The high incidence and bioethics of findings on magnetic resonance brain imaging of normal volunteers for neuroscience research

• Published in: Journal of medical ethics Vol. 35; no. 3; pp. 194 - 199
• Main Authors: Hoggard, N, Darwent, G, Capener, D, Wilkinson, I D, Griffiths, P D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics 01.03.2009; Institute of Medical Ethics and BMJ Publishing Group; BMJ Publishing Group Ltd; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aneurysms; Bioethical Issues; Bioethics; Brain; Brain Diseases - diagnosis; Brain research; Family physicians; Female; Health aspects; Human Experimentation; Humans; Imaging; Incidental Findings; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - ethics; Male; Medical examination; Medical imaging; Medical referrals; Medical research; Medical research volunteers; Middle Aged; Neuroimaging; Neurosciences; Pathology; Physicians; Physiological aspects; Primary health care; Research Ethics; Research studies; Scanners; Truth Disclosure - ethics; Tumors; Volunteerism; Volunteers; Young Adult

Background: We were finding volunteers for functional magnetic resonance imaging studies with abnormalities requiring referral surprisingly frequently. The bioethics surrounding the incidental findings are not straightforward and every imaging institution will encounter this situation in their norma...