--- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [I wrote:] > > One of the problems with diagnosing just what > deficits traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause is > the inability to image the injury(s); what is > believed to cause some of these > > deficits is "shearing damage" to individual nerve > > axons and/or dendrites. IOW, the > > acceleration/deceleration of the brain inside the > > confines of the hard skull can cause not only > bruising > > of brain tissue (which can show up on CT or MRI as > > altered tissue density), but also tearing of > > individual nerve fibers, which does not register > on > > CT/MRI as the resolution is not sufficient. > > > Shearing or diffuse axonal injury is difficult to > detect with except in severe cases but MR does a > much better job... <snip and snippage below> > The most exciting new MR technique that is yielding > promising data is Diffusion Tensor Imaging. > Diffusion of water molecules within the brain can be > easily be measured and imaged... In gray matter > water diffuses symmetrically in all directions...but [in] white matter... > with axons travelling together in tracts...Water... >...diffusion is anisotropic (highly > directional). Diffusion Tensor imaging can detect > this anisotropy...You > can obtain maps of relative anisotropy... > ...The tractograms are truly amazing. You can > literally trace a single fiber anywhere in the > brain. It is truly amazing. With this technique one > can directly detect any disease of white matter such > as multiple sclerosis. Shear injuries can therefore > be directly visualized. This is truly the most > amazing thing I have seen in all of my years. I have > seen CT evolve and have been involved with MR since > its earliest time. <snip>
Wow! That's so cool! When do you think that this technique will make it to the general teaching hospitals? Sure will change the perception of "mild brain injury," I'll bet. Debbi VFP Godseye __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more http://taxes.yahoo.com/ _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
