Tag: safer

E-cigarettes take serious toll on heart health, not safer than traditional cigarettes

E-cigarette use takes a serious toll on heart health—a big concern given the high prevalence of e-cigarettes and perception of e-cigarettes as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes, according to new research that will be presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2019—November 16-18 in Philadelphia. Researchers who conducted two separate studies report they

New contrast agent could make MRIs safer

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have taken a key step forward in developing a new, possibly safer contrast agent for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams. Contrast enhanced MRI is a widely used diagnostic tool with over 30 million procedures performed annually. Currently, gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) are used for this purpose, but

Making MRI scans safer for kids

When it comes to medical imaging, pediatric radiologist and biomedical engineer Shreyas Vasanawala knows that kids aren’t the same as adults. Vasanawala, MD, Ph.D., professor of radiology at the School of Medicine, has spent the last 10 years studying how to improve magnetic resonance imaging scans for his smallest, wiggliest patients. Now, he’s putting his