Medical imaging has proven to be crucial for providing diagnoses to sick and injured patients, and also plays an integral role in clinical research. From MRI to PET, these modalities can provide useful data to develop preventive medicine and improve the safety of Americans.
Recently, a study from The Cleveland Clinic focused on the high-impact physical sports of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Assessing head trauma from professional fighting
The facility launched its Professional Fighters Brain Health Study in 2011 at the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, Nevada, and has enrolled approximately 500 active and retired athletes, Cleveland.com reported.
Researchers from the health system are tracking the fighters with brain imaging with the goal of learning which injuries are most likely to cause temporary effects, like concussions, and long-term conditions, like Alzheimer's disease or chronic traumatic encephalopathy. CTE is a degenerative brain disease found in individuals with histories of repeated brain trauma, and leads to memory loss, depression and irreversible dementia. It has been diagnosed in numerous athletes, including boxers and retired NFL players.
The Cleveland Clinic study was led by principal investigator Charles Bernick, M.D., M.P.H., who is the associate medical director at the Lou Ruvo Center. By expanding the study into Ohio, the health system will attract additional fighters from the Midwest and East Coast. Bernick and his team will also be able to use the ultra-high-field 7 Tesla MRI scanner housed at The Cleveland Clinic, which is not widely available to all diagnostic imaging specialists.
Currently, the study involves more active than retired fighters, with the majority of participants coming from MMA backgrounds. While still in its early stages, its recent expansion to the Cleveland site indicates a growing interest in the research. To date, the study has received $2 million in funding, with $600,000 coming from several professional fighting organizations.
The Cleveland Clinic research makes use of MRI equipment, which a new board has targeted for improved safety procedures among technologists.
Making efforts to standardize MRI safety
According to AuntMinnie.com, two longtime advocates for improved MRI protocols have created the American Board of Magnetic Resonance Safety to establish testing and certification procedures for the modality. The ABMRS is the brainchild of Emanuel Kanal, M.D., director of MR services at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and Tobias Gilk, senior vice president of Radiology-Planning. The duo has worked to promote MR safety, both individually and collaboratively, over the years.
The group would validate the proficiency of physicians and other digital imaging staff who oversee MRI safety in both medical and research environments.
The volume of MRI procedures has increased annually in the U.S. since 2000, achieving 114 percent growth by 2013. Although the modality does not present issues with radiation exposure, the number of adverse events and accidents during the same time period has experienced a fivefold increase.
Applicants who pass the board's test would hold designations of MR safety physicians, officers and/or experts.
The ABMRS will also include a partnership with the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine to develop accurate job descriptions for various safety officials. If the global medical community is involved, the groups can establish worldwide standards that can be followed in any country, society or organization.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported that there were 182 adverse MRI events in 2013, compared to 31 in 2000. This represented a 487 percent spike. With updated safety guidelines and designations, practices could greatly reduce any instances of accidents or injuries.
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Ronny Bachrach
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