Gems from the Silver State–MRIs, Nevada: 8 Interesting Facts
Date: April 4, 2023
Medical Resonance Imaging |
Nevada “The Silver State” |
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| The first concept of Magnetic Resonance Imaging was called Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, or NMR.1 |
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“The Silver State,” a.k.a. Nevada, is a moniker dating back to 1859 when silver was first discovered. This boom led to a migration boom that took over the region.2 |
| A physicist named Isidor Isaac Rabi developed a ground-breaking method to measure the properties of atoms in the 1930s.3 |
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Nevada became the 36th state on October 31, 1864. Statehood was rushed to ensure three electoral votes for Abraham Lincoln’s reelection, adding to the Republican congressional majorities. Thus, it was the second of two states added to the Union during the Civil War.4 |
| The first MRI was developed in the early 70s, but it wasn’t until 1977 that medical professionals performed the MRI scan on a living human being.3 |
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Nevada has more than 2101 named mountains, the highest of which is Boundary Peak Mountains.5 |
| The main magnet in an MRI magnetic field is 140,000 times stronger than the Earth’s.6 |
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Nevada ranks No. #1 in the U.S. for mining. The state is the fourth-largest producer of gold in the world.7 |
| The magnets used in MRI scanners also must be cooled to a temperature of absolute zero. This cooling is typically done with liquid hydrogen to take the magnets to 0 °F (-17.78 °C).6 |
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“Nevada summers are hot, muggy, and wet; winters are short, cold, snowy, and windy. Over a year, temperatures typically vary from 27 °F (-2.78 °C) to 90 °F (32.22 °C) and are rarely below 10 °F (-12.22 °C) or above 98 °F (36.67 °C)”8 |
| While it’s called an image, an MRI scan is not a photograph at all. Instead, it’s the culmination of magnetic fields and radio waves mapped by a computer using a unique signal for each cell type.3 Ironically, MRIs are considered one of the best ways to capture “images.” |
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Beyond its great popularity and the hustle and bustle, Nevada is primarily rural. The state’s other side is home to various natural sites, including desert landscapes, rolling rivers, expansive lakes, tributary silver and gold mines, and more than 2101 named mountains.9 |
| It is estimated that nearly 40 million MRI scans are performed annually in the US.10 |
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According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, 38.8 million people visited Las Vegas in 2022.11 |
Home of Gurnick’s Online MRI Program + Clinical |
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Home of the Las Vegas Strip |
Citations:
1 “When and Why Was MRI Invented.” GE HealthCare, General Electric Company, June 2019. (Accessed Feb. 16, 2023.)
2 Austin, Shelbi. “10 Things to Know about Nevada.” U.S. News and World Report. May 13, 2019. (Accessed March 23, 2023.)
3^a, b, c Envision Radiology. “Facts about MRIs.” Envision Radiology, Envision Radiology. Aug. 21, 2020. (Accessed Feb.14, 2023.)
4 “History of Nevada.” The Official State of Nevada Website, State of Nevada. 2021. (Accessed March 24, 2023.)
5 “USA–Nevada Mountains.” PeakVisor, Routes Software SRL. (Accessed Feb. 22. 2023.)
6^a, b “10 Facts about MRIs–Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas.” Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas, MANA. Sept. 24, 2015. (Accessed Feb. 15, 2023.)
7 17 Things Nevada is Known and Famous For.” NomadsUnveiled, NomadsUnveiled. May 19, 2022. (Accessed Feb. 21, 2023.)
8 “Nevada Climate, Weather by Month, Average Temperature (Missouri, United States)–Weather Spark.” Weather Spark, Cedar Lake Ventures, Inc.ⓒ (Accessed March 23, 2022.)
9 “USA–Nevada Mountains.” PeakVisor, Routes Software SRL. (Accessed Feb. 22. 2023.)
10 Kincaid, Ellie. “Want Fries with That? A Brief History of Medical MRI, Starting with a McDonald’s.” Forbes. April 16, 2018. (Accessed Feb. 21, 2023.)
11 Moeller, Joe. “38.8 Million People Visited Las Vegas in 2022, Inching Closer to Pre-Pandemic Levels.” KTNV 13 Action News Las Vegas, 2023 Scripps Media, Inc.© Jan. 1, 2023. (Accessed March 24, 2023.)
Note:
Gurnick Academy is not associated, endorsed, or in any way affiliated with Spark, Cedar Lake Ventures, Inc.ⓒ
Gurnick Academy is not associated, endorsed, or in any way affiliated with Scripps, Inc.ⓒ
