Why, then, is there no one-size-fits-all preventive test for more pervasive killers like cancer and heart disease? In 2009, cancer was the leading cause of Canadian deaths (71,125), followed by heart disease (49,271), stroke (14,105) and chronic lower respiratory diseases (10,859). Accidents, or unintentional deaths (10,250) killed the fifth-highest amount of Canadians, and that number includes all sudden misfortunes, not just motor vehicle accidents, and certainly not just motor vehicle accidents caused by older drivers.

None too soon, BC is launching a new colon screening program. As is stated on the website: “Age is the biggest risk factor for colon cancer – over 94 per cent of new cases diagnosed each year in BC are in men and women age 50 or older.” When colon cancer is detected in its earliest stages, survival rates are approximately 90 per cent, and simple screening tests like the FIT (Fecal Immunochemical Test) can be done at home for free.

AIM’s head MRI technologist, Wayne Picker, hails from Australia, where residents over 50 have been receiving such tests from the Australian Government by post since 2008. Hopefully, Canada will follow suit in the near future and make early cancer screening as mandatory in the 50+ age group as driver’s license re-testing is in the 80+ age group.

“This,” says Dr. Attariwala, “is how the government should take care of the population.”

The study, published on April 29 and led by Stanford psychiatry and behavioral sciences professor Vinod Menon, quickly became controversial due to its findings: “Children with a larger right hippocampus and greater connectivity between the hippocampus and [the prefrontal cortex and the basal ganglia] improved their arithmetic problem-solving skills more,” says Menon.

Jonathan Moreno, a professor of medical ethics at the University of Pennsylvania, criticized the study, saying, “If it gets into the popular consciousness that it’s wise to have your kid’s brain checked out, that raises huge issues.”

The intent of the study was to learn why some children benefit more than others from intensive one-on-one math tutelage.  24 Grade 3 children were tested on their IQ levels, their working memory and their reading and mathematical ability, in addition to structural and functional MRI scans. After the testing and imaging, each child received 22 hours of math tutoring, spread over a period of 8-9 weeks. Some level of improvement was measured for each, although the levels  were dramatic: from 8% to 198%.

None of the testing methods correctly predicted how well a child would respond to tutoring. However, the team of researchers were easily able to make connections between the MRI brain images and the subsequent tutoring results.

Menon and his team of researchers have stressed that their findings should not lead to quick conclusions or a black-and-white mentality in which children seemingly not ‘wired’ for mathematical excellence are given up on. The same team is currently studying how they may be able to help children struggling in math to benefit more from tutoring.

April is Daffodil Month in Canada. The daffodil, one of spring’s first blooms, is the Canadian Cancer Society’s official symbol of hope, and their daffodil pin is worn by thousands of Canadians to show support for others living with cancer.

The AACR (Americian Association for Cancer Research, where  Dr. Attariwala and AIM’s head MRI technologist, Wayne Picker, presented AIM’s early cancer detection techniques at the AACR’s conference in San Diego in February), designates May as the official national cancer research month in the US.

Both the AACR and the Canadian Cancer Society offer many different options for anybody looking to join the fight against cancer. Donating your time as a volunteer, wearing a daffodil, or even spreading the word to your friends through social media are great places to start.

But were you aware that the brain is asymmetrical both in its function and its shape? A new US MRI study, entitled Increased morphological asymmetry, evolvability and plasticity in human brain evolution has found that this lopsidedness–clearly visible when viewing MRI brain images–may be the key to the ever-evolving adaptability of the human species.

Lead researcher Aida Gomez-Robles and her team used MRI to look at the brains of 72 chimpanzees (23 male and 49 female) and 73 human (27 male and 46 female), finding structural asymmetries in both, but in humans more so than the chimps. 

“It’s very common that there are some areas that are bigger in the left hemisphere than inthe right hemisphere,” says Gomez-Robles. The left brain is known as the creative side of the brain, ruling over cerebral processes like language and expression. Conversely, the right brain is known as the logical side, ruling over processes such as spatial reasoning.

The study outlines three patterns of brain asymmetry:

Directional asymmetry – when a population has brains which consistently feature one side that is bigger than the other

Anti-symmetry – when a population has some individuals whose brains are larger on one side, and some individuals whose brains are larger on the other side.

Fluctuating symmetry – when a population exhibits deviations from average brain shapes–in both halves of the brain. The researchers believe that fluctuating symmetry results from environmental and sociological factors affecting the brain’s development.

“We know that plasticity is an important trait in the function of the brain which is critical for human cognitive evolution,” says Gomez-Robles.

This flexibility–which humans and chimpanzees share, albeit humans more so–allows the brain to adapt to the ever-changing conditions of the environment.

The state-of-the-art Open Bore MRI at AIM features a 1.5 Tesla (or 1.5T) magnet, which is currently the gold standard worldwide. There are various strengths available on the market, all of which have pros and cons.

There are 3T scanners in private clinics in Vancouver claiming to have “twice the resolution” of a 1.5T magnet. This is not true. In some cases, (including spine imaging) these 3T scanners are actually imaging with only half the resolution of an AIM scan. Going by Tesla strength alone, one may assume a 3T scanner is superior to a 1.5T–1.5 is half of 3, after all–but this is not the case. There are many variables which limit this claim. In an ideal scenario a 3T only adds a 37% increase in signal. Unfortunately, this is often offset with a reduction in resolution which is necessary to prevent the patient’s body from overheating. 

Below is a comparison of a private MRI 3T scanner vs. AIM Medical Imaging’s high resolution 1.5T scanner in imaging of a lumbar spine (the most common MRI examination):

3T (left) vs. 1.5T (AIM Medical Imaging, right) MRI of Lumbar Spine. The quality of AIM’s resolution is clearly superior.

What is a slice? MRI images the body (or a portion of it) in increments, which are called slices. As you can see from the above table, AIM’s scanner images 5 slices per 1.5 cm as opposed to 3 slices at other clinics. The thinner the slice, the more opportunity to look closer at the tissues being imaged; thus, the claim that 3T offers twice the resolution of 1.5T is grossly misrepresented.

3T (left) vs. 1.5T (AIM Medical Imaging, right) MRI of Lumbar Spine. Again, the superior quality of AIM’s resolution is clearly visible.

Some other limitations of 3T imaging are:

-3T requires heating the body 4x more than a clinically accepted 1.5T scanner. This is particularly concerning for areas of the body such as the spine, abdomen or pelvis.

-Children and the elderly are more susceptible to changes in body temperature, and are therefore more likely to experience extreme overheating due to a 3T scan. This is problematic because the majority of MRI patients are seniors. However, it is not only these two age groups that may be affected by the high temperatures associated with a 3T scan. Overheating can become an issue at any age, especially when it is sensitive organs that are being imaged.

- For spinal cord scans, 3T raises safety concerns such as stress on the patient’s heart. You may be surprised to learn that studies have shown image quality of 3T is inferior to 1.5T when imaging the abdomen, pelvis, spine and whole body.

-Finally, there is no 3T magnet available in Canada which performs Whole Body DWI sequences for advanced cancer detection.

Co-authored by Wayne Picker, Head MRI Technologist at AIM Medical Imaging.

On March 26, the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR), a member of the WTA,  released a report called National Maximum Wait Time Access Targets for Medical Imaging (MRI and CT). The report features 13 key recommendations designed to promote a consistent level of care across the country in medical imaging. The report also focuses on redefining how imaging waits are measured, tracked and recorded, in order to streamline and economize a fair waiting process in Canada.

“The [Canadian Association of Radiologists] hopes its report will benefit provincial processes by offering standardized definitions and methodology for wait times and measurements,” says Dr. Jamie Fraser, president of the CAR. “A pan-Canadian approach to medical imaging access, with objective and consistent assessment of data, will ultimately promote equitable and timely access to imaging based on medical need, regardless of geographical challenges.”

To read more about the Wait Time Alliance, click here.

Both cancers have been subject to stereotyping; lung cancer patients are often assumed smokers, while many people believe that older males make up the majority of colon cancer patients. While gender, age and lifestyle are causative associations of any type of cancer, there are always exceptions–and thus–many misconceptions about this deadly disease. Keep reading below to learn about some of the myths associated with both lung and colon cancer:

Misconceptions about Lung Cancer (Statistics from Lung Cancer Canada)

Misconception: Lung cancer affects smokers exclusively.

Reality: In western countries, approximately 15 per cent of lung cancers occur in patients who never smoked. The number is even higher in patients from Asian countries, at 30-40 per cent.

Misconception: Lung cancer strikes after middle-age.

Reality: There are more than 1,000 lung cancers diagnosed every year in patients under 50.

Misconception: Prostate and breast cancer have higher mortality rates than lung cancer in Canada.

Reality: At over 20,000 deaths annually, lung cancer nearly doubles mortality rates of prostate and breast cancer.

Misconceptions about Colon Cancer (from the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada)

Misconception: Only men get colon cancer.

Reality: The disease affects men and women equally.

Misconception: A colorectal cancer diagnosis is fatal.

Reality: Colon cancer has a 90 per cent survival rate when caught in its early stages.

Misconception: Exercise and a healthy diet has nothing to do with whether or not you get colon cancer.

Reality: Both physical exercise and a diet rich in vegetables and fiber (as well as Vitamin D) are associated with lowered risks of colon cancer.

Why do some people suffer from migraines while others don’t? Is it a difference in brain function? A new MRI study from the Neuroimaging Research Unit at the University Ospedale San Raffaele in Italy has discovered this to be the case.

Dr. Massimo Filippi, the director of the study, and his team assessed cortical (that’s the outer layer of the brain, or the cortex) thickness using surface-based MR Imaging.

“For the first time, we assessed cortical thickness and surface area abnormalities in patients with migraine, which are two components of cortical volume that provide different and complementary pieces of information,” said Dr. Filippi. “The most important finding of our study was that cortical abnormalities that occur in patients with migraine are a result of the balance between an intrinsic predisposition, as suggested by cortical surface area modification, and disease-related processes, as indicated by cortical thickness abnormalities.”

The study found that migraine sufferers have a significantly reduced cortical thickness, as well as reduced surface area of the cortex, particularly in areas related to experiencing pain.

“Whether the abnormalities are a consequence of the repetition of migraine attacks or represent an anatomical signature that predisposes to the development of the disease is still debated,” says Dr. Filippi. “In my opinion, they might contribute to make migraine patients more susceptible to pain and to an abnormal processing of painful conditions and stimuli.”

The study is published in Radiology.

For Immediate Release

March 25, 2013

AIM offering MRI scans for diagnostic cancer research study

[Vancouver] – As part of AIM Medical Imaging’s commitment to advancing state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging in Canada, the private MRI clinic is announcing a new phase of research into early lung and colon cancer diagnosis. Potential candidates may be eligible for a Whole Body and PETCT scan, free of charge.

“In the United States and abroad, patients who are suspected of having cancer are provided with a staging functional imaging test (usually PETCT), which is used as a baseline to monitor the response to cancer treatment,” says Dr. Raj Attariwala, CEO and head radiologist at AIM. “Unfortunately, this baseline study is not routinely performed in BC, and thus assessing response to treatment can be delayed, or is unknown.”

Lung and colorectal cancer are respectively the first and second leading causes of cancer deaths in Canadian men and women. In 2012, lung cancer cases resulted in approximately 20, 200 fatalities. Colorectal cancer cases in 2012 saw 9, 200 fatalities.

“The current worldwide gold standard for early non-invasive cancer diagnosis is a functional PETCT scan, a technique first approved by US Medicare in 1998,” says Dr. Attariwala. “However, access to PETCT in most of Canada is limited, and current research shows that state of the art functional MRI sequences like those routinely used at AIM are just as effective. Therefore, in the future these non-invasive MRI tests may become more available to a greater number of Canadians to help with early cancer detection, which will ultimately save lives.”

Established in 2009, AIM Medical Imaging is a patient-centred organization dedicated to providing fast and accurate advanced diagnostic solutions to Canadians. AIM uses a Siemens Espree T-Class Open Bore MRI scanner—the only one of its kind in Western Canada.

The research study, which will take place over the balance of 2013, is seeking patients diagnosed in first stages of lung and colon cancer to participate. Eligible patients will be offered AIM’s unique Whole Body advanced cancer detection scan, as well as a staging PETCT, free of charge.

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For more information please contact:

Lisa Garcia

604.733.4007

lgarcia@aimmedicalimaging

Dr. Attariwala’s presentation, co-authored by AIM’s MRI technologist Wayne Picker, was entitled ‘Whole Body Diffusion MRI: A Quantifiable Technique to Improve Lesion Detection, Tumor Staging and Assess Response to Therapy’. The presentation focused on Diffusion Weighted Imaging with background signal suppression (DWIBS), the functional MRI technique AIM uses that is able to assess changes in the tissue microenvironment at a cellular level.

 One of the keynote speakers at the conference, Dr. Douglas Hanahan, is the author of the groundbreaking work Hallmarks of Cancer: The Next Generation. Hanahan’s paper outlines six hallmarks of human tumor development which serve to help organize and streamline the complexities of the many variables in early cancer detection.

One of Hanahan’s most important findings is the dicovery that chemotherapy is effective only in the early stages of cancer. Cancerous tumor cells are able to adapt in order to resist chemo treatments; thus, another reason why it is so imperative that a disease like cancer is identified as early as possible.