MRI: Now And Onwar To The Future

By: Gary L. Jones, M.D., Ph.D

Clinical MRI is recognized as an important diagnostic tool for virtually every organ in the body. It now represents the standard-of-care for safe and accurate anatomic imaging. Each year since it’s introduction refinements and advances in MRI have increased exponentially. So, what can we do with this technology today?

We can image virtually every organ in the body. High resolution, accurate images are routinely acquired of the brain, the spine, joints, and internal organs. The quality of these “pictures” is roughly equivalent to holding the particular organ in one’s hand and viewing it directly, from various perspectives.

A modern MRI with sophisticated software now produces vastly superior images of the above structures. Other advances in recent years enable us to “see” stroke within minutes of the onset. It usually takes many hours or days before one can “see” stroke with CT.
With the most modern systems scanning is so fast that motion is no longer a limiting problem. Brain scans often require just a few seconds to complete, and even infants do not have to be sedated for the study.
The ultra modern systems are so fast now that even cardiac imaging is virtually “picture-perfect.” Because the heart moves with each heartbeat, it has always been difficult to image this organ with MRI. However, with a system such as the one available at Snow Canyon Clinic in Ivins, elegant studies of heart anatomy and function can be performed in “real-time.” It is now possible to see the “real anatomy” (and function) of the heart while beating, just as though you are holding it in your hand. The interior of the heart chambers, valves and blood vessels are seen with exquisite detail. In fact, it is now possible to image the coronary artery circulation non-invasively (no surgery, no injections, no anesthesia, no risk of complications), and the quality of these studies are so good that many cardiologists are now recommending cardiac MRI as the primary screening test for coronary artery disease.

Snow Canyon Clinic in Ivins is one of the very few centers in America that offers comprehensive cardiac anatomic and functional MR imaging. The other principal sites in America include Harvard University, Emory University, Washington University and the Texas Heart Institute. Scott Flamm, M.D. is the Director of the Cardiac MRI program at the Texas Heart Institute, and he is now on staff at Snow Canyon Clinic and will be responsible for interpreting all of the Clinic’s cardiovascular imaging. Ivins is thus distinguished by having such a forward thinking, progressive facility capable of providing services unthinkable just 2 years ago.