Physicists at the University of Virginia have developed a new imaging method that combines aspects of both MRI and gamma-ray imaging, a modality that has the potential to create new types of high-resolution medical diagnostics, reported Phys.org.
The technique has been named polarized nuclear imaging and is outlined in a study published today in the journal Nature. Notably, the imaging approach could pave a way to inexpensively visualize space in lungs through having patients inhale an isotope gas.
"This method makes possible a truly new, absolutely different class of medical diagnostics," Wilson Miller, one of the study’s authors, told Phys.org. "We're combining the advantages of using highly detectable nuclear tracers with the spectral sensitivity and diagnostic power of MRI techniques."
Polarized nuclear imaging could also target areas of the body by injecting isotopes into a patient’s bloodstream, with little radioactivity danger for the patient.
To read more about the method, follow the link below.
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As a Senior Writer for TriMed Media Group, Katherine primarily focuses on producing news stories, Q&As and features for Cardiovascular Business. She reports on several facets of the cardiology industry, including emerging technology, new clinical trials and findings, and quality initiatives among providers. She is based out of TriMed's Chicago office and holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Columbia College Chicago. Her work has appeared in Modern Healthcare, Crain's Chicago Business and The Detroit News. She joined TriMed in 2016.