Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold standard imaging modality for soft tissues. It produces detail cross-sectional images of soft tissue and bone anatomy, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, brain and organs, without the use of ionizing radiation. In addition to orthopedic imaging, MRI is also used for heart, brain and breast. MRI uses gadolinium contrast in many exams to highlight tissues and blood vessels, which enhances images and offers better diagnostic quality. It can also be used in conjunction with PET scans. How does MRI work? MR creates images by using powerful magnets to polarize hydrogen atoms in water (the body is made of of more than 80% water) so they face in one direction. A radiofrequency pulse is then used to ping these atoms, causing them to wobble, or resonate. The MRI coils detect this and computers can assemble images from the signals. Basic MRI scans will focus on the resonance of fat and water in two different sequences, which highlight and contrast different features in the anatomy.

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Radiology AI firm Gleamer expands into MRI with 2 acquisitions

The French company offers solutions across X-ray, mammography and CT, adding MRI to its portfolio by buying Pixyl and Caerus Medical. 

Aclarion, a company using remote MRIs to assess back pain, expands in partnership with RadNet

The publicly traded Broomfield, Colorado, firm plans to bolster access to its Nociscan product across key markets in New York and New Jersey. 

David A. Rosman, MD, MBA, deputy chief, radiology enterprise service, Mass General Brigham, explains details of a recent AJR article that showed imaging outside of hospitals could potentially save billions.

Shift toward imaging outside the hospital could save billions

Harvard’s David A. Rosman, MD, MBA, explains how moving imaging outside of hospitals could save billions of dollars for U.S. healthcare.

PHOTO GALLERY: thyroid nodule imaging

This is a collection of radiology imaging showing various presentations of thyroid nodules.

Biograph whole-body MRI

Biograph, a new whole-body MRI startup, launches with $7,500 membership fee

The company has already opened its first location in San Mateo, California, with another to follow in New York City, collecting over 1,000 datapoints from 30-plus exams.  

ezra

Imaging startup Ezra hopes to launch 15-minute, $500 whole-body MRI by 2026

The New York-based healthcare AI firm has scored U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance for its Ezra Flash, a class 2 medical device. 

healthcare money economics dollar stethoscope acquire merger

Mexico, not China, is biggest tariff concern among radiology vendors

If 25% tariffs go into effect, it could have a big impact on the cost of medical imaging and radiotherapy systems, with many manufacturing facilities in Mexico. 

Medical imaging trends to watch in 2025

The healthcare market analysis firm Signify Research released a list of predictions in radiology its analysts expect to see in 2025. 

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Around the web

Health Imaging
American College of Radiology announces significant expansion of Lung Cancer Screening Registry

The ACR hopes these changes, including the addition of diagnostic performance feedback, will help reduce the number of patients with incidental nodules lost to follow-up each year.

Health Imaging
AI reduces CT lung cancer screening workload by nearly 80%

And it can do so with almost 100% accuracy as a first reader, according to a new large-scale analysis.

Health Imaging
Nearly $800,000 settlement offered to family of man who died during MRI exam

The patient, who was being cared for in the ICU, was not accompanied or monitored by nursing staff during his exam, despite being sedated.