MRI goes versatile.
The MRI Centre at Dr. Balabhai Nanavati Hospital has been operational since 1992 and about 1,00,000 patients have been scanned to date.
The centre in keeping with its tradition to offer the best to patients, has a 1.5T GE Echospeed MRI scanner. This unit is equipped with several features which go a long way in making the patients comfortable.
These include:
- Inbulit music system with patient head phones.
- Shorter scan time.
- ‘Flared’ patient-friendly design of the magnet.
In addition to MRI studies like brain, spine and joints, we also offer the newer advances like,
1. MR Spectroscopy ( MRS )
The study takes approximately 6 minutes and can be an add-on to a routine brain MRI. MRS provides a brain map of chemical spectra and biochemical information about the tissues.
Invaluable information is obtained using spectroscopy in case of:
- Inborn and acquired errors of metabolism ( brain imaging )
- Differentiating radiation necrosis v/s recurrent brain neoplasm.
- In early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
2. Perfusion and diffusion imaging
Perfusion and diffusion weighted images ( DWI ) has radically altered the role of imaging in patients with stroke. It is now possible to diagnosis and delineate ischaemia within the window period of the first 3 hours so that immediate intervention can be carried out to improve the prognosis. Perfusion imaging helps in brain tumor characterization and selecting the biopsy site.
3. Functional imaging
Functional imaging maps out specific regions of brain corresponding to various functions such as motor, sensory, visual and language. This technique has an important role to pay in patients with neoplasm opting for surgery, as well as in psychiatric disorders.
4. Diffusion tensor imaging is a recently added feature. It always depiction of the nerve fibre tracts in the brain.
5. 3D Contrast Enhanced MR Angiography
Non-invasive, high-resolution contrast angiography without arterial catheterisations is now possible. The study does not requires fasting and can be performed on outpatients basis.
- Abdominal and peripheral MRAs
- Pulmonary MRA
- Renal MRA
- Mesenteric and portal MRAs
All these are possible on this machine.
6. Musculoskeletal Imaging
In the machine can achieve very small field of view imaging which along with high resolution 1024 matrix and superior fat suppression is beneficial for imaging of :-
- Articular cartilage.
- Whole spine.
- Trabecular microfractures.
MR arthrogram can be done following intra articular injection of dye. This helps to visualized the cartilage and ligaments in joints especially shoulder.
7. Abdomen and Pelvis
Using breath-hold imaging, phased array and intracavitary coils, MRI has revolutionised abdominal imaging. It is particularly useful in:-
- Staging of pelvic malignancies (specially uterus and prostate)
- Evaluating pancreatico-biliary tree (MRCP)
- Imaging of anorectal fistulae (fistulogram)
- Uterine masses ( fibroids, adenomyosis, etc.)
as well as in-utero evaluation of foetal and placental disorders. |
