The Brain

                                                                THE BRAIN

Blog is written by: Alondra Bonet 

 The brain is such a complex organ in the human body. Interestingly, the brain is vital to the human anatomy and has many roles and functions. The brain is like our "motor", without it, we won't be able to send signals to every other part of our body. In MRI, brain scans are very common. Some indications for a brain scan might be to diagnose and detect tumors, lesions, hemorrhages, and other brain abnormalities (Burghart & Finn, 2011).

When doing an MRI brain scan there a different protocols for different types of exams. For example, in a routine brain scan, the main thing is capturing the entire brain. The most common plane in a routine brain scan is the axial plane (Burghart & Finn, 2011). In the axial plane, you are seeing everything from the top kind of like when slicing bread. There are also other planes. The main 3 planes used in MRI are sagittal (side view), coronal (frontal view), or axial (top view). These 3 planes are used to get a sequence of images in different positions so that we can detect any abnormalities in the brain and see it from different perspectives. A side view will allow us to see the brain as if we were cutting it in half. A frontal coronal view is allowing us to see the brain as if we were seeing it head-on face to face. An axial view allows us to see the brain from the top as I mentioned as if we were looking down on someone.

Below will be an image showing a Brain MRI in the view of the 3 planes. 

There are other scans done such as orbits, which are mostly focused on the orbits and the nerves surrounding them. There are also scans that are for IAC which is to see the internal ear canals. The list goes on and on with types of brain scans and what the scan is for. Other scans include multiple sclerosis, stroke, epilepsy, and more. All of these exams are brain exams just different types for different issues. 

MRI is one of the modalities that are most preferred when doing a brain scan. The reason is that we can get a very detailed image of the entire brain when doing MRI. Other modalities such as X-ray or CT use radiation to image however it will not be as detailed as an MRI. With X-ray it is mostly focused on the bony structures and as we know the brain is composed of soft tissues and cerebrospinal fluid that we can see clearer on an MRI (Sawyers, 2023).   

MRI is essential to detect brain abnormalities. Time is essential in regard to health. If we can detect issues early on, we can find treatments and cures. There are various methods of imaging that we use in MRI to be able to see any abnormalities. a DWI (diffusion-weighted imaging) is the most common when scanning a brain and looking for a stroke. According to the National Library of Medicine, "Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is a new magnetic resonance imaging technique that detects the tiny random movements of water molecules (diffusion) in tissues. This technique allows a map of the average apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) to be calculated." (Albers, 1998). In other words, this technique allows us to see the movement of tiny water molecules which are usually present in the brain after an ischemic stroke. This is why it is vital to get an MRI of the brain especially if the patient had a stroke because with the MRI we are able to see exactly which area of the brain is affected, and how severe the stroke was. 

To summarize, the brain is an essential organ in the human body. Our job as MRI techs is being able to scan the brain appropriately according to the protocol of our site as well as the type of scan requested. Whether it be an MRI of the Brain, Orbits, or IAC, we must know where all of this is located, and as mentioned these are all found within the Brain or cranium area. We also must be able to use different planes to have different views of the brain. We might see something in one plane that we won't be able to see in the other. That is why it is important to know the 3 planes used which are sagittal, axial, and coronal. It is also vital to know why a brain MRI might be requested by a doctor. The indications for a brain MRI are important to know so that the technician can have a keen eye on what to look for.