NeuroQuant Imaging Software With Brain MRI

If you have a mild traumatic brain injury, a psychological disorder or unusual neurological symptoms, it’s possible that a standard CT scan or traditional MRI won’t reveal anything out of the ordinary. CT scans and MRI scans excel at showing foreign objects, bleeds and tumors that don’t belong in the brain, but they aren’t typically used to measure atrophy, or shrinking tissue, in the structures of the brain. As a result, you could go months—or even years—with progressive symptoms such as atrophy before the problem is significant enough to show up on imaging scans.

NeuroQuant^® 3D image processing, a form of advanced medical software available at Touchstone Medical Imaging, provides radiologists and neurologists with revolutionary technology to help diagnose various brain conditions.

NeuroQuant isn’t a separate type of imaging technology. Rather, it’s a specialized imaging software radiologists use alongside a structural MRI scan to measure brain volume in 15 distinct regions, generating reports about each and making it easier to flag abnormalities. NeuroQuant then compares results to a control group of statistically relevant size, made of people who share your age, sex and brain size. Any differences in brain volume could indicate a neurodegenerative disease or traumatic brain injury. It’s an ideal tool for doctors to pair with an MRI to diagnose various conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury and more. It can also be used to measure brain development.

Advanced technology now, hope for the future

While NeuroQuant brain MRI technology is still relatively new, it’s making a significant difference in the early detection and diagnosis of disease. This early diagnosis allows for quick interventions to help preserve brain function and increase quality of life for various conditions, including:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Brain atrophy
• Dementia
• Epilepsy
• Huntington’s disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Traumatic brain injury

Researchers hope the NeuroQuant software can one day be used in the diagnosis and treatment of other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, Prion disease, Huntington’s disease, motor neuron disorders and depression.

In the future, NeuroQuant may offer a better understanding of psychological disorders linked to abnormalities of the brain structures, such as panic disorders, bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Other neuropsychiatric disorders—such as attention deficit hyperactive disorder, autism, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, narcissistic behavior, memory and mood disorders, and schizophrenia—may also eventually benefit.

Gaining a better understanding of the brain’s role in these disorders will offer better treatment options.

What to expect

You won’t be able to tell any difference between a traditional MRI scan and an MRI scan that uses NeuroQuant software. Just as with any other MRI of the head, you will lie on a padded table, and an MRI technologist will slide the table you’re on inside the MRI machine. A magnet and radio waves will create highly detailed images of the brain. The NeuroQuant software then begins its work of accurately measuring your brain volume and comparing those measurements to a control group.

Once your MRI and NeuroQuant are complete, the results are compiled into a highly detailed, personalized report. Your Touchstone Medical Imaging radiologist will work with your neurologist to determine an accurate diagnosis.

If you or your medical team are concerned about a brain abnormality, ask your doctor for a NueroQuant referral and contact a Touchstone Medical Imaging location near you.