An MRI Scan Can Be Used to Identify the Cause of Central Sleep Apnea

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is a condition where a sufferer will stop breathing temporarily while sleeping. This sleep disorder can occur several times during a single sleep period, which can be dangerous. If you stop breathing, your blood-oxygen levels can get dangerously low, and potentially result in hypoxemia, shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, rapid heart rate, and confusion.

CSA symptoms

The most common symptom of CSA is frequent starts and stops of breathing during sleep, which can result in regular nighttime awakening and insomnia. For some people, breathing gets very shallow instead of actual breath pauses. Thus, a CSA sufferer can feel very sleepy during the day and have trouble focusing on tasks. Headaches when waking up are another possible symptom.

Diagnostic Tests and Imaging: When Do You Need to Undergo a Knee MRI?

When you injure a joint in your body, such as the knee, you're not only looking at pain and problems associated with the knee joint, but with the rest of the body as well. After a knee injury occurs, there will be more pressure placed on the hips and the back to support the body’s weight and to keep it stable. Muscles located in the legs can also become stretched as they have to work harder to support the leg of the injured knee. 

Heart Health: Detecting Early Signs of Artery Disease with a PET Scan

A PET scan, which is also referred to as positron emission tomography, is a diagnostic tool used by doctors to see specific areas of your body without doing surgery. This important diagnostic tool can be used on almost anyone. A PET scan shows promise in the early diagnosis of atherosclerosis and its importance in preventing cerebrovascular events such as stroke.

Precautions: Is MRI with Contrast Safe for People with Kidney Disease?

Magnetic resonance imaging or MRI is among the most preferred diagnostic imaging tests as it can provide important information on a range of injuries or diseases, which can help in proper diagnosis and treatment planning. There are times, however, when an MRI is done with a contrast material called gadolinium, which is injected through the patient’s veins, for better visualization of internal organs. Contrast agents that are given intravenously will be cleared from the body by the kidneys, so the renal functions of high risk patients are tested to determine the safety of gadolinium administration. 

Research: Identifying and Differentiating CTE and AD with a PET Scan

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), NorthShore University Health System (NSUHS), and other established institutions revealed that proteins (tau) are deposited in a distinctive pattern in the brains of individuals, particularly athletes, who are suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).  Researchers conducted a study in 14 retired National Football League football players who sustained at least one concussion during their time in the field.

“What is a PET Scan?” and Other Common PET Scan-Related Questions

PET scan, short for positron emission tomography scanning, is a body imaging technology that uses radiation to produce colored three-dimensional images of the body. A PET scan can reveal metabolic changes and physical uptake that may not be seen in other forms of imaging technique, and that’s why it’s widely used to see observe the development of an existing condition or the effectiveness of an ongoing treatment.

MRI: Can it be an Effective Detection Tool for Unstable Labral Tears?

With the evolution of medical diagnostic tools comes the discovery of several conditions that no one thought existed. Among these conditions is a labral tear, which is an injury to the labrum, a very small structure in the shoulder. A labral tear can be extremely painful to a sufferer.