#62 Micki Maes: All about brain imaging; understanding x-ray, CT, MRI, PET scans especially for neurodegenerative conditions

Marilyn (Micki) Maes, MS. RT, (R), (MR), (f), CRT, is a radiologic technologist, professional educator, researcher, 3D quantitative analyst, consultant, and manager with over 15 years of experience in performance and training regarding diagnostic imaging. Prior to her last 6 years at CorTech working with the Neuroquant, which is a specific type of volumetric analysis and report regarding cognitive decline, she was director at Stanford's 3D quantitative radiology department doing manually what CorTech reports now do digitally. This show walks through brain/head imaging from A-Z, or should we say from X-ray to CT, to MRI, to PET and back through circulatory vessel imaging including CTA (CT-angiogram) and MRA/MRV (magnetic resonance angiogram & venograms). She brings to light how the imaging study is done, what body structures are best seen with each test, types of dye (iodine vs gadolinium), contraindications and which clinical situation is best elucidated by which study (for example, Parkinson's and dopamine with PET scanning or how & why cancer lights up with gadolinium). Micki then dives into nitty gritty details of what is being seen (or not) with the CorTech Neuroquant report comparing volumetrics as applies to long-COVID brain fog, Alzheimer's, hippocampal asymmetry, ventricular sizes and global atrophy. She also reviews imaging abnormalities with MS and vascular abnormalities. This information can be hard to find and especially difficult to understand. Micki teases apart what type of information is sought with the various imaging options. More information about the Neuroquant reports can be found at the CorTech website. 

Cortech: https://www.cortechs.ai/