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अमूर्त

Magnetic Resonance Imaging will Replace Computer Tomography

Joseph Stancanello

The introduction of tomographic imaging revolutionized the way we look at medical images. Compared to X-ray projective image, Computer Tomography (CT) offers the possibility of analyzing anatomical structures on a three-dimensional, slice-to-slice approach. On the other hand, limitations of CT consist of poor soft tissue contrast and ionizing radiation [1], while the advantages are distortion-free images and fast scan times [2]. Indeed, CT has been the modality of choice in many applications, going from diagnostic imaging to image-guided therapeutic solutions [3,4]. The advent of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) represented a further quantum leap in tomographic imaging in that soft tissue contrast was dramatically superior to CT with no radiation dose. On the other hand, MRI suffered from image distortion and long scan times, as well as limitation in scanning regions where metal implants are present. MRI offers a wide range of contrast generation, which makes it probably the modality with the highest potential in the imaging arena. This is reflected in the introduction of new MRI sequences in the range of 5-10 per year.