CT | PET | MRI | MRA | CTA | Who's reading your scans?

Neuroradiology: A look inside the brain

The evolution and success of many neurological and neurosurgical treatments are directly related to the imaging modalities available to determine the exact location and characteristics of brain disorders.

Hoag Hospital is committed to providing the highest quality neuro diagnostic and interventional imaging services, combining the expertise of highly skilled sub-specialized neuroradiologists with the latest in state-of-the-art imaging technology.

Hoag Hospital is at the forefront with both the sophisticated technology and the clinical expertise needed to provide the very best neuroimaging available.

Computed Tomography

Hoag’s highly advanced multi-detector (64-slice) Computed Tomography (CT) scanners perform vascular, anatomic, and physiologic imaging of the brain. This sophisticated equipment can take sliced images as thin as 0.5 millimeters, offering exquisite detail of subtle brain anatomy and three-dimensional reconstruction of vascular and brain structures. In the neurosciences, CT is most often used:

to diagnose an acute neurologic injury, such as stroke,
to detect a blood clot or brain hemorrhage in patients with stroke symptoms,
to detect brain damage, skull fracture or hemorrhage in patients with head injuries,
to detect a ruptured or leaking aneurysm in patients with sudden, severe headache,
to detect brain tumors,
to guide the passage of a needle during brain biopsy, and
for treatment planning prior to radiation therapy on the brain.

Positron Emission Tomography

Positron Emission Tomography or PET is an imaging technique that visualizes the physiology of human anatomy using a positron emitting radiopharmaceutical. Unlike CT scanning, which looks primarily at structure and shape, PET evaluates changes in chemistry, function and metabolism of brain tissues. Because PET provides a view of the metabolic activity of tumor cells and the impact treatment is having on that activity, in the neurosciences, PET is used:

to determine tumor response to radiation or chemotherapy treatments,
to locate growing tumors,
to aid in diagnosing recurrence after treatment, and
to help differentiate new tumor growth from areas damaged by radiation.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides clear and detailed images of internal organs and tissues using radio waves and a strong magnetic field. In the neurosciences, MRI is used to:

diagnose brain tumors, stroke and chronic nervous system disorders such as multiple sclerosis,
detect tissue abnormalities in patients with disorders of the eyes and inner ear,
document brain abnormalities in patients with dementia, and
image diseases of the pituitary gland.

Hoag’s Magnetic Resonance services include 3Tesla (most advanced) high-resolution brain imaging with chemical analysis available through Multivoxel MR Spectroscopy (MRS) as well as functional MR (f-MR). These are major advantages for neurosurgeons trying to more effectively remove brain tumors.

Multivoxel MR Spectroscopy (MRS) imaging is used extensively for mapping the brain’s anatomy:

to distinguish between healthy tissue and abnormal or damaged areas,
to view blood vessels in tumors, and
to locate the leading edge or growing areas of a tumor.

Functional MR (f-MR) is a non-invasive imaging study that involves the measurement of dynamic blood oxygen level-dependent signal parameters within the brain. f-MR illustrates how the brain thinks and initiates activities by monitoring brain activity as the patient is asked to perform tasks such as finger tapping or recitation of number sequences. These activities cause changes in chemical composition of involved areas of the brain. f-MR produces images of the involved areas of the brain, pinpointing abnormalities and identifying important areas of the brain that control movement, speech and senses—areas to be avoided during surgery. f-MR is also used to acquire real-time, 3D information of the brain that is used in conjunction with Hoag’s Gamma Knife and stereotactic biopsy system.

f-MR imaging is used for mapping the brain’s functions:

how it thinks, and
how it initiates activities.

Magnetic Resonance Angiography

Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) is a non-invasive diagnostic 3D imaging exam that is obtained in Hoag’s state-of-the-art 3Tesla MRI scanner. The blood vessels of the brain and their internal flow rates are visualized and reconstructed in three dimensions. This sophisticated technology is used:

to detect, diagnose and aid the treatment of stroke and blood vessel disease,
to detect diseased intracranial arteries,
to detect atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries, and
to detect asymptomatic aneurysms.

Computed Tomographic Angiography

Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) is a non-invasive 3D imaging study that provides reconstructive imaging of the blood flow through brain vasculature. Utilizing X-rays to visualize blood flow in the arteries, CTA displays anatomic detail of blood vessels, producing three-dimensional images of the vessels, which can be rotated in any direction and sliced to better examine individual arteries. And as the technique provides neuroradiologists with clear visualization of narrowed and clogged arteries that can cause stroke, they can detect coronary artery disease at an early stage when medication and lifestyle modification can reverse the course of the condition. CTA is also commonly used:

to obtain precise information about lesions that involve the bone or skull base region,
in place of an invasive angiogram to determine whether a stent is serving its purpose, and
to image patients who are unable to undergo MR scanning due to pacemakers, metal implants or inability to fit in the MR scanner.

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