1. Uniting MRI with ULTRASOUND hhholdorf

2. Dr. Raymond Damadian The MRI scanner was invented by Raymond Damadian. Though, Damadian did not invent the actual technology used in MRI, he was the first to apply it to clinical medicine. The first MRI on a human body was done in 1977.

3. What is MRI? http://www.atlantichealth.org/Atlantic/Health+Information/Human+Atlas+ Videos

4. What is MRI? MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imaging is a way of obtaining very detailed images of organs and tissues throughout the body, without the need of x-rays or ionizing radiation. This is a noninvasive medical imaging technique that uses the interaction between radio frequency pulses, a strong magnetic field and body tissue to obtain images of slices/planes. The means of “seeing” inside the body in order for doctors to find certain disease or abnormal conditions.

5. What is MRI used for? MRI is used to create pictures that can show differences between healthy and unhealthy tissues. It is mainly used to diagnose injuries in the soft tissues like cartilage in joints, torn ligaments and muscles.

6. Is MRI safe? An MRI exam causes no pain, and the magnetic fields produce no known tissue damage of any kind. Every year, approximately 10 million patients undergo an MRI procedure. The MRI has been extremely safe as long as proper safety precautions are taken. The powerful magnetic field of the scanner can attract certain metallic objects known as “ferromagnetic” objects, causing them to move suddenly and with great force towards the center of the MRI system. ◦ This can be a risk for the patient and others. ◦ Great care is taken to prevent this from happening. ◦ It is vital that you remove metallic objects in advance of an MRI exam.

7. Is it safe for pregnancy? There is no known risk of using an MRI in pregnant patients. ◦ However, MRI is reserved for use in pregnant patients only to address very important problems or suspected abnormalities. In any case, MRI is safer for the fetus than imaging with x-rays or CT.

8. In a case study “MRI accurately identifies deadly conditions of pregnancies.” A study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America revealed that MRI is a highly accurate means of identifying placenta accreta, a potentially life-threatening and increasingly common condition that is the leading cause of death for women just before and after giving birth.

9. The placenta in a normal pregnancy normally attaches to the uterine wall. http://www.atlantichealth.org/Atlantic/Health+Information/Human+Atlas+Videos

10. Pictures of normal Placenta MRI Ultrasound

11. Placenta Accreta A condition which occurs where the placenta attaches itself too deeply into the wall of the uterus, which is called Placenta Accreta. Placenta Accreta is an abnormal attachment of the placenta with some degree of invasion into the wall of the uterus. This condition is most dangerous when the condition is not detected until the time of delivery. When a placenta is deeply attached to the uterus it can be dangerous during delivery. Along with a the pressure of the baby, it pulls with it parts of the blood-rich uterine wall. ◦ Rupturing blood vessels that can lead to severe hemorrhaging in the mother, as well as complications for the baby

12. Placenta Accreta http://women.emedtv.com/women's-health----common-conditions,-tests,-and- procedures-video/placenta-accreta-video.html

13. Pictures of Placenta Accreta MRI Ultrasound

14. The specific cause of Placenta Accreta is unknown. But, cesarean deliveries creates a scar in the uterus that disrupts a certain layer of the endometrium. ◦ Which is very important for keeping the placenta in place in the uterus. Other surgeries such as a Dilation and Curettage as well as Placenta previa can be a factor in this condition. ◦ Women over the age of 35 years old are also risk factors.

15. A 2005 study in the America Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology analyzed data from 64,359 births over 20 years and reported an overall incidence of Placenta accreta of one in every 533 deliveries. In 1950, this condition affected 1 in 30,000 deliveries. ◦ Numbers has increased dramatically during the years.

16. Quotes “Our findings demonstrate that MRI is an extremely useful adjunct to ultrasound for assessing this potentially life-threatening obstetric condition,” said Dr. Malhotra. “ MRI is good at both detecting Placenta accreta and ruling it out,” Dr. Brown told Medscape Radiology. “We found that it had a higher accuracy than Ultrasound, so we believe that it is complementary to ultrasound. Anytime there is an inconclusive ultrasound, MRI could give the answer as to whether it is a positive or negative.”