Medical Scan Sensitivity Boosted

A new technique that uses the fuel which powers the space shuttle could improve medical scans by making them much more sensitive. The technique developed by researchers of the University of York increased the sensitivity of the scans by 1000 times and speeded up the process. It would take the standard method 100 hours to obtain the same amount of information the new technique generates in one second. This new technique may also increase the range of conditions that can be studied using an MRI. This means that it has the potential to help doctors make faster and more accurate diagnosis for many different medical conditions. The development of this technique can also make possible for an MRI to be used in the detection of a larger range of molecules in the body and in much smaller concentrations than previously possible. The technique works by interacting parahydrogen with a specially designed molecular field to create molecules that can be detected easily by MRI scans. Usually, MRI scanners work by measuring information from hydrogen atoms found in the water and fat contained in the body's tissues. However, the new technique can also measure data from the carbon-based molecules, which are the building blocks of the tissues. Lead researcher Professor Gary Green said: "Our method has the potential to help doctors make faster and more accurate diagnoses in a wide range of medical conditions. The technique could ultimately replace current clinical imaging technologies that depend on the use of radioactive substances or heavy metals, which themselves create health concerns."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7965364.stm