AV aiding in disease detection
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| Beth Walsh, Editor, CMIO |
For example, quantitative MR analysis revealed the presence and laterality of hippocampal atrophy (HA) in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) at rates that matched, and may exceed, expert visual interpretation.
Current imaging practices suffice for detecting gross HA among patients with epilepsy, but can be inadequate in the detection of subtle HA. Automated software may fill the gap. In fact, in the study published in Radiology, software matched or outperformed visual review.
Another study published by Radiology found that a buildup of sodium in the brain detected by MRI may be a biomarker for the degeneration of nerve cells that occurs in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Several key findings emerged from the study. The researchers found that patients with early-stage MS showed sodium accumulation in specific brain regions, while patients with more advanced disease showed sodium accumulation throughout the whole brain, including in normal-appearing areas. Sodium buildup in motor areas of the brain correlated directly to the degree of disability seen in the advanced-stage patients.
Because current treatments for MS are only able to slow the progress of the disease, the use of sodium accumulation as a biomarker of neuron degeneration may assist pharmaceutical companies in developing and assessing potential treatments. The method also may help monitor the occurrence of tissue injury and disability, according to the researchers.
The growing incidence of Alzheimer’s disease makes it a scary and costly condition. Any effort to detect it earlier, better understand its cause and perhaps even prevent its onset in the first place, is most welcome.
To that end, PET imaging detected amyloid-beta (AB) deposition 15 years prior to expected onset of symptoms among persons with genetic mutations, predisposing them to autosomal-dominant Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The researchers also reported concentrations of AB in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 25 years before symptom onset and increased tau protein in CSF 15 years prior to symptoms.
“Treatment and prevention trials can incorporate these pathophysiological changes to gauge the likelihood of future clinical success,” according to the researchers.
How is your facility finding success with advanced visualization? Please share your experience.
Beth Walsh
CMIO Editor
bwalsh@trimedmedia.com
Beth Walsh,
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.