The first probable and pertinent question thrown at any medical lab team after error messages hit the inbox of the customers’ handsets is “Should we undergo the MRI scan once again?”. However, if it is a NeuroQuant MRI for your brain, you are most unlikely to request for a repeat MRI scan.
NeuroQuant is actually an extremely complicated software program. It is designed to process a slew of images. However, in some particular circumstances, you may have to go for a repeat MRI scan.
Little More about NeuroQuant
NeuroQuant is programmed to analyse brain MRI images for early detection as well as treatment of a number of diseases including traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. This software accurately measures shrinkage of brain (brain atrophy) by measuring different brain structures that have started shrinking in certain conditions. NeuroQuant helps a physician diagnose certain diseases and keep a watchful eye on their progression.
Situations where repeat MRI scans may reveal some useful information
- Patient motion during the MRI scan
- Contrast agents administered to the patient before the NeuroQuant MRI scan is performed
- Scan parameters not set correctly
- Landmark is incorrectly set. It must be +- 100mm from glabella. Incorrect setting usually occurs if a double entry is done on c-spine and brain. It is important to set the glabellar landmark as isocenter before performing the NeuroQuant volumetric scan.
- Other image artifacts for image acquisition
Situations where repeat MRI scan will not provide additional details
- Brain alignment to atlas not successful as MI is greater than 5 unless important motion artifacts are noticed or the patient was found to be misaligned to a great extent in the scanner
- Patients with extreme atrophy and other gross structural abnormalities
- Patients having implants
- Patients suffering from tumours
- Patients who have undergone resection
3D T1 sagittal MRIs are required to get ideal brain morphometry in order to analyse volume. It helps to obtain segmentation results of good quality. NeuroQuant software is designed to process 3D T1 sagittal MRI acquisition in a sequence of 1.2, 1.5 and 3.0T scanners.
Quality Control Feature of NeuroQuant
NeuroQuant has a mechanism to filter data. It Offers verification of scanning parameters ahead of starting the process. Proper procedure ensures that the segmentation results as well as calculated brain volumes are accurate. In order to preserve the accuracy of segmentation results, software prevents analysis if sequences different from 3D T1 are sent for the purpose of processing.
The error message will be generated in another case if the wrong series is sent. If an entire team and not 3D T1 NeuroQuant scan is sent, NeuroQuant results are most likely to cause a delay in return. In fact, the results will come in the form of several error messages delivered back to the PACS.
Wrapping up!
NeuroQuant software is purposefully designed for use in conjunction with very well-defined MRI acquisition sequences. The quality of the outputs may suffer a huge impact due to the suggested acquisition protocols.
