Neuroimaging imaging

Recent developments in instrumentation and imaging techiuques have revolutionized neuroimaging. Images obtained from different imaging modahties can be fused and overlaid to combine anatomical and physiological information. Molecular imaging has been introduced to follow functional processes in the brain and obtain specific information to be used in tailoring individual therapies. 

Since functional outcome and risk of recurrent stroke are, in part, predictable based on the pathophysiologic subtype of stroke, the ability to accurately classify patients based on emergency clinical and imaging data would provide valuable predictive information. Unfortunately, misclassifications of stroke subtypes based on clinical data and a noncontrast CT scan are common. The final subtyping of stroke is made with all available clinical data, but is heavily influenced by neuroimaging studies that identify the location, size, and vascular distribution of the infarct, or that establish that the arteries supplying the region of stroke are stenotic or occluded. 

Neuroimaging Radiologic studies of the brain, usually referring to computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). 

The primary focus of this chapter is to provide an introduction to the main imaging modalities and the current biomedical research that is currently underway in the field of modern neuroimaging. Since the focus of this chapter is on neurobiology and neurochemistry, only MRI/MRS... 

Wong, D. F. In vivo imaging of D2 dopamine receptors in schizophrenia the ups and downs of neuroimaging research. Arch. Gen. Psychiatr. 59 31-34, 2002. 

D. A. Boas, A. M. Dale, and M. A. Franceschini. Diffuse optical imaging of brain activation approaches to optimizing image sensitivity, resolution, and accuracy. Neuroimage, 23 S275-S288, 2004. 

M. A. Franceschini and D. A. Boas. Noninvasive measurement of neuronal activity with near-infrared optical imaging. Neuroimage, 21 372-386, 2004. 

G. Gratton, A. Sarno, E. Maclin, P. M. Corbaliis, and M. Fabiani. Toward noninvasive 3-d imaging of the time course of cortical activity Investigation of the depth of the event-related optical signal. Neuroimage, 11 491-504, 2000. 

S.J. Nelson, Imaging of brain tumors after therapy, Neuroimaging Clin. N. Am. 9(4) (1999) 801-819. 

There have been recent advances in the understanding in brain structure and function of some childhood psychiatric disorders however, no controlled neuroimaging studies involving aggressive childhood disorders and conduct disorders have been published (Peterson, 1995). Despite the fact that ADHD and conduct disorders are commonly comorbid, existent imaging studies of ADHD are not informative, because typically these studies have excluded youths with conduct disorder. 

Advances in this area have perhaps been the most profound over the past 5 to 10 years, occurring as a result of imaging studies followed by focused postmortem studies of the brains of patients with both bipolar and unipolar depression. Neuroimaging studies of patients with familial pure major depression have identified neurophysiological abnormalities in multiple areas of the orbital and medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), the amygdala, and related parts of the striatum and thalamus. Some of these abnormalities appear to be state dependent (i.e., present only when the patient is clinically depressed), whereas other abnormalities appear to be trait dependent (i.e., present whether the patient is depressed or not) ( 27). 

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