were increased death rate; but, with the emerging need of the market, and with the upsurge of imaging technology, various medical imaging approaches in Radiology definitely have given a sign of hope for the patients, for early detection of disorders/diseases that patients are being affected with.

Be it human anatomy, or physiology, the non-invasive MRI scanning definitely helps; whether an MRI scan head/brain, knee, or MRI scan breast – everything is safe with/for a patient, with ‘no-ionizing’ radiations, involved.

Yes, be it for a complex human brain anatomy, ultra-high field MRI scan is always there, for subtle brain details; MRI scan brain – is common for patients with the following – dizziness, hearing loss, headaches etc.

And then, about MRI scan knee – for knee pain/osteoarthritis, joint injuries, and more; but, then, prior any MRI scan, you definitely will be checked for electronic devices/implants and other ferromagnetic devices, due to the super-conducting magnets, and associated electronic-magnetic fields.

The topic about magnetic resonance imaging MRI Scan Technology can never end, as we know well about the scope the domain has, in the healthcare sector.

So, stay tuned for more on MRI scans, and everything related with the magnetic resonance imaging technology!

Cine MRI at 3T is viable for uterine peristalsis in patients with symptomatic fibroids, after effective uterine artery embolization (UAE).

 

The medical research study was conducted by Aki Kido, Susan M. Ascher, Keiko Kishimoto, Winnie Hahn, Reena C. Jha, Kaori Togashi and James B. Spies from Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan, Department of Radiology, Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Toyoko Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan, Mid Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, Rockville, MD.

The study is available online in American Journal of Roentgenology, and the research objective was to equate uterine peristalsis (rhythmic movements of the muscular wall of the uterus, particularly on follicular phase of the menstrual cycle) before and after uterine artery embolization on 3T MRI scanner.

20 women (age group: 39-53 years) with symptomatic uterine fibroids underwent 3T magnetic resonance imaging, before and after uterine artery embolization in the ovulatory phase. Sagittal T2 turbo spin-echo and HASTE (Half-Fourier Acquisition Single-Shot Turbo Spin-Echo) sequences were acquired through; 60 HASTE images were gathered for about 3 minutes to show on cine mode. Independent radiological evaluation reports collected for existence of uterine peristalsis through 5 point rating system. Frequency and direction were registered, when peristalsis was present. Images were even assessed for index fibroid location, before and after uterine artery embolization.

On the results front, occurrence and presence of uterine peristalsis increased after uterine artery embolization, for both the readers through independent radiological evaluation, but was vital only for existence of uterine peristalsis. Other than 6 cases with uterine peristalsis showing up after uterine artery embolization, majority had peristalsis in the direction – from cervix to fundus.

Uterine volumes before uterine artery embolization were considerably smaller in 6 cases, in comparison to other, even though no deviation was observed in reduction rate of fibroid volumes or uterus – where of 6 cases, 3 had intramural fibroid.

Conclusion: cine MRI at 3T is feasible for uterine peristalsis in patients with symptomatic fibroids after effective uterine artery embolization.

 

MRI scanning enhances health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries with implanted pacemakers, when the pacemakers are utilized agreeing with FDA approved labeling for use in an MRI environment, adjudicates – Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services),

CMS suggested that the usage of MRI is sensible and essential under Social Security Act §1862.

 

The following information is available from news center of American College of Radiology.

It anticipated for the change of language in section 220.2.C.1 of the Medicare National Coverage Determinations Manual, to get rid of the reason for Medicare coverage of MRI in beneficiary with imbedded pacemakers, when it is used in accordance to FDA approved labeling for use in an MRI environment.

Other contraindications, for the procedure that may be present in any given beneficiary would persist, in patients with pacemakers.

American College of Radiology (ACR) and North American Society for Cardiovascular Imaging (NASCI) commented on it saying that their societies harmonize with it, if clinically suggested under the advocated course of action of the manufacturing business that MRI is done only by individuals, at site with know-how and hands-on expertise on radiology and cardiology practice. They even remarked on the monitoring and precautionary measure, authenticated in the operating instructions of FDA approved device, to be bound to.

They contradicted Coverage with Evidence Development (CED). It was remarked that patients with FDA approved devices should have similar admittance to medically essential MRIs, as patients with no implanted medical devices.

NASCI & ACR even requested for the contraindication in section 220.2.C.1 to be substituted with the accompanying statement:

“The MRI examination is not covered when the following patient-specific contraindications are present: It is not covered for patients with pacemakers that have not been approved by the FDA for use in the MRI environment.”

Courtesy:
1)    http://www.acr.org/PR/NASCI-ACR-Comments.aspx
2)    http://www.acr.org/HomePageCategories/News/ACRNewsCenter/CMS-Concludes-MRI-Improves-Health-Outcomes-for-Patients-With-Pacemakers.aspx

For the people that are reading this section will get to know about how an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan technology can prove effective in making a diagnosis on Alzheimer’s disease, for early discovery, in planning out effective treatment and control.

We might know that Doctors usually advice for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique to the patients for looking into warning signs for Alzheimer’s disease, just to keep out the possibility of cognitive impairment disorders (shows on restricted mental functions, viz. memory, understanding, and decision making, to name a few).

Many modern medical researches point out to the efficiency of MRI as an analytic tool in knowing about warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease (just the way we had stated above), as and when the symptoms come into view.

Recent medical research studies propose that premature sign of dementia (loss of cognitive disability in a formerly unimpaired individual) can help well in recognizing out people that require probable treatment, during the premature phase.

Neuroscientists (Rush University Medical Center) put forward that people that are at threat of being affected with Alzheimer’s disease show specific signs, as the structural brain changes can be envisaged at through brain mapping technique (recording brain activities by mapping it). The discovery after this study showed out to be useful in recognizing out people that could be cured, if given premature treatment (Alzheimer’s disease).

The study results by the team have been put forward at yearly congregation of the Society of Neuroscience (in San Diego, Calif) on November 17, 2010.

Medical professionals typically face up to the challenge of recognizing out people that are at increased risk of becoming affected by Alzheimer’s disease, so that timely involvement could be made to provide therapeutic treatment to the affected patients, much before the warning signs start in on showing.

Researchers affirmed that the structural medical imaging techniques/technologies are effective enough in discovering out people that are at risk of being affected with Alzheimer’s disease. Regarding the effectiveness of an MRI scan technique in identifying out cognitive impaired people, the technology has been proved well. For the neophytes, the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is requested for Claustrophobia (anxiety disorder) cases, as well.

In most of the cases, the probable reasons for Alzheimer’s disease could be due to cancerous tumor, or blood clot in the brain, and Doctors try to find out the same, to ensure the symptoms that usually lead the way to this disorder.

For the study, medical research experts (Rush University Medical Center) followed through people with mild cognitive disorders (cognitive impairment), which is even termed out to be the preliminary stage of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia stages. People, with mild-mannered cognitive impairment disorders displayed out greater than before memory loss, and the disorder is identified to be as amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

The medical research team picked around 52 people, in going after the study of people that had amnestic mild cognitive impairment for more than a long period of six years and so, and out of this research slot, around 23 partakers showed up to Alzheimer’s disease.

Amidst this heavy session, please remain acquainted about one more thing that during diagnostic imaging practice (radiology therapy) physicians/doctors do not just make use of an MRI scanner/technology for to discover out the people that will show up to Alzheimer’s disease, but they utilize it for to evaluate selective patterns for cerebral atrophy (affects the human brain; loss of neurons in the brain tissue affect brain functions at specific regions within its control). If by any means the cerebral hemisphere functions are disrupted, brain thought process and other brain voluntary movements will get affected by in the process.

Going back to square one, the partakers that underwent MRI scans showed positive results in the process; the medical researchers utilized MRI to look for structural changes in the substantia innominata [brain region that emits out chemical signals to the cerebral cortex (neural tissue structure, to the cerebrum of the brain)] for effective brain memory storage capacity, brain reasoning, and other brain functions and relations.

In during the study, no structural constituent changes were established out in the substantia innominata, in between the two clusters. The magnetic resonance imaging showed some differences in the cortical area of the brain that usually take delivery of brain inputs from the substantia innominata, in the people showing up the stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Medical research scientists were able to identify out people through the test that showed the stages of Alzheimer’s disease, in comparison to others that did not show enough warning of signs, when being analyzed through MRI scan technique. And, researchers affirmed about the effectiveness of MRI technology in examining out differences in brain structure and functional patterns, in recognizing out the increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Taking you back to the loop, the brain gets affected usually in different ways (during an Alzheimer’s case), and hippocampus is one part of brain that gets affected a lot in the process, and to let you know, this region of the brain is actively accountable for controlling brain emotions, and controls further the brain memory storage capacity, and the system. Hippocampus (is situated in the brain’s medial temporal lobe) plays vital role in motor functions of the brain network.

In during the Alzheimer’s disease, the brain hippocampus function gets affected by the most, as due to the harm that occurs in the specific region, in the process, resulting into severe memory loss, and brain disorientation, to name a few. The hippocampus can get severely harmed due to some of the reasons, viz. oxygen starvation (even leading to swift and severe and brain damage), encephalitis (brain inflammation), and/or by other means through medial temporal lobe epilepsy (focal epilepsy, leading further to recurring seizures).

People with extensive damage to their hippocampus can face amnesia, and lose memory, and their brain memory system gets disturbed by in the process, where they in some of the cases remain unable holding on to certain past memories.

For the medical professionals that are planning to consider MRI to be next effective diagnostic/analytical tool for Alzheimer’s disease in their practice center should remain assured about the technology, as this has been proved quite promising in detecting out medical cases for premature Alzheimer’s disease, evaluating on early symptoms.

On the concluding note, MRI being a promising solution (diagnostic imaging) will surely advance in the treatment procedure, as once again, it can effectively recognize out people that are at high risk of getting affected by Alzheimer’s diseases, but new treatment methods can surely add value in keeping a tab on this disorder, researchers believe.

This neurological brain disorder (showing up through loss of memory, leads to dementia) has around 15 million cases, where mostly people suffer from mild Alzheimer’s disease, while others face off with severe type of the disorder.

Gone are the days when medical professionals used to detect a person on Alzheimer’s disease after death, where pathologists carry out an autopsy to judge on it. But with the upsurge of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) a new ray of hope has found its way through the researchers, and this technique can be effectively used out for to diagnose a person for (premature) Alzheimer’s disease, in planning out effective treatment.