What Is Magnetic Resonance Imaging
A magnetic resonance imaging scan is usually called an MRI. An MRI does not use radiation and is a noninvasive medical test or examination. The MRI machine uses a large magnet and a computer to take pictures of the inside of your body. Each picture or “slice” shows only a few layers of body tissue at a time. The pictures can then be examined on a computer monitor.
Pictures taken this way may help caregivers find and see problems in your body more easily. The scan usually takes between 15 to 90 minutes. Including the scan, the total examination time usually takes between 1.5 to 3 hours.
A substance called gadolinium is injected into a vein to help the physicians see the image more clearly. The gadolinium collects around cancer cells so they show up brighter in the picture. Sometimes a procedure called magnetic resonance spectroscopy is done during the MRI scan. An MRS is used to diagnose tumors based on their chemical make-up.
How does MRI work?
The MRI machine is a large, cylindrical machine that creates a strong magnetic field around the patient. This magnetic field, along with a radiofrequency, alters the hydrogen atoms’ natural alignment in the body.
A magnetic field is created and pulses of radio waves are sent from a scanner. The radio waves knock the nuclei of the atoms in the body out of their normal position as the nuclei realign back into proper position, they send out radio signals.
Other related procedures that are used to assess the heart may include:
What Is Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, a loss of brain function that affects memory, thinking, language, judgment and behavior. In Alzheimer’s disease, large numbers of neurons stop functioning, lose connections with other neurons, and die.
Irreversible and progressive, Alzheimer’s disease slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks of daily living.
Although the cause of Alzheimer’s disease is unknown, scientists believe that a build-up of beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain are associated with the disease.
The stages of the disease typically progress from mild to moderate to severe. Symptoms usually develop slowly and gradually worsen over a number of years however, progression and symptoms vary from person to person. The first symptom of Alzheimer’s disease usually appears as forgetfulness.
Mild cognitive impairment is a stage between normal forgetfulness due to aging and the development of Alzheimer’s disease. People with MCI have mild problems with thinking and memory that do not interfere with everyday activities. Not everyone with MCI develops Alzheimer’s disease.
Other early symptoms of Alzheimer’s include language problems, difficulty performing tasks that require thought, personality changes and loss of social skills.
People with severe Alzheimer’s disease are unable to recognize family members or understand language.
Referral To A Specialist
If a GP is unsure about whether you have Alzheimer’s disease, they may refer you to a specialist, such as:
- a psychiatrist
- an elderly care physician
- a neurologist
The specialist may be based in a memory clinic alongside other professionals who are experts in diagnosing, caring for and advising people with dementia and their families.
There’s no simple and reliable test for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease, but the staff at the memory clinic will listen to the concerns of both you and your family about your memory or thinking.
They’ll assess your memory and other areas of mental ability and, if necessary, arrange more tests to rule out other conditions.
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Why Early Detection Can Be Difficult
Alzheimers disease usually is not diagnosed in the early stages, even in people who visit their primary care doctors with memory complaints.
- People and their families generally underreport the symptoms.
- They may confuse them with normal signs of aging.
- The symptoms may emerge so gradually that the person affected doesnt recognize them.
- The person may be aware of some symptoms but go to great lengths to conceal them.
Recognizing symptoms early is crucial because medication to control symptoms is most effective in the early stages of the disease and early diagnosis allows the individual and his or her family members to plan for the future. If you or a loved one is experiencing any of the following symptoms, contact a physician.
How Alzheimers Is Diagnosed By A Doctor
At one time, an Alzheimers diagnosis was only able to be confirmed after a person had passed away and doctors were able to perform an autopsy on the brain. Today, however, a physician can diagnose the disease with 90% accuracy while the person is still living.
It is important to note that there is no single test that can diagnose Alzheimers or dementia.
A medical evaluation will often include the following:
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Mri Brain Scans Accurate In Early Diagnosis Of Alzheimer’s Disease
Researchers advocate including imaging technology as diagnostic test
University of South Florida
image: A normal MRI brain, showing no atrophy, depicts the three areas of interest in the brain’s medial temporal lobe: hippocampus entorhinal cortex and perirhinal cortex .view more
Tampa, FL — MRI scans that detect shrinkage in specific regions of the mid-brain attacked by Alzheimer’s disease accurately diagnose the neurodegenerative disease, even before symptoms interfere with daily function, a study by the Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in Miami and Tampa found.
The study, reported earlier this month in the journal Neurology, adds to a growing body of evidence indicating MRI brain scans provide valuable diagnostic information about Alzheimer’s disease. The findings are important in light of many new disease-modifying drugs in trials — treatments that may prevent mild memory loss from advancing to full-blown dementia if administered early enough.
“This study demonstrates that MRI brain scans are accurate enough to be clinically useful, both in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease itself at an early stage and in identifying people at risk of developing Alzheimer’s,” said Florida ADRC Center Director Huntington Potter, PhD, a neuroscientist at the Byrd Alzheimer’s Center and Research Institute, University of South Florida.
Journal
Neurology
Media Contact
Brain Changes Evident In Scans Before Memory Cognitive Decline
- Date:
- Washington University School of Medicine
- Summary:
- Doctors may one day be able to gauge a patient’s risk of dementia with an MRI scan, according to a new study. Using a new technique for analyzing MRI data, researchers were able to predict who would experience cognitive decline with 89 percent accuracy.
One day, MRI brain scans may help predict whether older people will develop dementia, new research suggests.
In a small study, MRI brain scans predicted with 89 percent accuracy who would go on to develop dementia within three years, according to research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of California San Francisco.
The findings, presented Sunday, Nov. 25 at the Radiological Society of North America meeting in Chicago, suggest that doctors may one day be able to use widely available tests to tell people their risk of developing dementia before symptoms arise.
“Right now it’s hard to say whether an older person with normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment is likely to develop dementia,” said lead author Cyrus A. Raji, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of radiology at Washington University’s Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology. “We showed that a single MRI scan can predict dementia on average 2.6 years before memory loss is clinically detectable, which could help doctors advise and care for their patients.”
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How Is Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosed And Evaluated
No single test can determine whether a person has Alzheimer’s disease. A diagnosis is made by determining the presence of certain symptoms and ruling out other causes of dementia. This involves a careful medical evaluation, including a thorough medical history, mental status testing, a physical and neurological exam, blood tests and brain imaging exams, including:
With Alzheimers Disease Prevention Is Key
There are many ways to diagnose Alzheimers, although a definitive diagnosis cannot be achieved except in an autopsy, where brain tissue can be precisely examined. Typically, doctors use various tests to rule out conditions that could explain dementia-like symptoms.
Patients diagnosed with Alzheimers disease live another 4-8 years, on average, after their diagnosis.
However, you dont have to sit back and wait for Alzheimers to take its toll. Some patients live up to 20 years after their diagnosis!
Because most if not all conventional dementia treatments have about a 1% chance of success, the need for a revolutionary new approach is critical for treating dementia and Alzheimers.
At PrimeHealth, Dr. David Ward hosts an Alzheimers Prevention Program incorporating Dr. Dale Bredesens revolutionary, evidence-based lifestyle approach to optimize cognitive function. Schedule an appointment with us and learn more about PrimeHealths Prevention Program.
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Can A Ct Scan Show Dementia
After extensive research, we look into the commonly-asked-question of whether or not can a CT scan show dementia.
It IS POSSIBLE to detect the condition by watching for telltale signs in loved ones or yourself.
The cause of action, in this case, is to visit a physician right away so that they can perform brain imaging procedures TO DETECT the progressive neurologic disorder.
That begs the question, can a CT scan show dementia?
Early Alzheimers Detection With Digital Imaging
Digital imaging of the brain is one of the most promising areas of research being focused on for early detection of Alzheimers disease. Imaging such as an magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography scans are able to show changes in the brains of patients diagnosed with Alzheimers disease. In the past, these tests were used primarily to rule out other conditions that may cause symptoms that were similar to those for Alzheimers.
Experts believe that Alzheimers is a disease that begins many years before symptoms like memory loss and personality changes even become apparent, so a test or scan for early detection is paramount. The current Alzheimers treatments can prevent further deterioration of the brain but not repair the brain. This means that once an Alzheimers diagnosis is reached, the patient has often already experienced years of irreversible brain damage.
Because of this, early detection of Alzheimers is crucial. Researchers who study the brains of Alzheimers patients have found they are different than those of patients with dementia or mild cognitive impairment. Different types of brain imaging help us to find these changes.
Here at Independent Imaging, we offer the areas most advanced diagnostic imaging equipment and technology. Call or request an appointment online with one of our board-certified radiologists in Wellington, Belle Glade, or Lake Worth today.
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Pet Imaging May Also Be Used While Diagnosing Alzheimer’s
Positron-Emissions Tomography, or the PET scan, is the last type of investigation that we will spotlight in this article. There is no need to get into the complicated physics of what is happening to explain how this instrument works, but the simple version may be helpful. A PET scan is a type of study that is used to determine how much glucose is being used by tissue. This can give a reasonable representation of how quickly the brain is metabolizing the sugar. The more active an area, the more glucose will be needed in order to maintain these functions.
The application of this PET scan in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease is apparent in modern medicine. There are numerous studies that have shown the PET scan to be a very good tool in diagnosing the early changes in the brain. It is also able to differentiate more precisely between normal aging and patterns likely seen only in patients who have Alzheimer’s Disease, making it a fairly accurate diagnostic tool. Another advantage of this type of investigation is that it can produce models that can predict the speed of memory decline in the future. This can help doctors target specific treatments and identify symptoms that may become more pronounced depending on the region of the brain involved in the patient.
Can An Mri Diagnose Alzheimers
The simplest answer to the question is yes. The more complicated answer considers that there is still a lot of research to do on this disease, so it may be a while before we establish a definitive test to diagnose Alzheimers disease.
However, for the time being, using an MRI to detect Alzheimers is one of the best options available.
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How A Head Ct Scan Can Detect Alzheimers Disease
A head CT scan looks at the structure of your brain. This scan can detect issues such as tumors, hemorrhages, and strokes, which can all mimic the symptoms of Alzheimers, but in addition to helping you rule out those conditions, a CT scan can also detect the loss of brain mass thats associated with Alzheimers disease.
Blood Tests To Check For Other Conditions
Your GP will arrange for blood tests to help exclude other causes of symptoms that can be confused with dementia.
In most cases, these blood tests will check:
- liver function
- haemoglobin A1c
- vitamin B12 and folate levels
If your doctor thinks you may have an infection, they may also ask you to do a urine test or other investigations.
Read more about blood tests.
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How Is Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosed
Doctors use several methods and tools to help determine whether a person who is having memory problems has possible Alzheimers dementia , probable Alzheimers dementia , or some other problem.
To diagnose Alzheimers, doctors may:
- Ask the person and a family member or friend questions about overall health, use of prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diet, past medical problems, ability to carry out daily activities, and changes in behavior and personality
- Conduct tests of memory, problem solving, attention, counting, and language
- Carry out standard medical tests, such as blood and urine tests, to identify other possible causes of the problem
- Perform brain scans, such as computed tomography , magnetic resonance imaging , or positron emission tomography , to rule out other possible causes for symptoms
These tests may be repeated to give doctors information about how the persons memory and other cognitive functions are changing over time. They can also help diagnose other causes of memory problems, such as stroke, tumor, Parkinsons disease, sleep disturbances, side effects of medication, an infection, mild cognitive impairment, or a non-Alzheimers dementia, including vascular dementia. Some of these conditions may be treatable and possibly reversible.
People with memory problems should return to the doctor every 6 to 12 months.
How Brain Mri Can Help Diagnose Alzheimers Disease
We all lose the car keys, forget a name, or have trouble finding a word. How do you know when that forgetfulness is something more? The Alzheimers Association says 5.7 million Americans are living with the disease and that number is rising rapidly. Knowing if dementia is caused by Alzheimers can be a challenge. One tool in that diagnosis is called volumetric brain imaging. An MRI machine is used to take images of your brain and then a radiologist, like RAYUS Radiologys Ricardo Sanchez, MD, can use advanced software to compare your brain volume to a large database. The radiologist is looking for high or low brain volumes that could indicate or rule out Alzheimers disease. Armed with information, you and your doctor can make the best choices about your treatment. Watch this story on the testing to find out more:
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What To Expect With A Head Ct Scan
If you decide to get a head CT scan, the process usually starts with contrast dye. Depending on your situation, this may be ingested orally or intravenously with a needle. This is simply dye that allows the images to show up on the screen.
Then, you get into the CT machine. While there are some standing CT machines, you generally need to use a machine that lets you lie down for a head scan. During the procedure, there is no pain, and in fact, all you have to do is stay still. Note that you may hear some noises, and some people feel anxious due to the confined space. If you anticipate feeling worried during the procedure, you may want to talk with your doctor about anti-anxiety medicine.
Facing the idea that you might have Alzheimers can be incredibly scary, but its important to remember that the earlier you detect the more likely you are to be able to manage the symptoms. To set up an appointment, contact American Health Imaging today.
Other Imaging Options That Can Diagnose Dementia
Several other brain imaging procedures exist. Each can help detect dementia in different ways.
EEGs
EEGs are sometimes used on people who have suspected seizures, which accompany some types of dementia.
The procedure involves placing several electrodes at different points on the scalp to check for abnormalities in the brain through the recorded patterns of electrical activity.
The electrical activity shows instances of cognitive dysfunction that plague parts of the brain or the entire organ.
People with MODERATE to SEVERE cases of dementia present abnormal EEGs.
The procedure can also identify seizures, which 10% of people with Alzheimers are reported to experience.
Functional Brain Imaging
Functional brain imaging procedures are not often used as diagnostic tools. But they help researchers in the process of studying people with dementia.
They include functional single-photon emission computed tomography , MRI , magnetoencephalography , and positron emission tomography scans.
Nowadays, they have a hand in the EARLY DETECTION of dementia.
fMRI measures metabolic changes happening within the brain using strong magnetic fields.
SPECT scans reveal blood distribution within the brain. This aspect is responsible for discovering increased brain activity.
PET scans pick up on blood flow, glucose, and oxygen metabolism, and if amyloid proteins are present within the brain.
MEG scans record the electromagnetic fields that the brain produces through neuronal activities.
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