MOTION ARTIFACT SKIN
MOTION ARTIFACT SOFTWARE

MOTION ARTIFACT SKIN

If we had to, we’d layer a sheet or something to avoid direct contact of the skin and the strap.” For older patients we were avoiding them because of the potential of a skin tear. They’re thicker, hard, and they can irritate skin, especially on the forehead. Agnieszka can understand their discomfort. However, patient satisfaction was noticeably lower among patients who used the headrest with head strap. Overall, they found that using some form of patient stabilization reduced the likelihood of a repeat exam by as much as 5%. In a 2017 study, Nardi et al studied three methods of patient stabilization: foam headrest, foam headrest with head strap, and a head restraint helmet. But not all stabilization devices are created equal. More commonly, imaging departments utilize the aid of stabilization devices such as foam headrests, cradles, and straps to hold the head in place. In most instances medical staff will work with patients, educating them on the importance of remaining still, preemptively minimizing the chances of motion artifact.

MOTION ARTIFACT SOFTWARE

Motion artifact can be removed with software depending on how much it affects the image. Each of these patient types are susceptible to involuntary head movement. Many patients that undergo these studies have been diagnosed with (or are suspected of having) epilepsy, dementia, stroke, or suffered a recent head injury. There’s a simple reason brain perfusion scans are susceptible to head movement. Head movement in neuroperfusion studies greatly affects the interpreting physician’s ability to analyze acute ischemic stroke patients. Head scans are especially sensitive to motion artifact. How Hospitals can Protect Patients and Revenues We do everything in our power to obtain the proper study without repeating the images.” We don’t want to have to repeat the exam. For the hospital, this translated to $115,000 in lost revenue for that week in MRI alone.Īside from hospital revenues, medical staff are generally focused on reducing a patient’s exposure to unnecessary radiation.Īgnieszka Dziubinski, Manager of Medical Imaging at Manchester Memorial Hospital (Manchester, CT), explains why she is focused on reducing motion. Nearly 20% of the 192 exams were so affected by motion artifact that they needed to be repeated. Lost revenue, increased radiation exposure They found that “significant motion artifacts were identified on sequences in 7.5% of outpatient and 29.4% of inpatient and/or emergency department MR examinations.” In a retrospective study, radiologists reviewed 192 clinical MRI examinations performed in a single week at their facility to better understand the revenue their hospital was missing out on by rescanning patients. Artifact could compromise a study, make an accurate diagnosis difficult to obtain, or create the appearance of a false positive. Artifact is a hurdle imaging departments avoid if possible and for good reason.