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Neuroimaging and Mental Illness: a Window Into the Brain Frequently Asked Questions About Brain Scans

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Neuroimaging and Mental Illness: A Window Into the Brain Frequently asked questions about brain scans NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health rain imaging scans, also called neuroimaging scans, What Brain Scans Can Do are being used more and more to help detect and B Show damage to brain tissue, the skull, or blood diagnose a number of medical disorders and illnesses. vessels in the brain Currently, the main use of brain scans for mental disor- ders is in research studies to learn more about the disor- Be used with other medical tests to help doctors fi nd ders. Brain scans alone cannot be used to diagnose a the right diagnosis for mood and behavioral mental disorder, such as autism, anxiety, depression, problems schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder. Help researchers study healthy brain development, In some cases, a brain scan might be used to rule out effects of mental illnesses or effects of mental health other medical illnesses, such as a tumor, that could treatments on the brain. cause symptoms similar to a mental disorder, such as What Brain Scans Cannot Do depression. Other types of tests are needed for a mental illness to be properly diagnosed. Scientists are studying Diagnose mental illness when used by themselves differences in the brains of people with and without a Predict risk of getting a mental illness. mental illness to learn more about these disorders. How­ ever, at this time relying on brain scans alone cannot accurately diagnose a mental illness or tell you your risk of getting a mental illness in the future. Some types of brain scans pose health risks due to the radiation they use to create a picture of the brain. Because of these risks, brain scans should not be used if you don’t need them. In addition, these scans are very expensive, and unless your doctor prescribes such a test, they may not be fully covered by health insurance. 2 Q. Can a brain scan tell me what mental diagnose changes in mood and behavior. disorders I have or might get? Other medical tests a doctor may use include behavioral and cognitive tests or a medical A. No scientifi c studies to date have shown that a interview. brain scan by itself can be used for diagnosing a mental illness or to learn about a person’s Q. Should I have a brain imaging scan? risk for disease. Researchers use brain scans A. When used with other medical tests, they to study brain development in healthy people can provide useful information about: and people with illnesses, disease progres­ sion, and the effects of medications or other Brain tumors, infections, and other brain treatments on the brain. diseases In practice, when used with other types of Bleeding, blood clots, or other signs of stroke medical tests and done by an experienced Skull fractures or brain damage from head doctor, brain scans can be used to confi rm a injuries diagnosis of a small number of disorders, Diseases or disorders affecting the skull or such as brain tumors, where there is obvious blood vessels in the brain. damage in the brain. Brain scans are not usually the fi rst test a doctor would do to Researcher analyzes FMRI brain images. 3 using the lowest possible radiation or magnetic level to do the scan. Children and teens may be more sensitive to these risks. If your child needs a brain scan, ask if there are special precautions you can take or whether a different type of brain scan can be used. Ask the doctor doing the scan if the machine’s settings have been adjusted for a child. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also talk with their doctor about how to prepare for any type of brain scan. While most types of scans pose little risk to the develop­ ing fetus, the doctor may make different rec­ ommendations to accommodate pregnancy. Patient enters PET scan machine. Another possible risk is claustrophobia, or a fear of small spaces. Many brain scanning machines look like large tubes or giant Q. What types of brain scans, or “donuts” that are open on both ends. The neuroimaging tests, are there? machines can be very loud while scanning A. There are two main types of neuroimaging takes place. Some people feel scared or ner­ tests: structural and functional. vous when inside the machines. Sometimes, Structural imaging creates a “snapshot” of the brain’s structure, including bone, tissue, blood vessels, tumors, infection, damage, or bleeding such as from a stroke. Functional imaging reveals the brain’s ever- changing activity and chemistry by measur­ ing the rate of blood fl ow, chemical activity, and electrical impulses in the brain during specifi c tasks. Q. Are there risks associated with brain scans? A. Brain scans are relatively safe and do not cause any pain. However, risks include expo­ sure to magnetic fi elds and radiation. Safety measures are used to limit these risks such as Patient in MEG scanner. 4 an injury or other medical condition can make Q. What can research using brain it uncomfortable or painful for a person to imaging technologies tell us about hold a certain position. disease risk? It is important to stay still in order to get a A. As they continue to learn more about how the clear picture. Tell your doctor if you are afraid healthy brain develops and which processes of being inside the brain scanning machine or may contribute to specifi c diseases, scientists think you cannot stay still for any other rea­ are building a more complete picture of how son. The doctor can give you a sedative to to detect which people are at risk of common help you lie still, or may suggest a different diseases. type of test entirely. This research also is helping to reveal biologi­ Talk with your doctor to make sure cal pathways that guide thoughts and emo­ you understand the possible risks and benefi ts tions, and how experiences, medications, or before deciding to get a brain scan. In general, environmental substances affect the brain. a person should not need more than one of Scientists can use this information to design the same type of brain scan. If a doctor rec­ better screening and prevention for specifi c ommends a brain scan that you’ve already disorders, and improve on the delivery and done in the past, ask if you really need to get effectiveness of mental health treatments. the test repeated. Technician checks MRI machine. 5 Risk from magnetic fi elds:* Risk from radiation: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Computed tomography (CT) or Functional magnetic resonance computed axial tomography (CAT) imaging (FMRI) Positron emission tomography (PET) Magnetic resonance spectroscopy Single positron emission computed (MRS) tomography (SPECT) These scans use strong magnets to develop These scans expose people to low levels of pictures of the brain. This means that a person radiation. For example, the amount of radiation must remove all jewelry, piercings, and clothing from one CT scan of the head is about the same with metal before entering the scanning as the amount that the average person receives machine. from natural sources of radiation over eight 1 Medication patches, such as nicotine patches or months. Natural sources of radiation include ones that release hormones, sometimes contain naturally occurring radioactive materials and metal in the sticky backing, which can burn the cosmic rays such as emitted by the sun. skin if worn during an MRI. If you use such Also, some people may be allergic to the chemi­ patches, talk to your doctor about if and when cals, called contrast dyes or tracers, used to you should remove them. make sure brain structures show up in these It’s important to tell your doctor if you have any types of scans. In some cases, these chemicals metal in your body, such as metal braces or are radioactive but lose their potency fairly metal fi llings in your teeth, embedded bullets, quickly. shrapnel, or implanted medical devices – If you have ever had a bad reaction to a contrast pacemakers, aneurysm clips, medication dye or tracer, tell the doctor before you get the pumps, metal plates, screws, or pins. scan. In general, children should not have PET If located close to the head, they may distort the or SPECT scans. scanned image. Sometimes, the strong mag­ netic field causes these objects to move, which can cause an injury. If you’re not sure about your risk, check with the doctor before getting this type of brain scan. * Magnetoencephalography (MEG) scanning does 1Computed Tomography (CT) – Head. http://www. not carry these risks because it does not use radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=headct. Accessed magnets. on June 18, 2008. 6 For more detailed descriptions of the different types of brain scans and other tests used to diagnose brain For more information about mental illness disorders, see the booklet “Neurological Diagnostic and neuroimaging Tests and Procedures,” distributed by the National Visit the National Library of Medicine’s Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke MedlinePlus at http://medlineplus.gov (http://www.ninds.nih.gov). En Español, http://medlineplus.gov/spanish Reprints For information on clinical trials: NIMH publications are in the public domain and may NIMH supported clinical trials be reproduced or copied without the permission from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/trials/ the National Institute of Mental Health. NIMH encour­ index.shtml ages you to reproduce them and use them in your National Library of Medicine Clinical Trials efforts to improve public health.
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