3.29.2009

Transforming medical diagnosis with new scanning technology

A new technology which dramatically improves the sensitivity of Magnetic Resonance techniques including those used in hospital scanners and chemistry laboratories has been developed by scientists at the University of York.

Ultimately, the technique, based on manipulating parahydrogen, the fuel of the space shuttle, is expected to allow doctors to learn far more about a patient’s condition from an MRI scan at lower cost while increasing the range of medical conditions that can be examined.

The research is published today in the latest edition of the journal Science.
"Our method has the potential to help doctors make faster and more accurate diagnoses in a wide range of medical conditions"
Professor Gary Green

Researchers have taken parahydrogen and, through a reversible interaction with a specially designed molecular scaffold, transferred its magnetism to a range of molecules. The resulting molecules are much more easily detected than was previously possible. No-one has been able to use parahydrogen in this way before.

Professor Gary Green, from the Department of Psychology and Director of the York Neuroimaging Centre, said: "Our method has the potential to help doctors make faster and more accurate diagnoses in a wide range of medical conditions.

source: University of York

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