Imaging: MRI and PET scans

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans are important tools used to visualize what’s going on inside the body. MRI produces cross-sectional images of soft tissues. PET scans use tracers injected into the body to provide information about cellular activity.

In research on ME/CFS and related diseases, MRI and PET scans can be used to measure neuroinflammation and cerebral blood flow and monitor sections of the brain whose function has been implicated in the condition, like the hypothalamus. 

Combining images with measurements of molecules in the blood, including hormones, proteins, and metabolites, is a promising method of identifying the underlying problems in ME/CFS and other complex chronic diseases. In this realm, the Melbourne ME/CFS Collaboration is conducting a study that looks at brain structure, blood flow, and biochemistry in people with ME/CFS, Long COVID, and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) to try to find the causes of the conditions and ultimately develop better treatments. Read more about this study on our website.