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Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for the Assessment of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers valuable structural information about organs and tissues in the body, providing high-resolution images that help diagnose a wide range of conditions and dysfunctions. However, data underlying functional activity of the structure is often limited. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a non-invasive, in vivo technique complementary to MRI that interrogates…

Water Vapor Treatment for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hyperplasia commonly occurs in older men and consists of an enlargement of the prostate, a walnut-shaped gland that surrounds the urethra at the neck of the bladder. This abnormal growth may compress or completely block the urethra, causing a wide range of lower urinary tract symptoms that can lead to bladder outlet obstruction and…

Corpus Callosum Development in Autism is Different for Girls

Autism is a global problem with skyrocketing incidence rates. The CDC reports that 1 in 68 children born today will be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The incidence for boys is 1 in 42, so the majority of research studies has focused on males. This has led to a poorly understood and little-studied population of…

Visualizing Calcified Plaques with Virtual Intravascular Endoscopy

Searching for screening techniques for the early detection of coronary artery disease, the leading cause of death in the Western world, represents one of the greatest challenges in the scientific field. While the occurrence of cardiovascular disease can be detected through imaging modalities such as coronary CT angiography, the presence of calcified plaques in the…

The Role of Microvasculature in Myocardial Perfusion

Myocardial perfusion is the process by which blood is supplied to the heart muscle from the left and right coronary arteries. Exploring the structure of microvascular trees in a detailed way will provide a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that rule myocardial perfusion. Researchers from Western University, London, investigated arteriolar trees, the pre-capillary levels of the microvasculature,…

Enhanced Contrast MRI for the Prevention of Renal Graft Rejection

Transplantation of an organ from a donor who differs genetically from the recipient induces an immune response that, if not controlled, may compromise the graft outcome. Chronic rejection is a major complication in renal transplantation and is currently the most prevalent cause of renal transplant failure. Current research is focused on developing new noninvasive imaging…

Salt Intake and Blood Pressure in Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

Excess salt consumption is associated with increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular complications, such as cerebral small vessel disease. Several studies have established a causal relation between daily dietary salt intake and high blood pressure, which has a prominent role in promoting cardiovascular diseases. However, high sodium might weigh in on the development of cerebral…

Immunotherapy Strategies in the Fight against Glioblastomas

Of the more than 120 types of brain tumors that have been identified, glioblastoma is the most aggressive and infiltrative. This particular cancer starts in the cerebrum, the largest part of the brain, and is aggressive, quickly invading and spreading into healthy brain tissue. Recent improvements in technology and discoveries in the field of immunology suggest…

Detecting Meniscal Injury with Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography

The menisci are “c” shaped fibrocartilage structures that act as cushions in the knee joint and contribute to its lubrication and nourishment. These two crescent shaped pads of tissue, which sit between the femur and the tibia, transfer the load from the upper to the lower leg, reduce friction during circular movements and absorb shocks…

Preserving Cardiac Function after Myocardial Infarction

A myocardial infarction, commonly referred to as a heart attack, is caused by sudden restriction of circulating blood to the heart due to blockage of a coronary artery. As prolonged ischemia (lack of blood) and hypoxia (diminished oxygen levels) may lead to irreversible damage of myocardial tissue, finding new ways to limit their negative consequences is…