Lucknow: KGMU on Monday introduced advanced Functional MRI (fMRI) services to improve diagnosis and treatment of patients with complex brain conditions like tumours and trauma.
These services were announced during the 38th Foundation Day celebrations of the radiodiagnosis department, which also featured a continuing medical education (CME) programme on advanced neuroimaging techniques.
Head, radiodiagnosis department, Prof Anit Parihar shared that the fMRI services are currently being offered at Shatabdi Hospital Phase I for research purposes and are provided free of cost to patients who meet specific medical criteria. He described fMRI as a more advanced imaging technology than conventional MRI that helps map critical areas of the brain responsible for movement, sensation and speech. This mapping is particularly useful for pre-surgical planning and is expected to improve treatment for epilepsy, stroke, brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Prof Parihar said that fMRI can assist in evaluating psychiatric conditions such as depression and schizophrenia.
Dr Mona Tiwari from the Institute of Neurosciences, Kolkata, discussed basics of fMRI physics and its use in identifying neurological issues. She explained the role of Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) in detecting subtle brain injuries and managing autism. Dr Shriram Varadharajan from Chennai spoke about clinical applications of fMRI and DTI.
KGMU VC Prof Soniya Nityanand, praised the department for its progress in medical technology. The celebrations concluded with awards ceremony.
