MRI question

I am actually watching my MRI now and I was wondering what - Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (mm?/s) meant. it was on a couple pictures where it said what view it was on the others. I am so clueless. It's really fun to flick through the pictures really fast and watch my brain whoosh by. The contrast ones are the most fun. You can see all the little veins (at least thats what they look like) light up. Kinda cool. Not many people get to see their own brain. My doctor still hasn't looked at them yet. I keep calling. I don't know what I'm looking for so I don't make any assumptions. Thanks for any help.

>Chantele

[Quixotic1]

I can't help you.  Maybe someone will look it up and see.  There are several techniques with Diffusion in the name and they do different things.

Q

[Karen99]

From a quick read, this specific MRI shows the manner in which water is distributed within the brain.  In ways I don't understand, the distribution of water can show a normal brain, abnormalities or help make a diagnosis There is a lot on the net if you google it.

*Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measures the magnitude of diffusion (of water molecules) within cerebral tissue. A low value for ADC indicates that the cortical white matter tracts are organized (good), while a high value for ADC indicates that these tracts are disorganized (bad).

Hope this helps.  

[Karen99]

This is an interesting article (or book).  Never heard of ADC MRI's before.  Learn something new everyday!   Please let us know what you find out from your doc.

http://books.google.com/books?id=e-Yz3KZs528C&pg=PA229&lpg=PA229&dq=brain+MRI+apparent+diffusion+coefficient&source=bl&ots=5J-Be40BS5&sig=4Ha5aQmbwJALR4_2CG9MEeGEtPw&hl=en&ei=opm-Sau9AoKOsQP1gtnOCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result#PPA221,M1

[Chantele]

Thanks everyone for your help! Wow I didn't know I stumbled upon something cool there. I couldn't find anything while I did my "nightly googling" but it was late and I was tired. The pictures on this part of the MRI that I was mentioning are really weird white blotches in the middle of a black screen. Doesn't even resemble a brain to me. Well on a slightly bummed note, my doctor still hasn't gotten back to me yet. I had my MRI done a week ago! Still nothing. I call everyday and the receptionist says she'll get around to it. WHAT!? So what I think I am going to do is just take my MRI straight to the neurologist myself. With my insurance you don't need referrals so I should only have to choose one. Argh what a pain though. Thanks everybody for the help!

>Chantele