Imaging Techniques News and Research

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New methods for revealing nerve-muscle activity in live animals

Picking up a pencil, running a marathon, even the simple act of breathing - every time we move a muscle we depend on a series of finely-tuned interactions at the junction of nerve fiber and muscle cell.

20 Apr 2006

Map of the human brain sheds new light on dyslexia

Mapping the human brain at The University of Auckland has revealed that abnormal brain activity appears to be the reason why some dyslexia sufferers find it difficult to learn to read.

20 Apr 2006

Delaying urgery decreases survival for bladder cancer patients

Bladder cancer patients whose surgery was delayed for more than three months after their diagnosis were more likely to die from their disease than patients whose surgery was performed sooner, according to a study by researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

4 Apr 2006

Innovative sensing tool used to investigate adenosine triposphate release and its role in cystic fibrosis

The ATP study marks the first application of a novel sensing system developed by a research team led by Christine Kranz at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

27 Mar 2006

Procedure to remove small tumors near inner ear shows promise at preserving hearing

Even when they're extremely small, tumors on the nerves that connect the brain to the ear can wreak havoc on a person's hearing and balance. But removing them is a delicate process that can, in some cases, cause further harm.

1 Mar 2006

Study shows brain anticipates taste

Now, however, scientists have begun to peel back some of the neurological secrets of this remarkable phenomenon and show how the brain can be rewired in anticipation of sensory input to respond in prescribed ways.

24 Feb 2006

Early prediction of endocrine therapy effect in advanced breast cancer patients using nuclear medicine imaging

Innovative use of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS), a nuclear medicine imaging technique looking at how the body functions at the molecular level, may provide near immediate selection of breast cancer patients for endocrine therapy and offers a new tool in fighting the disease

23 Jan 2006

Men far more spiteful than women!

According to scientists in the UK men get far more pleasure from the misfortune of others than women do.

22 Jan 2006

The sweet answer to a poor memory

Sweet tooth types out there will be delighted to learn that those sweet and sugary drinks may improve the memory.

16 Jan 2006

Astrocytes play a direct role in controlling blood flow in the brain - influencing Alzheimer's

New findings that long-overlooked brain cells play an important role in regulating blood flow in the brain call into question one of the basic assumptions underlying today's most sophisticated brain imaging techniques and could open a new frontier when it comes to understanding Alzheimer's disease.

6 Jan 2006

Gold nanorods injected into the bloodstream may be used to develop an advanced medical imaging tool

Researchers at Purdue University have taken a step toward developing a new type of ultra-sensitive medical imaging technique that works by shining a laser through the skin to detect tiny gold nanorods injected into the bloodstream.

25 Oct 2005

Key neural system at risk from prenatal exposure to alcohol

In a study of adult monkeys who were exposed to moderate amounts of alcohol in utero, scientists have found that prenatal exposure to alcohol - even in small doses - has pronounced effects on the development and function later in life of the brain's dopamine system, a critical component of the central nervous system that regulates many regions of the brain.

21 Sep 2005

Enhanced imaging techniques could improve medical diagnosis

Chris Wyatt is a Virginia Tech electrical engineer who is attempting to provide the medical community with better, quicker, and more relevant images of the human body. The side effects are not bad either - lower medical costs, new treatments, and earlier disease detection.

19 Sep 2005

Tools for studying the chemistry of the brain, neuron by neuron

The human brain is composed of billions of cells, each a separate entity that communicates with others. The chemical interaction of those cells determines personality, controls behavior and encodes memory; but much remains to be understood.

1 Sep 2005

Daydreaming linked to Alzheimer's disease

According to new research, Alzheimer's disease may be due to abnormalities in the regions of the brain that operate the "default state", a term used to describe the cognitive state people defer to when musing, daydreaming, or thinking to themselves.

30 Aug 2005

Parts of the brain used in daydreaming are the same areas that fail in people who have Alzheimer's disease

Researchers who used five different medical imaging techniques to study the brain activity of 764 people, including those with Alzheimer's disease, those on the brink of dementia, and healthy individuals, have found that the areas of the brain that young, healthy people use when daydreaming are the same areas that fail in people who have Alzheimer's disease.

25 Aug 2005

Early detection of Alzheimer's coming soon?

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of old-age dementia and has become the fourth most common cause of death in the USA. The cause of the disease is protein deposits, called amyloid plaques, in the brain.

11 Aug 2005

Researchers look at how we understand visual images

The figure is famous: a deceptively simple line drawing that at first glance resembles a vase and, at the next, a pair of human faces in profile. When you look at this figure, your brain must rapidly decide what the various lines denote. Are they the outlines of the vase or the borders of two faces? How does your brain decide?

9 Aug 2005

Scientists have identified the first genetic mutations that cause the aorta to widen, tear and rupture

Finding biological markers that flag aneurysm, a bulging of the aorta that leads to dissection, a lengthwise separation of tissues in the artery wall, is critically important for early diagnosis.

25 Jul 2005

Brain computer map could prevent strokes

A grant from the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand will allow researchers at the University of Canterbury New Zealand, to fine-tune a computer model of cerebral bloodflow that could become a tool in predicting, treating and preventing strokes.

21 Jul 2005