HJAR Nov/Dec 2019

42 NOV / DEC 2019 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS COLUMN CHILDREN’S HEALTH A closer look at the cutting-edge machine that helps diagnose neurological disorders Many technologies are used in the diag- nosis of neurological disorders in children and adults. Currently, the most advanced of these technologies is magnetoencepha- lography, or MEG, which is a non-invasive procedure to study human brain activi- ty. MEG technology enables neurologists and neurosurgeons to investigate ongoing brain activity on a millisecond-by-milli- second basis, while also showing where in the brain activity is produced. New technologies bring about new questions. Here, Arkansas Children’s Neu- rologist Dr. Debopam Samanta explains more about MEG technology and its im- portance in diagnosing brain disorders. Why MEG? Brain activity detection has been around for almost a century through the use of electroencephalogram tests, or EEG, which is used to study the electrical activi- ty of the brain. However, magnetic activity, which can be studied through the use of MEG scans, has only been widely available for the last 50 years. This more specialized method of studying the brain can be used to gain a better and deeper understanding of many different neurological disorders. “MEG technology helps us learn about normal brain activity as well as abnormal brain activity,” Samanta says. “MEG can Magnetoencephalography (MEG) Technology

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