Latest news with #MagneticResonanceImaging
National Geographic
20 hours ago
- Health
- National Geographic
What causes Parkinson's disease? Scientists uncover an unexpected new clue.
A computer illustration of human pegivirus, an RNA (ribonucleic acid) virus scientists believe may be linked to Parkinson's disease. Illustration by Kateryna Kon, Science Photo Library A recent study linking human pegivirus to Parkinson's is leading scientists to examine the connection between other viral infections and neurodegenerative diseases. More than 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that leads to symptoms such as tremors, slow movement, limb stiffness, and balance issues. Scientists still don't know what causes the disease, but it's thought to develop due to a complex mixture of genetic and environmental factors, and treatment is still quite limited. But new research is putting scientists one step closer to some possible answers. In a recent study published in JCI Insight, researchers found a common virus, called human pegivirus (HPgV), in the brains of patients who had Parkinson's disease when they died. Although HPgV infections don't usually cause symptoms, researchers believe the virus may be playing a role in the development of Parkinson's. 'The hypothesis is that a long-term, low-burning infection might lead to these sorts of diseases,' such as Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, says Barbara Hanson, a researcher at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and one of the authors of the paper. Here's what we know so far. Colored Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan showing the brain of a 65-year-old patient with Parkinson's. New research suggests that viral infections can be at play in the development of the disease. Photograph by Zephyr/Science Photo Library Over 500 viruses screened In this study, researchers screened for over 500 viruses in the autopsied brains of 10 patients who had Parkinson's disease and compared them to the autopsied brains of 14 control patients, who were matched for age and gender. In five of the patients with Parkinson's, they found the presence of HPgV, while none of the control patients had the virus. In order to bolster their findings, researchers conducted follow-up experiments that looked at the blood samples of patients who were in different stages of Parkinson's disease. What they found was that patients who had Parkinson's and were positive for HPgV had similar immune system responses, including a lower level of an inflammatory protein called IL-4, which can either promote or suppress inflammation depending on the situation. They also found that patients who had a specific Parkinson's-related gene mutation had a different immune system response to HPgV, compared to patients with Parkinson's who didn't have the mutation. 'It was a very thorough study,' says Margaret Ferris, a neurologist and researcher at Stanford University who was not part of the study. She adds that this offers a possible mechanism for the interaction between genetics and environment. Although the presence of HPgV in the brains of people with Parkinson's disease is suggestive of a link, the full answer of what causes the neurodegenerative disease is more complex. Parkinson's disease has always been hard to study, due to the fact that it develops slowly, over many years, and is difficult to diagnose in the earlier stages. 'One of the hard things about investigating neurodegenerative disorders is that it is very hard to identify people who will get neurodegenerative disorders, but don't yet have them, and to study and watch them,' Ferris says. Further complicating this matter is the fact that there doesn't seem to be one single trigger for Parkinson's disease. 'It is difficult to determine the causes of Parkinson's, because they are likely multifactorial,' says William Ondo, a neurologist at Houston Methodist Hospital, who specializes in treating patients with movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease. Ondo was not part of the study. Currently, Parkinson's disease is believed to develop from a complex mixture of genetic and environmental factors, with individual triggers varying from one person to another. This makes studying the potential causes of the disease quite challenging, and means that there still aren't definitive answers to what can trigger the condition. It's likely that some people may develop Parkinson's disease as a result of multiple triggers. 'Everyone is on their own path,' to developing Parkinson's disease, says Erin Furr-Stimming, a neurologist at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, who was not part of the study. In recent years, there has been a growing body of evidence to suggest a link between viral infections and the development of neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's. This includes the recent discovery that Epstein-Barr virus is a major trigger for multiple sclerosis, as well as a number of associations between viral infections and neurodegenerative conditions. Parkinson-like symptoms have also been triggered by a number of viral infections, such as West Nile virus, St. Louis Encephalitis virus, and Japanese Encephalitis B Virus. As Hanson notes, inflammation in the brain has been linked to the development of neurodegenerative disorders, with viral infections being a potential trigger for this inflammation. 'Any amount of inflammation in the brain can trigger a number of cascades that lead to the loss of normal homeostatic brain function,' Hanson says. 'It's possible that viral infections are one of those triggers that lead to inflammation in the brain.' Other potential reasons that viral infections may lead to neurodegeneration include direct damage to neurons from the virus, or the accumulation of misfolded proteins. However, while this recent study offers evidence of a suggested link between HPgV and the development of Parkinson's disease, there's still more research needed before a clear link between the two can be established. 'This study doesn't show a cause-and-effect relationship—it just suggests there may be a relationship between pegivirus and Parkinson's,' says Joseph Jankovic, a neurologist and director of the Parkinson's Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic at Baylor College of Medicine. In order to understand the connection further, Jankovic says, 'this study needs to be replicated in a different cohort of patients.'
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Science
- New Indian Express
Raman Research Institute develops device to scan brain signals anywhere
BENGALURU: In a breakthrough that could shrink brain-scanning MRI-like machines from room-sized setups to something that may fit anywhere, scientists at Raman Research Institute (RRI) have developed a compact magnetometer that can detect magnetic fields with extreme precision even in noisy, real-world environments. This innovation in future could offer a quieter, portable, and more affordable alternative to MRI-like scans, especially in smaller clinics, mobile units, or rural healthcare settings. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) works by detecting tiny magnetic signals from inside the human body, especially the brain. These signals are incredibly weak, which is why MRI machines need heavy shielding and 'ultra silent' rooms to function. But the new device does not need any of that. It's a fully optical, shield-free magnetometer — a small, light-based tool that can sense magnetic fields in noisy, real-world settings like clinics, outdoor sites, or even spacecraft. Magnetometers, in general, are used to measure magnetic fields and have applications in navigation, geology, medical imaging, physics, and space research. But the most accurate types — like Optically Pumped Atomic Magnetometers (OPAMs) and Spin Exchange Relaxation-Free (SERF) magnetometers- come with limitations. While they are extremely sensitive to weak magnetic fields, they only work well in shielded, stable environments and have a narrow dynamic range, meaning they can't handle magnetic fields that are too strong. What did the RRI do differently? RRI researchers developed -- Raman-Driven Spin Noise Spectroscopy (RDSNS) technique which works by using laser beams to 'listen' to the natural quantum jitters — known as spin noise — in rubidium atoms. These atoms behave like tiny bar magnets. When they're exposed to a magnetic field, their spin noise patterns change slightly. By analysing these changes with laser light, the RRI team is able to measure the strength of the surrounding magnetic field without touching or disturbing the atoms. This all-optical method is fully immune to common sources of interference like electricity, vibration, and radio signals.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Man dragged to death in MRI scanner wearing 9kg weight-training chain on neck
According to Nassau County Police, Keith McAllister, 61, entered the MRI room at Nassau Open MRI in Long Island, New York, while his wife's knee was being examined A man who died after being pulled into an MRI machine was wearing a 9kg weight-training chain around his neck while his wife was undergoing a scan, officials have revealed. According to Nassau County Police, Keith McAllister, 61, entered the MRI room at Nassau Open MRI in Long Island, New York, while his wife's knee was being examined. His wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, said she had called out to her husband for assistance when the incident unfolded. "I yelled out Keith's name, [shouting] Keith, come help me up," she said. Ms Jones-McAllister recounted how her husband entered the scanning room still wearing the heavy metal chain he regularly used for weight training. "I saw the machine snatch him around and pull him into the machine," she said through tears. "He died, he lost, he went limp in my arms." The powerful magnetic force generated by the MRI scanner drew McAllister into the machine by the chain, resulting in what police described as a 'medical episode.' He was left in a critical condition and rushed to hospital. Ms Jones-McAllister said her husband suffered a series of heart attacks after being freed from the machine. He was later pronounced dead. MRI, or Magnetic Resonance Imaging, is a non-invasive medical imaging technique that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to produce detailed images of the body's internal structures. The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering warns that the magnetic field generated by an MRI is strong enough to pull ferromagnetic objects with deadly force. "Very powerful forces are exerted on objects made of iron, some steels, and other magnetic materials," it says, noting the field can be 'strong enough to fling a wheelchair across the room'. MRI-related accidents are rare but can prove fatal when they do occur. This is not the first such incident in New York. In 2001, six-year-old Michael Colombini was killed at the Westchester Medical Centre when an oxygen tank was pulled into an MRI chamber by the machine's 10-ton electromagnet.
Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Health
- Saudi Gazette
Man dies after being pulled into an MRI by a metal chain he wore, police say
WASHINGTON — A man died last week after being pulled into an MRI machine by a 'large metallic chain' police said he was wearing around his neck – highlighting the importance of checking for any metallic objects before going near the powerful magnets used in the medical imaging machines. The 61-year-old died Thursday, a day after Nassau County police said he was pulled into the MRI machine at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury, New York, on Long Island. The victim was wearing 'a large metallic chain around his neck causing him to be drawn into the machine,' prompting an unspecified 'medical episode,' police said in a news release. The man's entry to the room 'while the scan was in progress' was not authorized, police said. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition before he was declared dead the following day. The investigation is ongoing, police said. Police have not identified the victim, but CNN affiliate News 12 Long Island reported his name was Keith McAllister, according to his wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister. She told the station she was the one undergoing the MRI. 'He went limp in my arms,' Jones-McAllister said through tears. A person who answered the phone at Nassau Open MRI on Sunday said it had no comment. Used often for disease detection and diagnosis, MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, according to the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. The technology relies in part on powerful magnets to stimulate protons within a patient, who is placed inside the machine, allowing doctors to capture detailed images of the patient's anatomy. That strong magnetic field, however, emanates beyond the MRI machine, posing a threat to those who might be wearing metallic objects or have them implanted. The magnets exert 'very powerful forces on objects of iron, some steels, and other magnetizable objects,' the scientific institute notes, with enough strength 'to fling a wheelchair across the room.' Jones-McAllister was getting an MRI on her knee, she told News 12, and needed help getting up afterwards. She said she asked the MRI technician to retrieve her husband for assistance. 'I yelled out Keith's name, 'Keith, Keith, come help me up,'' Jones-McAllister said. According to News 12, Jones-McAllister said her husband was wearing around his neck a 20-pound chain with a large lock he used for weight training. 'At that instant, the machine switched him around, pulled him in, and he hit the MRI,' Jones-McAllister said. She said she and the technician tried to pry her husband away from the machine. 'I'm saying, 'Could you turn off the machine? Call 911. Do something. Turn this damn thing off!'' Because of the risks posed by an MRI machine's magnetic field, patients are urged to notify their doctors about any medical implants prior to an MRI, in case they contain any metallic materials. Pacemakers, insulin pumps and cochlear implants are all examples of implants that the NIBIB says should under no circumstances enter an MRI machine. But items outside the machine pose risks as well, as last week's tragedy in Westbury demonstrated. Anything magnetic – from something as small as keys, to something as large (or larger) than an oxygen tank – can become a projectile, threatening the safety of anyone nearby. 'Metal in a room that has the magnet will fly across the room to the scanner, to this large magnet, and will really hit anything in its way,' Dr. Rebecca Smith-Bindman, a radiologist, told CNN in 2011. 'So within radiology training, one learns very early that that's not OK, that you can't have external metal in the room, and you can't have metal in the patient,' she said. 'That could lead to a problem.' These accidents have happened in the past: In 2001, a 6-year-old boy was killed during an MRI at a hospital in Valhalla, New York, after a metal oxygen tank flew across the room when the machine's electromagnet turned on. The magnetized tank struck the child, who died of blunt force trauma injuries. These events are rare, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. Still, '(c)areful screening of people and objects entering the MR environment is critical to ensure nothing enters the magnet area that may become a projectile,' the agency says. — CNN
NDTV
2 days ago
- Health
- NDTV
Man, 61, Dies After MRI Machine Pulls Him Inside. He Was Wearing 9 kg Chain
A 61-year-old man died after being pulled into an active MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine at a medical facility due to a heavy metallic chain he was wearing. The tragic incident occurred at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury, on New York's Long Island. Keith entered the MRI room without permission when his wife was undergoing a knee scan, said the Nassau County Police Department, BBC reported. "The male victim was wearing a large metallic chain around his neck, causing him to be drawn into the machine, which resulted in a medical episode," the department said in a statement. The victim's wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, said she was undergoing an MRI scan on her knee and asked her husband to come in and help her get up after the procedure. Her husband was wearing a 9 kg metal chain with a lock, which he used for weight training. Charles Winterfeldt, the hospital's director of imaging services, told CBS News, "It would act like a torpedo trying to get into the middle of the centre of the magnet." "At that instant, the machine switched him around, pulled him in, and he hit the MRI," she told CNN, adding, "He went limp in my arms." She said the technician tried to pull him away, but his efforts went in vain. She said, "I'm saying, 'Could you turn off the machine? Call 911. Do something. Turn this damn thing off!'" Jones-McAllister said the chain her husband was wearing wasn't new to the staff. The couple had discussed it with the MRI technician during earlier visits. "That was not the first time that guy has seen that chain on her husband. They had a conversation about it before." Dr Payal Sud told CBS News, "The dangers could be catastrophic, and it underscores why we have all the safety precautions in place." The magnetic fields in the MRI machines attract objects such as keys, mobile phones and even oxygen tanks. This may cause damage to the scanner or even injure the "patient or medical professionals", according to the US Food and Drug Administration.
