The neuroradiology division at Kovai Medical Center and Hospital (KMCH) has introduced Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) service for preoperative evaluation of brain tumour and epilepsy patients. A release from the hospital said that fMRI enables surgeons to pick out an area in the brain clearly which is responsible for the function of a body part like the hand, leg, or speech area. Standard imaging such as MRI and CT cannot accurately pick up these areas and thus a surgery can leave a patient paralysed if an important area is injured. fMRI has advanced computers incorporated into an MRI system where these vital areas can be demarcated clearly, it said.
