MRI shows neurological affects of one football season

William Doss | | Radiology Business | Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Just a single season of tackle football was enough to produce noticeable changes in the brains of boys aged 8 to 13 years old, according to a study released in Radiology.

The deleterious impact of concussions has rocked the football world over the past five years, but now researchers are turning to the long-term effects of sub-concussive impacts. Depending on the definition, such impacts may occur on every single down played in the National Football League. These sub-concussive impacts spurred Professor Christopher Whitlow, MD, of Wake Forest School of Medicine, to investigate changes in younger players.

Whitlow and his researchers fitted players with special helmets that tracked impacts and took MRI scans of the players' brains both before and after the season. They found subtle changes, noting the players with the most collisions to the head also had the most change in their white matter.

Read more about the study and the implications at the link below:

How One Season of Football Affects a Child’s Brain

William Doss

As a Senior Writer for TriMed Media Group, Will covers radiology practice improvement, policy, and finance. He lives in Chicago and holds a bachelor’s degree in Life Science Communication and Global Health from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He previously worked as a media specialist for the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Outside of work you might see him at one of the many live music venues in Chicago or walking his dog Holly around Lakeview.

Related Content

Radiologists are more accurate, confident when they know the full story
Rads are more accurate when they have access to patients' self-reported symptoms
Imaging startup Ezra launches ‘world’s most advanced longevity scan’ at $5,995 a pop
Whole-body MRI startup Ezra expands service in partnership with Princeton Radiology
Siemens Healthineers signs imaging value partnership worth over $60M
Outdated manuals pose MRI safety risks for patients with medical implants

Around the web

Cardiovascular Business
Global shortage of nuclear imaging isotopes may be over

The nuclear imaging isotope shortage of molybdenum-99 may be over now that the sidelined reactor is restarting. ASNC's president says PET and new SPECT technologies helped cardiac imaging labs better weather the storm.

Cardiovascular Business
‘A huge win’: CMS significantly increases Medicare payments for cardiac CT

CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.

Cardiovascular Business
GE HealthCare moves PET/CT scanner production to United States

The all-in-one Omni Legend PET/CT scanner is now being manufactured in a new production facility in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Design by Adaptive Theme
Trimed Popup
Trimed Popup