MRI scans

A record 1.92 million patients in England are waiting for NHS diagnostic tests, with one in five waiting over six weeks. The waiting list has increased by 500,000 since 2022 and is 83% higher than pre-pandemic levels, projected to reach 2 million by March 2027.

Disney is collaborating with a Southern California children's hospital to use familiar characters in MRI scans, reducing the need for sedation in young patients. The approach blends medical imaging with Disney's magical theme to make the process less intimidating for children.

The NHS is spending a record £241 million outsourcing CT and MRI scan analysis to private firms due to staffing shortages and hospital capacity issues. Radiologists criticize the 'ballooning' costs as a result of systemic failures to train enough doctors, leading to reliance on lower-quality private reports.

A recent study comparing MRI scans of modern human brains with Neanderthal skull endocasts found that Neanderthal brains varied within the range of modern human brain sizes. The research suggests differences in skull shape do not reflect significant cognitive differences, challenging previous assumptions about Neanderthal inferiority and implying their cognitive capabilities were comparable to early Homo sapiens.

Scientists discovered a hidden waste-removal pathway in the human brain using advanced MRI scans, revealing fluid flows along the middle meningeal artery in a lymphatic-like manner. This finding identifies a previously unknown drainage hub, potentially revolutionizing understanding of brain aging, injury, and diseases like Alzheimer’s.