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New technology developed at Barrow
Neurological Institute enhances MRI capabilities
Phoenix, AZ, Jan. 4: Researchers at
Barrow
Neurological Institute in Phoenix have developed a new method that allows
technicians to obtain clearer Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans with less
sensitivity to patient motion.
PROPELLER is an acronym for "Periodically Rotated
Overlapping ParallEL Lines with Enhanced Reconstruction." This method acquires
data in a unique way that allows one to track the motion of the patient during
the MRI scan. The motion can then be removed.
"While PROPELLER technology continues to be
refined, GE has already incorporated the novel method into new medical
equipment," said Jim Pipe, senior staff scientist in the MRI Department at
Barrow. "We believe that PROPELLER technology will help drive the future of MRI."
There are two major applications for this method.
The first is motion-insensitive imaging. For the first time, high-quality MRI
scans can be collected on many segments of the population who cannot hold still
(children, Parkinson's patients, etc.). This is leading the technology to a
point where patient motion, which may be the biggest obstacle to good images, is
no longer a factor.
The second application for PROPELLER is stroke
imaging. The technology used to detect and characterize strokes, called
"Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI)," is extremely sensitive to even minute motion
in a patient. Prior to PROPELLER, DWI images suffered in quality because the
methods used to reduce this motion sensitivity also reduced image quality. With
PROPELLER DWI, small strokes are much easier to detect, grade and follow during
treatment.
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