Not only is MRI technology the most effective form of diagnostic imaging, it is also the safest. Imaging solutions like X-rays are paradoxical; on one hand, they are able to address and diagnose immediate health concerns, but on the other hand they threaten future health by exposing the body to harmful radiation.

A new Chicago study has determined that CT scans can increase the risk of breast cancer in females–especially in the case of younger women and women who have had repeated exposure to nuclear medicine imaging. CT scans involve injecting a tiny amount of radioactive material into the patient in order to get a clear picture of the body’s internal organs through the scanner, and breast tissue is one of the most cancer-sensitive areas of the body in terms of absorbing radiation.

The researchers looked at 1,656 patients who had CT scans in which the breast was exposed to radiation. Each patient’s radiation does was estimated by an automated method, as was the amount of radiation absorbed by the breast.

“We found that the estimated breast radiation doses from CT were highly variable across patients, with with highest doses coming from multiple-phase cardiac and chest CT examinations, where successive images of the organ being studied are captured,” said Dr. Rebecca Smith-Bindman, senior author of the study.

Adding to that, co-author Diana Miglioretti stated: “Young women receiving several chest and or cardiac CTs had the greatest increased risk of developing breast cancer at approximately 20 per cent. A 15-year-old girl with no risk factors for breast cancer would double her 10-year risk of developing breast cancer at 25.”

For centuries, the creative process has remained a mystery, but the exploratory nature of MRI technology is now able to pick up which parts of the brain are activated during improvisation and spontaneous creation.

Two LA-based rappers, Daniel Rizik-Baer and Michael Eagle, teamed up with researchers Allen Braun and Siyuan Liu of the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) in organizing a group of five professional rappers to perform two rhymes–one memorized and the other freestyled–from within an MRI machine.

The rappers must have felt a bit out of place; MRI machines create a moderate amount of noise, and they had to lie on their backs, completely still, for the duration of their scans.

The results are fascinating: a comparison of brain activity from when the rappers were performing the pre-memorized pieces, to when they switched to improvisation, showed that each activity activated two very separate regions of the brain. While the performers freestyled fresh lyrics, researchers noted that the part of the brain that allows us to organize and execute complex tasks (such as recitation from memory) were deactivated, while the part of the brain that deals with spontaneous action, language and emotion was alight. The authors found their results to be in correlation with a study from 2008, where jazz pianists went under the scanner to produce similar results.

This study is one of many current scientific experiments determined to discover more about the brain’s role in free flowing artistic creativity.

If you’re a first-time patient of Aim Medical Imaging, you can anticipate a clean, hospitable and professional environment, but if you’ve never had an MRI scan before it’s difficult to know exactly what to expect. To help with that, we’ve recently updated our Google Places page so prospective patients can take a look inside our clinic, and, even though a picture tells a thousand words, we’ve decided to add a few paragraphs more:

MRI Machines Create a Powerful Magnetic Field

For us, this means that everyday objects containing metal such as scissors, staplers and even desk chairs can turn into dangerous projectiles if allowed to get too close to the magnetic field of the machine. For patients, this means that any clothing or jewellery containing metal must be removed before the scan. Patients at Aim, however, don’t need to worry about bringing a change of clothes or leaving their belts or earrings at home because we provide all patients with a private dressing room, cotton gown, and a key with which to lock up their valuables for the duration of their scan.

Aim Medical Imaging Uses a Siemens Open Bore MRI Scanner

-MRI machines have developed a notorious reputation amongst claustrophobic patients, but our state-of-the-art scanner features a 70 cm Open Bore, allowing 30 cm of space above the face.

-The machine accommodates patients up to 550 lbs, as well as patients with mobility issues or kyphosis.

-Patients arriving for a routine MRI scan of the knee or spine are often surprised to learn that the scan can take place with their head outside of the machine.

-MRI technology has come a long way since the first successful scan in 1977, but patients should expect a moderate noise level during the scan, even with state-of-the-art scanners like ours. To help patients relax during their scan, we have an iPod dock onsite and our technologist is happy to take music requests or communicate with you via our radio system.

Immediate Results – The Aim Difference

We know that waiting for MRI results can produce a great deal of anxiety, which is why we have a radiologist onsite to deliver results to patients immediately after their scan. Each patient we see leaves with a digital copy of their results on CD-ROM, but also–and most importantly–with answers.

If you’ve ever wondered how you can feel sorry for someone who has gotten themselves into a problem of their own making, it’s because when you empathize with someone, your brain is rendered incapable of analytical thought. A new MRI study of the brain conducted by researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland has shown that the brain cannot process sympathetic reactions and analytical observations at the same time.

45 college students had their brains scanned for the study; each one answered 20 questions (presented in written and video formats) associated with socializing and empathizing, and 20 questions involving physics problems. Researchers found that during the physics-based, or analytical problems the analytical parts of the brain were engaged while the parts associated with socializing remained dormant. While answering the questions associated with social skills and empathy, the opposite occurred. These findings are just the beginning of a new frontier in mental health, and could have many advantageous benefits for people coping with anxiety, depression and other social/mental health issues.

The study, conducted by Dr. Anthony Jack, was inspired by a philosophical problem: ”The most persistent question in the philosophy of mind is the problem of consciousness,” he said. “Why can we describe the workings of a brain, but that doesn’t tell us what it’s like to be that person?”

“MRI is able to show more and more things about what’s going on in the brain,” says Dr. Raj Attariwala, our radiologist at Aim Medical Imaging. “There are more new medical findings found out through MRI than any other imaging tool. It’s basically like a smartphone. There’s all these different apps you can use to look for all sorts of different things, and more and more people are developing apps to look for more and more specific issues.”

Aim Medical Imaging welcomes you to visit our beautiful clinic space any time you like—online! We are proud to introduce our presence on Google Places – See Inside, an extension of Google’s popular Street View feature.

Step off the street into Aim Medical Imaging, located conveniently at Broadway and Hemlock. Our waiting room is well-lit and inviting, with plenty of entertainment available to you as you wait for your appointment. Aim Medical Imaging is the only MRI clinic in Vancouver to accept walk-in patients.

 Putting Aim Medical Imaging’s interior features online has given prospective patients a unique opportunity: to view the Siemens Open Bore T-Class MRI machine, the only one of its kind in Vancouver. In person, only authorized individuals and patients are permitted through this door, due to the strong magnetic field produced by the machine.

All of our patients have access to their own private changing rooms equipped with everything they may need. Patients are given the key to their dressing room so they can feel confident that their belongings are held safely for the duration of their scan. 

Most importantly, here is our MRI machine. As you can see, it is large and open, perfect for supporting larger patients, or patients who may have issues with claustrophobia. We also have an iPod dock onsite, and our technologist will be happy to play the music of your choice to make your scan more enjoyable.  Since patient satisfaction is our defining feature—our motto is ‘Treat patients the way you want to be treated when you are a patient’—we feel that enabling patients to look inside our clinic online is just an extension of that philosophy.

Watch Dr. Raj Attariwala of Aim Medical Imaging explain why our MRI services have a personal touch.

It is that time of year again where the “To Do” list is covered with tasks that must be completed before the school year begins.

Before life becomes to hectic, running kids from school to soccer practice, we encourage you to add a preventative whole body health screen to your list!

The pencils and erasers that must be purchased are important, but don’t forget about your health!

Our preventative health screen only takes 90 minutes and is specifically designed to detect cancer, even in its preliminary stages.

The whole body preventative health screen will scan you from head to toe and allow you to see what you need to see, before you need to see it!

As summer winds down and before the busy school year takes over, call us at 604-733-4007 to book your preventative health screen.

Medical imaging has many benefits, but also numerous side effects.

X-rays, CT and PET scans all aid doctors in diagnosing an illness or abnormality, however they also use harmful radiation that can cause serious, long-term damage.

An article published in the New York Times yesterday drew attention to the downside of using these medical imaging devices.

The article said radiation from these machines has “the ability to damage DNA and, 10 to 20 years later, to cause cancer.”

Also noted in the New York Times, was that CT scans are “believed to account for 1.5 percent of all cancers that occur in the United States.”

Dr. Rebecca Smith-Bindman, a specialist in radiology and biomedical imaging at the University of California, San Francisco, commented on the increasing use of CT scans in the United States.

“There’s clearly widespread overuse. More than 10 percent of patients each years are receiving very high radiation exposures,” she said in the article.

At our private medical clinic in Vancouver, our MRI machine uses NO radiation.

Dr. Raj Attariwala, the medical director at AIM Medical Imaging, wants people to consider their options when it comes to medical imaging.

“The benefit of MRI is it has no radiation, and in most cases provides more information. So if your doctor ordered a CT scan, but you would rather avoid the radiation call us and we can determine if MRI would be a better test for you,” said Attariwala.

Before your next medical imaging appointment, research your options. Call us at 604-733-4007 to find out more about the advantages of using MRI today!

Read the article online on New York Times here: Radiation soars, with risks often overlooked

Teenage drinking is an issue, but not all adolescents who start drinking underage are at risk of becoming problem drinkers.

An article published on Medical News Today says researchers can predict which kids are at risk of developing a problem using special MRI scans of the brain.

According the article, researchers scanned 40 different teenagers, between the ages of 12 and 16, before they started drinking and rescanned them three years later.

The study discovered that by using special MRI techniques researchers could analyze certain patterns of brain activity to determine which kids are at risk of becoming problem drinkers.

The article doesn’t suggest that all teenagers should now have their brains’ imaged. It notes the importance of the study and the clues it provides about the biological origins of underage problem drinking.

MRI moves science forward and this article is another reminder of the benefits of advanced imaging.

At AIM Medical Imaging, our state-of-the-art MRI techniques allow us to provide first class, quality healthcare.

We have completed thousands of preventative whole body scans, offer CCSVI screening for Multiple Sclerosis, work in collaboration with Dr. William Gibson to aid his obesity research, have participated in numerous medical conferences and much more.

To read the article on Medical News Today or to find out more information about the advanced imaging options offered at our clinic check out the links below!

Medical News Today Article On Teen Drinking Study

AIM Medical Imaging CCSVI and Research

AIM Medical Imaging Whole Body MRI

At our clinic we see many patients battling cancer.

We have a regular patient who is dying from lung and brain cancer. He comes into our clinic often to monitor the progression of his tumours.

Using our advanced MRI techniques, we keep him updated on the state of his tumours. This gives him peace of mind and helps him put together a timeline.

Our state-of-the-art MRI machine is assembled to monitor cancer and allows us to offer a preventative health screen, which can detect cancer even in its preliminary stages.

Keeping tabs on cancerous and non-cancerous tumours is important.

Suggest our MRI clinic to someone who would like to accurately monitor the state of his or her tumours.

As the most recent hosts of the Olympics, Canadians may be watching the 2012 summer games in London, England, with a critical eye.

Today however the mood is not critical, but celebratory, as Canadian divers Emilie Heymans and Jennifer Abel are the first to earn a medal sporting red and white in London.

The divers wore bronze around their necks while the maple leaf flag was hoisted above their heads.

This proud moment for the athletes and our country took years of dedication and preparation. At AIM Medical Imaging, we treat numerous professional and amateur athletes.

As the official MRI centre of the Vancouver Giants and as the main sponsor of Just Giver 4PD cycling club, we understand athletes and their needs.

Helping athletes achieve their goals is important to us. We provide first class care with no waitlist and immediate results to get athletes on the road to recovery sooner.

If you want more information call us at 604-733-4007!

We had a man in recently for a whole body scan. The advanced 3D images showed cysts in his kidneys.

Providing complete care is important to us, so when our doctor thought one of the cysts appeared to be abnormal we asked him to come back for a follow up scan.

The patient came back to our clinic last week and MRI of his abdomen revealed that the abnormality was actually a tumor.

Had he not come back to our clinic, he would not have known.

This patient’s story shows just how beneficial our preventative whole body scan is and it is also a reminder of how important follow up examinations really are!

Book a whole body scan with us today, so we can provide you with clear answers and results.

It is finally summer here in beautiful Vancouver.

The warmer weather has more people out and about enjoying the sunshine.

Biking the seawall, hiking in Lynn Canyon and playing beach volleyball.

The beautiful weather doesn’t last long so I encourage you to make the most of it.

Who do you know with an injury that is holding them back from partaking in outdoor activities or living a healthy lifestyle?

Don’t let them miss out on summer!

Refer them to AIM Medical Imaging to have a MRI scan so that they can get on the road to recovery sooner. Call us at 604-733-4007 today!

People regularly call our clinic to ask us to explain the difference between a PET scan and an MRI.

At AIM Medical Imaging, we offer only MRI. The advanced technology at our Vancouver clinic allows us to offer whole body scans and enables us to detect cancer anywhere in the body.

Most MRI machines are a long coffin-like tube, but our scanner uses wide open bore technology so it is shorter and much more open than a regular MRI machine. This technology allows 60% of the routine exams at our clinic to be completed with our patients’ heads outside of the scanner, which is great for claustrophobic or larger patients.

There is no preparation involved when using MRI and there is absolutely no radiation. MRI uses a magnetic field to create images so patients will be asked to remove any metal objects, as wearing metal blurs the detailed 3D images produced during the exam.

Both MRI and PET scans can be used to diagnose a health condition, see how a condition is developing and evaluate how effective an ongoing treatment is. The main difference is that PET scans use harmful radiation.

According to Medical News Today, “PET scans are generally used alongside X-rays or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans. Doctors use PET scans as a complementary test to these main ones.”

Private clinics, like AIM Medical Imaging, do not offer PET scans. To get a PET scan patients would have to be added to a waitlist in the public healthcare system.

The images produced by MRI are clearer than a PET scan. Compare the images below.

Want to know more about the difference between MRI and PET scans? Click the links below to see articles on Medical News Today explaining MRI and PET scans:

Medical News Today MRI Information

Medical News Today PET Scan Information

Millions of people suffering from cancer are treated using chemotherapy and often times the toxic treatment fails to kill off the deadly tumor cells.

A recent article published online on News Medical drew attention to advanced MRI scanning techniques that can image the cancerous cells to determine if the chemotherapy is indeed working.

According to the article, special software and MRI scanners were used to study 55 American men and women with liver and pancreatic cancer.  The article said that this technique was able to reveal if the chemotherapy was doing its job or if the patient needs a higher-dose.

Although the article presented this as a new or breakthrough method, at AIM Medical Imaging we have been applying this technique to the whole body, not just the liver and pancreas, since 2009.

We have assembled unique state-of-the-art technology that has the ability to not only to show if chemotherapy is destroying the cancerous cells, but it can also be used to detect cancer in the first place.

Our preventative health screen can scan the whole body from head to toe, to find any medical abnormalities.

“We are considered the worldwide leader in MRI scanning techniques,” said Dr. Raj Attariwala, medical director and radiologist at AIM Medical Imaging.

Dr. Attariwala is regularly asked to attend and speak at medical conferences worldwide to speak about the MRI techniques used at AIM Medical Imaging.

The office was buzzing about this article. We are happy to see this technique reported on and its advantages promoted, as we have been offering this service for years right here in Vancouver.

Check out the article for yourself right here: News Medical

Millions of people suffering from cancer are treated using chemotherapy and often times the toxic treatment fails to kill off the deadly tumor cells.

A recent article published online on News Medical drew attention to advanced MRI scanning techniques that can image the cancerous cells to determine if the chemotherapy is indeed working.

According to the article, special software and MRI scanners were used to study 55 American men and women with liver and pancreatic cancer.  The article said that this technique was able to reveal if the chemotherapy was doing its job or if the patient needs a higher-dose.

Although the article presented this as a new or breakthrough method, at AIM Medical Imaging we have been applying this technique to the whole body, not just the liver and pancreas, since 2009.

We have assembled unique state-of-the-art technology that has the ability to not only to show if chemotherapy is destroying the cancerous cells, but it can also be used to detect cancer in the first place.

Our preventative health screen can scan the whole body from head to toe, to find any medical abnormalities.

“We are considered the worldwide leader in MRI scanning techniques,” said Dr. Raj Attariwala, medical director and radiologist at AIM Medical Imaging.

Dr. Attariwala is regularly asked to attend and speak at medical conferences worldwide to speak about the MRI techniques used at AIM Medical Imaging.

The office was buzzing about this article. We are happy to see this technique reported on and its advantages promoted, as we have been offering this service for years right here in Vancouver.

Check out the article for yourself right here: News Medical

Research has discovered that there is a link between sleep loss and obesity, according to an online article published on Medical News Today.

MRI scans used in the study revealed that sleep deprivation impairs the high-order regions in the human brain where food choices are made said Medical News Today.

The article said that the correlation between sleep loss and obesity was determined using MRI to examine 23 healthy adults in two sessions; one session after a regular night’s sleep and the second after a night of sleep deprivation.

In each session, while the participants were insides the scanner, Medical News Today said that the adults were shown images of various food items and were told to rate how much they desired the item in each image.

MRI provides not just researches, but regular doctors and patients, answers to medical questions everyday.

At AIM Medical Imaging, our advanced scanner can be used to reveal any medical concerns you might have. Our state-of-the-art technology is setup specifically to display any cancer, even its preliminary stages.

Our preventative whole body scan leaves nothing unseen!

To learn more about the whole body scan, click here: AIM Medical Imaging Website

To see the article on Medical News Today, click here: Medical News Today

The medical world is buzzing about the correlation between CT scans and cancer.

There have been many articles published in medical journals and websites about a recent study, which found that exposure to radiation from CT scans increases the risk of leukemia and brain cancer.

According to the study, the risk of developing cancer is exceptionally great for children. Research discovered that the use of CT scans on children triples their chances of being diagnosed with leukemia or brain cancer.

The study recommended, “radiation doses from CT scans ought to be kept as low as possible and alternative procedures, which do not involve ionising radiation, should be considered if appropriate.”

Dr. Raj Attariawala, the medical director and radiologist at AIM Medical Imaging, suggests talking to your doctor about considering an MRI scan, instead of a CT scan.

“MRI gives more information than a CT scan, with no radiation,” he says.

Why expose yourself to radiation? MRI allows you and your doctor to see what you need to see, without harming your body.

Talk to your doctor about MRI today.

To read more about this and view the study, click the the links:

The Lancet: Medical Journal

Medical News Today

Congratulations to the LA Kings on their win of the Stanley Cup!

The hockey playoffs are always an exciting time.

We might be a little bias, but it would have been much more fun if the Vancouver Canucks were bringing home the coveted trophy this season!

Despite our allegiance to the home team, at AIM Medical Imaging we love to support athletes everywhere.

We are the official MRI centre for the Vancouver Giants and we understand that although the professional ice hockey season may have come to an end this year, the training never stops.

We know professional and amateur athletes work hard year round to achieve their goals and beat out their competition.

Athletes put a lot of strain on their bodies and sometimes accidental injury can occur.

At AIM Medical Imaging, we offer no wait time and immediate results because we believe in offering first-class health care and getting athletes back on the ice, on the field or in the gym sooner than later!

Don’t lose precious training days, book an MRI with us today!

Not sure what to expect when you come in for a MRI scan at our Vancouver facility?

At AIM Medical Imaging our friendly and knowledgeable staff will make sure your scan is comfortable from the moment you walk in the door until you leave with the results.

Here is a step-by-step list of what to expect at our clinic:

1. After getting a referral from your doctor or medical specialist, call us at 604-733-4007 to book your appointment.
2.  At our clinic there is no waitlist and we are open seven days a week by appointment, so you can book a MRI scan whenever works best for you.
3. Arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled scan so the staff can make sure you are comfortable and so that you can fill out all the necessary paperwork.
4. To prepare for your scan, one of our staff will escort you to the back to get changed.
5. Our technologist will then come greet you and take you into your scan.
6. After your scan, you will have a one-on-one consultation with our onsite radiologist about your MRI results. We are the only facility that offers you the chance to sit down with the radiologist right after your scan for an immediate diagnosis.
7. Before you leave we will give you a copy of your report and a CD of the images.
8. This report will also be sent to the referring doctor right away to fast track your recovery.

Providing immediate, thorough, quality care is important to us.

If you have any questions about what to expect when you book a scan at AIM Medical Imaging please give us a call.

AIM Medical Imaging is pleased to announce an exciting new partnership with Just Giver 4PD Cycling Club.

Just Giver 4PD Cycling Club is a group of men and women who are passionate about cycling and raising awareness about Parkinson’s Disease.

“We are excited to be one of their sponsors,” said Lisa Garcia, managing partner at AIM Medical Imaging.

“Many athletes come into our clinic and we are proud to support a great cause and dedicated athletes,” she said.

Robert Thompson, vice president of Just Giver 4 PD, is more than excited about the cycling club’s partnership with AIM Medical Imaging.

“We are ecstatic to bring AIM Medical Imaging on as the title sponsor. We recognize it as a prestigious brand and we have similar goals and personality,” said Thompson.

Thompson said AIM Medical Imaging’s services, like the whole body MRI, makes our company a fitting sponsor not just for the cycling community, but also for those who suffer from Parkinson’s Disease.

“It is a win, win situation for everybody involved,” said Thompson.

Thompson has been an active member of Vancouver’s cycling community for years. In 2003 Thompson started his own cycling club, but eventually he grew tired of running the organization.

Thompson was at a business meeting when he noticed another man wearing a Livestrong bracelet. They chatted about cycling and that’s when Thompson got connected with Just Giver 4 PD.

“It is the combination of a fantastic, dynamic group of people and following something I love to do for a good cause,” said Thompson.

Just Giver 4PD is partnered with the Parkinson Society of British Columbia.  It began in 2006 when cyclists Kelly Jablonski and Branko Radmilovic turned their planned bike trip into a fundraiser for Parkinson’s Disease. Jablonski chose to ride for Parkinson’s Disease because his step father was suffering from the disease at the time, said Thompson.

Since then Just Giver 4 PD has been growing in the number of cyclists involved, the kilometers travelled and amount of money raised.  Thompson says that by 2010 the club has raised a total of $280,000 for Parkinson’s Disease.

At AIM Medical Imaging, we believe in fostering a sense of community and we are looking forward to collaborating with the Just Giver 4PD cycling club.

“We are delighted to partner with Just Giver 4 PD and we wish them best of luck in their races this summer,” Garcia said.

For more information about Just Giver 4PD or how to get involved, check out their website http://www.just-giver.com/ or follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JG4PD.

CTV News recently reported that doctors noted a new phenomenon; more non-smoking women are dying of lung cancer. This phenomenon may be scary, but at AIM Medical Imaging our advanced technology can discover cancer before it is too late.

Lung cancer is the biggest cause of cancer death in Canada, accounting for a quarter of all cancer deaths, according to CTV News.

The vast majority of these deaths can be attributed to smoking, but CTV News reported that doctors are noticing a rising number of women living healthy lifestyles that are dying of lung cancer.

This new phenomenon has medical experts puzzled, according to CTV News, as they aren’t sure why the increase is taking place.

“This increase in cancer in young people was one of the main reasons AIM Medical Imaging was established to perform whole body screening,” says Dr. Raj Attariwala, medical director and physician at AIM Medical Imaging.

At our private MRI clinic here in Vancouver, AIM Medical Imaging, we have been able to discover lung cancer and other types of cancer with our whole body MRI screen, says Dr. Attariwala.

Our Whole Body MRI with Advanced Cancer Detection can scan you from head to toe to find cancer, even in its preliminary stages.

“With cancer, the earlier the detection, the better the outcome,” says Dr. Attariwala.

At AIM Medical Imaging we encourage you to be proactive about your health. Book your Whole Body MRI with Advanced Cancer Detection today!

To read more from CTV News click this link: CTV Story

Our medical director and physician, Dr. Attariwala, just arrived home from a long journey Down Under to discuss our state-of-the-art MRI scanner and the advantages of full body imaging.

We were the first in Canada to offer the Whole Body MRI with Advanced Cancer Detection and we were excited to share the benefits of this advanced technology in Australia with other medical physicians from around the Globe.

The images with the full body scanner are more clear and far advanced than older scanners. Our MRI displays the entire body from head to toe.

The full body preventative health screen that we provide at AIM Medical Imaging can be used to detect cancer and other medical abnormalities even before symptoms arise.

The whole body scan leaves nothing unseen. As we like to say at AIM Medical Imaging, “we see what you need to see, before you need to see it.”

This can relieve your medical anxieties and provide you with clear answers.

We love to share our knowledge about full body preventative health screens and MRIs not just abroad, but right here in Vancouver.

So if you have any questions that need to be answered we would love to help!

If you have health concerns, don’t leave them unaddressed. We live in a time where technology allows us to be proactive about our health.

Find us online, stop by or call us today to book your Whole Body MRI with Advanced Cancer Detection today!

We had a patient come in because her family doctor was concerned the aorta in her abdomen may rupture – the aorta is the largest artery in the body. The patient opted to do a Whole Body Scan instead. We found an enlarged aorta in her abdomen measuring 3.5 cm. If it is more than 5 cm, it will rupture and will be deadly. So our doctor met with her and told her that the abdominal aorta will not kill her, but the one that we found in her brain will – which was 5cm! Now she must get brain surgery before it ruptures. We save lives.

There is a wealth of information available online regarding whole body imaging. Journal articles contain the most reliable information, though these articles can be very technical. Generally only the abstracts of articles are available to the public, with a subscription required for the full text. There has been research conducted on almost everything imaginable, including 3T vs 1.5T MRI.

3T MRI scanning can have serious heating effects on the body. Did you know that for the same scan, a 3T scanner will heat the body four times (4x) more than with a 1.5T scanner? For a small body area this is somewhat easily controlled. When looking at the abdominal organs, or the whole body, this heating becomes a serious concern, and one you should not take lightly. Anyone who has trouble dissipating heat (children, elderly, unwell) needs to be aware of the risks involved in 3T scanning.

Further, studies have shown image quality to be inferior to 1.5T scanning when imaging the abdomen, pelvis and spine. The reasons for this are varied. Reasons include the limited scans available to reduce the heating effects mentioned above as well as an inherent inability of 3T scanners to image larger volumes. (Dielectric effect)

Click here for a brief journal review comparing 3T to 1.5T whole body MRI.

How do you think Canada should improve its health services?

Get immediate follow up care! Have your scan, consultation w/our Dr., report & images all in the same day at AIM.

Prostate cancer the size of a pea is easily detected at AIM with our advanced cancer detection techniques.

Often times when symptoms arise, cancer has advanced. Prevent this with early cancer detection at AIM.