Magnetic resonance imaging

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce images of thin slices of tissues. MRI scans can be used to image many different parts of the body, including the brain, joints, major organs and even the whole body.

MRI scans can be used for many different purposes, e.g. to show:

• abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord
• abnormalities in various parts of the body such as breast, prostate, and liver
• joint injuries or abnormalities, for example a knee injury
• heart structure and function
• areas of activity within the brain, using a functional MRI
• blood flow through blood vessels and arteries

ME/CFS MRI evidence

• Possible white matter abnormalities of unknown etiology are found on MRIs of some ME/CFS patients. These are identified by T2 hyperintensities, which might indicate lesions or Virchow-Robin spaces.

Progressive brain changes in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Shan et al. (2016).

Notable studies

• 1993, A controlled study of brain magnetic resonance imaging in patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome
• 1999, Brain MRI abnormalities exist in a subset of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome
• 2016, Progressive Brain Changes in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Longitudinal MRI Study
• 2016, Autonomic correlations with MRI are abnormal in the brainstem vasomotor centre in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• 2017, Medial prefrontal cortex deficits correlate with unrefreshing sleep in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome
• 2018, Decreased Connectivity and Increased Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent Complexity in the Default Mode Network in Individuals with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• 2018, Brain function characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome: A task fMRI study

Learn more

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging - Merck Manual
• MRI scans - MedlinePlus
• Head MRI - Radiology info
• Differences between 3 and 1.5T MRI machines - Radiology Assist

• 3T MRI: What It Is and How It’s Different From Other MRIs - Ezra blog

• 7-Tesla MRI: Pioneering use for patient care - Mayo Clinic
• Open Vs Closed MRI Machines – Which Ones Provide Higher Quality Images? - Fox Valley Imaging

See also

• Brain
• MRI
• fMRI
• SPECT
• Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS)

See myalgic encephalomyelitis.

See chronic fatigue syndrome.

etiology The cause of origin, especially of a disease.

T2 hyperintensity An unusual bright spot on a T2-weighted MRI of the brain. Also known as an Unidentified Bright Object (UBO). T2 hyperintensities are often found in the periventricular region, where they may be referred to as "white matter hyperintensities" or "leukoaraiosis". They may also be found in the basal ganglia or brainstem, where they are sometimes referred to as "gray matter hyperintensities", or "subcortical hyperintensities". T2 hyperintensities can represent different things: lesions, dilated Virchow-Robin spaces, or demyelination. They are commonly found in elderly individuals and in neurological disorders. (Learn more: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Virchow-Robin space A space inside the blood-brain barrier that surrounds blood vessels. They are also known as perivascular spaces. Immune cells from the blood often enter the Virchow-Robin space, but are unable to enter the brain. In cases of neuroinflammation, immune cells may accumulate in the Virchow-Robin space, unable to enter the brain. This accumulation of immune cells (called perivascular cuffing) may lead to an enlarged Virchow-Robin space. Enlarged Virchow-Robin spaces may be visible in an MRI image of the brain.

Region of the midbrain in adults, includes midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata and develops.

brainstem Region of the midbrain in adults, includes midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata and develops.