Central nervous systems are vastly complex, coordinating and controlling the bodies of all bilaterally symmetric animals—including humans. Underlying that complexity is an ecosystem of neurons and axons, a fragile system that is easily disrupted by disease or drugs.
At the 2015 annual meeting of the American Society of Neuroradiology (ASNR), neuroradiology Fellow Justin Brucker, M.D. aimed to educate about how these disruptions appear in imaging. He presented an educational exhibit about imaging irregularities associated with various pharmaceuticals, winning a summa cum laude award. Receiving one of only two summa cum laude awards among more than 300 educational exhibits, Dr. Brucker was joined on the project by senior authors Professor Aaron Field, M.D., Ph.D, and Assistant Professor Tabby Kennedy, M.D.
The bulk of the exhibit is a case-based overview of the imaging abnormalities associated with a variety of drugs, including antibiotics, immunosuppressants, and analgesics. These abnormalities, if they go unrecognized, can mislead doctors and complicate diagnoses. However, if the imaging symptoms of the drugs are spotted, the abnormalities are often reversible, simply by discontinuing the use of the offending drug.
Doctor Brucker’s exhibit is a valuable tool for radiologists, providing a reliable imaging reference for the adverse effects of certain pharmaceuticals. A review of the biological mechanisms of each drug was also included in the presentation.
Doctor Brucker is no stranger to success at ASNR; he was presented with an Outstanding Presentation Award this year for a presentation he gave at ASNR 2014 on demyelination.