Diffusion MR imaging shows the physiologic changes associated with disease states. The typical focal inflammatory lesions are caused by toxoplasmosis, lymphoma, cryptococcoma, tuberculoma, sypilitic gumma, bacterial abscesses, cytomegalic virus infections and progressive multifocal encephalopathy. It can detect early changes as early as 1 hour after onset of the symptoms. Trends in MR imaging A current trend in clinical MR imaging has been to move towards more open magnet designs. Open MR systems have the advantage of cost, ease of use, and niche applications like trauma and interventional .
Open systems are also more accomodating to the claustrophobic and obese patients.
Functional MR imaging will offer images of the entire brain in real time, and at a modest cost to the neurologists, psychologists and psychiatrists. Diffusion MR imaging is being actively used in early stroke diagnosis. MR spectroscopy is becoming a routine for several clinical assessments. Overall, MRI with its versatility has been able to meet every challenge encountered in the field of neuroradiology. Clinical imaging in psychiatry.