New MRI Technique Helps Detect Cancer

Reported December 04, 2009

In Health Watch: Methodist Hospital in San Antonio is helping test some new MRI imaging techniques to detect cancer that's spread to the brain much sooner.As Wendy Rigby reports, that's good news for patients whose lives may depend on early detection.It's a test that can mean the difference between life and death.The 3T MRI machine at Methodist Hospital gives doctors a look inside the body to find potentially deadly problems, like cancer that has spread to the brain.Magnetic resonance imaging uses a magnetic field and pulses of radiowave energy to produce pictures.For the past year, radiologist Dr. Jim Dix and his colleagues at Methodist Hospital have been testing a research sequence on cancer patients.To their enthusiastic surprise, they've been able to pick up smaller and smaller tumors.Dix says they're seeing tiny growths they've never been able to pick up before.Dr. Dix says, "With the old sequences, you can see metastases maybe down to the size of an eraser on a pencil. With the new sequence, you're seeing metastases down to the size of a pin head."Using the scans of about 30 patients, the radiologists found about 300 lesions using the new sequence.The old sequence only detected about half that.Knowing the precise location and size of tiny cancers early can guide doctors on whether they need to choose chemotherapy, use radiation therapy, or perhaps refer the patient for surgery. MRI maps that show the vessel structure and centers of function can help guide the surgeon's way.Dr. Dix says, "The early we can find them, it's like any other kind of cancer evaluation. If you can find it early, you're much more likely to be able to help the patient. If you find it late, it's too late.'Right now, this MRI sequence is only used at three sites around the country.The results of the study were presented at a Radiology Society of North America meeting in Chicago this past weekend.