Looking Ahead: Latest Technological Developments in Medical Imaging

According to the World Health Organization, medical imaging includes a number of imaging processes and modalities to image the human body for several diagnostic as well as treatment functions. Medical imaging has proven to be extremely vital in various medical and healthcare settings. Effective and timely decisions are crucial and depend primarily on correct diagnosis, be it in preventive, palliative, or curative care. Diagnostic imaging technologies help confirm, evaluate, and document the course of various diseases and aid in the assessment of a patient’s response to treatment.

The term medical imaging comprises various radiological imaging techniques. For an extensive period of time, x-ray remained the key, perhaps only, method of visualizing the anatomy of the human body. However, modern medicine – particularly that in the second half of the 20th century – has brought with it new imaging techniques, each with its own pros and cons.

Some of the commonly used medical imaging methods today are fluoroscopy, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), elastography, endoscopy, thermography, tactile imaging, and nuclear medicine functional imaging and medical photography, such as positron emission tomography (PET). Medical imaging also includes measurement and recording techniques such as magnetoencephalography (MEG), electroencephalography (EEG), and electrocardiography (EKG). These techniques do not create images; they generate information that is represented in the form of maps or graphs.

Here’s a look at some of the latest developments in the field of medical imaging:

Novel MRI Technique Used to Predict Spinal Degeneration

Spinal disc degeneration is often caused by a change in water content in the intervertebral disk. However, while it is one of the most common medical diseases in the world, it is also one of the most misunderstood causes of pain in the neck and lower back. A team of researchers at the Barrow Neurological Institute used a unique magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique to assess patients with lumbar spine degeneration. Called apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps, the technique evaluates the movement as well as dynamics of water content in the intervertebral disc. The findings of the research will help detect as well as predict the condition sooner and aid physicians in picking the best course of treatment for each patient. This American-Russian collaborative study has been funded by the Russian Science Federation.

Scientists Develop Imaging Reagent to Identify Bacterial Infections

Medical imaging reagents are substances designed to enhance the imaging of specific tissues, organs, physiological functions, and diseases. Growing demand for functional imaging diagnostics has resulted in the development of new and more effective imaging agents. Medical scientists at Stanford University have now developed an imaging agent that can reportedly be used to identify almost all bacterial infections. This new positron emission tomography (PET) tracer offers a noninvasive method of detection and has the potential to alter the course of clinical management of those suffering from various bacterial infectious diseases. Published in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, the study shows that the 6"-18F-fluoromaltotriose tracer will help in combating the problem of antimicrobial resistance of bacteria. Scientists hope that this imaging agent will make it easy to gauge whether the treatment is actually working.

Intravascular Ultrasound Combined with Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging to Measure Arterial Plaque

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is an imaging technique to study blood vessels in living beings and uses a catheter with an ultrasound probe at the tip. One of the key uses of intravascular ultrasound is to detect and assess the build-up of plaque in the arteries. Biomedical engineers at the University of California – Davis have developed a catheter that combines fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIm) with intravascular ultrasound to image the arteries in a living heart. This single catheter probe can retrieve biochemical as well as structural data about the arterial plaque to enable reliable prediction of heart attacks. The new flexible FLIm-IVUS imaging catheter allows physicians to gain insight into the formation and rupture of atherosclerotic plaque, aids in its diagnosis, and helps measure the shrinking of plaques in response to treatment.

Latest 3D Imaging Methods to Aid in Future Heart Surgeries

Three-dimensional (3D) medical imaging has numerous benefits over two-dimensional (2D) imaging and has been gaining much prominence across disciplines. The clinical and research implications of 3D visualization and imaging in medicine, particularly cardiology, have been elaborated upon by Dr. Robert Stephenson from Aarhus University/Aarhus University Hospital. In a recent study published in Scientific Reports, Dr. Stephenson, along with researchers from University of Manchester, Liverpool John Moores University, and Newcastle University are positive that high resolution 3D imaging will help students learn the cardiac conduction system and the complex anatomy and functioning of the heart. The conduction system, which acts as a biological pacemaker, is crucial in the treatment of atrial fibrillation and the new visualization technique can be of great value in such cases.

Combining Squid Ink with Light and Ultrasound to Look for Gum Disease

Although modern use of squid ink has been restricted to cooking, where it is used as a food flavoring and coloring agent, recent studies have shown their potential in anti-tumor activity. Now, researchers believe that it could make the process of examining gum disease painless and less tedious. A team of engineers at the University of California San Diego have combined squid ink with light and ultrasound to examine a patient’s gums in a more comprehensive yet noninvasive manner. This method is said to be more accurate than current state-of-the-art methods. The procedure involves asking patients to first rinse their mouth with a paste that contains squid ink, which serves as a contrast agent for photoacoustic ultrasound. Using a laser light and ultrasound, researchers can create an entire map of the pocket depth around the teeth, which has proven to be a major improvement over the traditional method.

Researchers Develop Advanced Imaging Technique to Assess Early-stage Embryos

A team of researchers at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CNBP), headed by the University of Adelaide, has developed a new imaging technique that allows accurate assessment of the quality of early-stage embryos. This enables IVF specialists to correctly choose an embryo. The technique has shown the potential to impact the IVF industry by significantly improving the outcomes of assisted reproduction among women. The advanced imaging shows differences between the chemical make-up of embryos as well as their metabolism even before they have been implanted. Called ‘hyperspectral imaging’, the technique can be combined with various other diagnostic methods to deliver a more objective and accurate embryo viability assessment. Although this technology has not been tested on humans yet, researchers believe that the technique is immensely promising.

Conclusion

Digital images are not merely pictures but are invaluable sources of information; data that is not qualitatively perceptible by humans. Ongoing improvements in medical imaging and developments in the next decade will result in more accurate and less invasive diagnostic methods, along with reduction in radiation doses. Proliferation of the Internet has blurred the lines between communication and information systems, giving physicians access to crucial data in real time. The future, for medical imaging, will bring new capabilities to benefit physicians, patients, and workers in the healthcare system.

Nishita Pereira is a content writer and editor, with experience working as a news correspondent for an English daily. She has also freelanced for various guest blogging websites, particularly those in the healthcare sector.