Neuroimaging Techniques Flashcards
what are the 4 tools used in x-rays
- conventional radiography
- pneumoencephalography
- angiography
- computed tomography (CT)
what are the 3 tools used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- structural MRI (sMRI)
- diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)
- magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)
why is conventional radiography Not primary method for visualizing brain abnormalities
- because you unable to locate and distinguish between white/grey matter in the scans
describe conventional radiography
- x rays pass through the skull or body
- a showdown image shows locations of different tissues
- skull for fractures
- brain for gross abnormalities
- physical fractures
describe pneumoencephalography
- small amount of CSF is removed from spinal cord and replaced with air
- x ray is taken as the air moved up the spinal cord and into the brain
- very painful and invasive
why use pneumoencephalography
- able to tell us the relationship between large structures and abnormalities
1. hydrocephalus
2. mass lesions
3. atrophic states of the brain tissues.
describe angiography
- substance that is absorbed by x rays is injected into the blood stream
- method for imaging of the blood vessels in the brain
- tells us how the blood vessels are moving the blood
- stroke and any heart diseases
describe computed tomography (CT scans)
- narrow x ray beam that goes through the same object at many angles
- 3D image of the brain
- can localize brain tumours and lesions as they come up darker in the image
- skull is white and ventricles are dark
- UNABLE to distinguish between white and grey matter; appearance looks similar
- NOT harmful; injected at small doses
describe the magnetic resonance imaging
- large magnet and a radiofreqency pulse that generates a signal through the brain that produces an image
- hydrogen atoms nucleus consists of a single proton that align in the magnet (all moving in the same direction)
- proton density varies in different brain tissues; electrical currents differ
- CAN see the difference between grey and white matter
- extremely magnetic and powerful
discuss about the MRI T and
- higher the number = the stronger the strength and more detailed the image will be
- 1.5T is the most common and most widely available
- 7T great for cutting edge crisp image but not widely available
what is the difference between T1 weight and T2 weight
- T1w is great for anatomical detail
- T2w is great for detecting fluid filled structures and edema
what is the difference between MRI and CT scans
MRI
- abnormal tissue based
- uses strong magnetic fields
- inflammation
- torn ligaments
- nerve and spinal problems
- soft tissues
CT scans
- physical bones and skull based
- uses x rays
- bone and joint issues
- blood clots
- organ injuries,
describe diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)
- detects the movements of water molecules to create virtual images of brains nerve fiber pathways
- water molecules in nerve fibers follows the tract orientation moving in the direction of its longitudinal axis
- pathways between regions
- connectivity and tracts
- magnetic field used to get this type of image
- e.g. broca vs wernickes area
why use DTI
- can study the structural connectivity between different brain regions
- understand neural pathways
- can detect abnormalities in neural pathways
- identify changes in fiber myelination
- has low signal to noise ratio
what are the 2 outcomes found in DTI
what do we want?
- fractional anisotropy (FA)
- mean diffusivity
we want high FA value and low MD value
mean diffusivity (MD)
reflects the average magnitude of water diffusion and displacement