Psychiatric Imaging?

[Summit02]

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Psychoradiology

It's getting bigger and bigger.
1)How long before we are doing this on our own as a field?
2) How long before there is a fellowship?

Any programs offer electives in this or do any of you know people that have created their own electives. I don't mean doing an fMRI here and a PET scan there. I mean a month or more for dedicated study of the brain by imaging in residency or someone who is trained as a psychiatrist only (no neuro) and has gotten added training in this field or just does this as part of their practice.

My answers to the above 2 things are 5 and 10 years respectively. I think its coming and coming fast.

 

[Sust]

Psychoradiology

It's getting bigger and bigger.
1)How long before we are doing this on our own as a field?
2) How long before there is a fellowship?

Any programs offer electives in this or do any of you know people that have created their own electives. I don't mean doing an fMRI here and a PET scan there. I mean a month or more for dedicated study of the brain by imaging in residency or someone who is trained as a psychiatrist only (no neuro) and has gotten added training in this field or just does this as part of their practice.

My answers to the above 2 things are 5 and 10 years respectively. I think its coming and coming fast.

I like your enthusiasm. Try to hold onto it as you read on.
(This is just my cautiously optimistic opinion from here on out...)
(1) Unfortunately, I dont quite think we're there yet in terms of clinical applications for functional neuroimaging in psychiatric disorders and it might even take several decades before we get a real handle on even "normal" brains let alone "mentally ill" brains. Psychiatric neuroimaging research has exploded exponentially in the last 10 years and has brought to light many exciting discoveries plus stimulated a lot of new ideas, but then again the whole field of neuroscience has matured alot too so we've all grown together in a sense. Sometimes you're so deeply entrenched in the brain that the artificial line of distinction between psych and neuro gets really blurry and you start to wonder if the two will ever kiss and make up again. But I digress... clinical psychoradiology probably not happening, but there's a huge psych. imaging research field waiting for you.

(2) Certainly there are research fellowships right now where you can PET/MEG/EEG/MRI brains until the cows come home, but all of your training will stay in the research side of things and will likely not benefit your patients at all in the near future(~10-15 years) except for the advances you make in the basic science of mental illness. In fact, the NIMH in Bethesda, MD has postdoc fellowship opportunities where you could potentially utilize any of the four 3T MRI research scanners, three 1.5T clinical scanners, one ~270 channel whole head MEG research scanner, and a 7T whole body research scanner. The question is whether or not you're willing to put the time and effort into research when you could be paying off those school loans.

 

[whopper]

If you are interested in this field (and I am), you need to be in an institution that has the resources to do brain scans for research purposes. That widely cuts down the possibilities of where you want to be, but will make your choices very easy, if your desire is to be a part of this exciting area is of a high priority.

Aside from the science, another factor is the cost. It is clinically not practical to be trained in psychoradiology because very few hospitals can afford to do one for psychiatric purposes. At some point in time, the price of PET/SPECT and MRI scanners will decrease to the point where they can be in every hospital, but that day and age could be decades away.

 

[Manicsleep]

I think OP is asking about the future and not the current state.

I think the future is bright, where imaging will be utilized by the masses.
Did you read the latest Green Journal. Article about discernment between Bipolar, ADHD in kids using imaging.

Over the last 10 years, there has been an exponential rise in the data for fMRI, PET, SPECT and just regular old CT/MRI. New technologies are also being developed. Ask your friendly neighborhood rads friends.

I think the time frame may be 10 and 15 instead of 5 and 10 but still, I agree, its coming fast. Perhaps it may be 5 and 10 for the early adopters.

 

[PsyDGrrrl]

If you are interested in this field (and I am), you need to be in an institution that has the resources to do brain scans for research purposes. That widely cuts down the possibilities of where you want to be, but will make your choices very easy, if your desire is to be a part of this exciting area is of a high priority.

Some VAs are doing a lot of this work, no?