Introduction to the Division of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Medicine

1. Development goals:

By using advanced MRI technology, profound studies based on human physiology will be conducted to explore the pathogenesis of various diseases for early detection and early treatment.

 

Developing plan from 2024:

(1) Short-term (1-2 years)

Quality control of MRI reporting

Establishing the infra-structures in our division for (1) data processing of MR (e.g. matlab and FMRIB software library) and (2) editing MR pulse sequence (e.g. Pulseq)

Enhancing applications of PET/MRI for simultaneous data acquisition in collaboration with department of nuclear medicine

Applications of intraoperative MRI equipped with focused ultrasound therapy in collaboration with department of neurosurgery

Optimization of MRI protocols and simplification of working procedures (e.g. abbreviated protocol for various organs)

Establishing remote scanning of MRI to explore the potentials of MR radiographers

Optimized workflow of multi-parameter imaging for application in whole body organs

Improvement of MRI environment for shortening patient waiting time and examination scheduling

(2) Medium term (3-4 years)

Verification (landing tests) of artificial intelligence in improving quality of MRI, assisting image analysis and aiding MRI reporting

Enhancing the secondary specialty of our MR radiographers by hand-on education and the reconstruction of the infrastructures in MRI division

Bridging with National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), new technologies with MRI applications of ultrahigh high-field MRI equipment can be implemented by the cooperation between our hospital and NYCU.

Large-scale research cooperation projects with Hospitals of Veterans system, Academia Sinica, the National Health Research Institutes and international institutions

(3) Long-term (more than 5 years)

Development of MRI diagnostic tools in collaboration with various medical expertise in our hospital for unmet medical needs (e.g. molecular precision medicine/treatment, subvoxel parametric MRI, etc.).

Pursuing the best MRI diagnostic and research center in the best Hospital of the World.

 

2. Division directors:

The first division director:

After the division was established in 1993, the first department director was Dr. Wanyou Guo, who came back from Switzerland in August 1982 to act as the first division director. In August 2006, he was transferred to the fourth division director of the Department of Neuroradiology.

 

The second division director:

From August 2006 to February 2018, Dr. Jiing-Feng Lirng, a full-time associate professor of the Department of Medicine of Yang-Ming University, served concurrently.

 

The third director:

Dr. Hsiu-Mei Wu took over in March 2018.

 

The fourth director:

Dr. Tzu-Chen Yeh engaged in March 2024

 

3. Instruments of MRI:

Our hospital launched its first 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system in 1993 to serve patients. Later, for matching clinical and research needs, the second 1.5T MRI system (Siemens Vision) was successively launched in 1997. In 1999, the Bruker 3T MRI system, the first 3T whole-body system of Taiwan, was jointly built with the Medical Research and Education Department for providing the environment and tools for brain functional research. The third 1.5T MRI system was launched in 2000. And our first MRI system was replaced by a 1.5T GE twinspeed system in 2004. The fourth 1.5T high-resolution MRI system of GE was launched in 2005. And Bruker 3T MRI system was replaced by the 3T GE MR750 in 2009 for taking account of clinical considerations and research needs of MRI. In 2010, the software of the 1.5T MRI systems installed in 2000 and 2004 was upgraded for optimization of clinical examinations. In 2014, our second MRI (Siemens Vision) was replaced by a GE 1.5T MR450w MRI system. In 2018, the 3T GE Signa PET/MR system was jointly launched in cooperation with the Department of Nuclear Medicine to provide one-stop examination for patients for obtaining  MRI and biological metabolic functional information at the same time. In December 2018, the 3T Philips Elition MRI system was installed at the space of the previous magnetoencephalogram. In September 2021, our third 1.5T MRI system was replaced by a 3T Siemens VIDA MRI system for enhancing cardiac magnetic resonance. Currently, our department has a total of 9 MRI systems, of which 6 are in B1, Zhongzheng Building, 1 (PETMR) is in the Integrated Molecular Imaging Center of the Department of Nuclear Medicine, and 2 are in the VGH-HT Center for health examination on the 2nd floor, Zhongzheng Building. And we served more than 50,000 patients throughout the year.

With construction of the intraoperative 3T MRI system equipped with focused ultrasound and a 1.5T MRI simulator by departments of neurosurgery and heavy particle & radiation oncology in 2022 and 2023, respectively. In 2024, our hospital has 11 magnets in operation.

 

4. Service of MRI in Medicine:

All MRI systems were equipped with complete and advanced devices and protocols, and with the strong teams of various imaging specialists and medical staffs, it can provide a full range of high-quality clinical MRI diagnosis and treatment services, covering the brain, head and neck, chest, breast, cardiovascular system, abdomen (liver, gallbladder and pancreas), pelvic organs, musculoskeletal systems of trunk and limbs, peripheral nerves, etc.. Fully furnished functional MRI (fMRI) of the brain included data-based approaches of multi-modal voxel-based morphometry, resting-state blood-oxygenation-level-dependence fMRI, carbogen-based cerebrovascular reactivity, fMRI-based probabilistic tractography etc.. Qualitative and quantitative proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) of the brain, prostate, and breast was available for clinical routine. MR imaging-guided biopsies of breast, bone and soft tissue tumors had been established with in-room monitoring. We also developed various advanced MRI technologies and regularly participated in consultations and cooperation with various medical teams to provide patients with high-quality imaging diagnosis and efficient screening rates.

 

5. Outstanding medical technology or achievements of MRI:

1. Clinical applications and research using gamma knife stereotaxic radiosurgery had been implemented for the treatment of arteriovenous malformations/ fistula, primary and metastatic brain tumors

2. With inspiring of Human Connectome Project, clinical applications of functional MRI of brain had been applied for presurgical mapping of seizure, tumor and cerebro-vascular diseases, etc. with submillimeter spatial resolution of structural images

3. Clinical applications and research on MRI, proton MRS and magnetic resonance angiography of brains had been implemented for patients with headache. These had been recognized by Symbol of National Quality.

4. Clinical applications and research on MRI and proton MRS of the brains had been applied for patients with epilepsy. These had been recognized by Symbol of National Quality.

5. Establishment of database for structural and functional MRI had been obtained for fetus MRI, resting-state blood-oxygenation-level-dependence fMRI, carbogen-based cerebrovascular reactivity, etc..