New Radiation-Free Medical Imaging Method Developed

A team of physicists and medical experts from Julius Maximilian University (JMU) in Würzburg has successfully developed a new radiation-free imaging method suitable for use in humans—Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI). The portable scanner they created can visualize dynamic processes in the human body, such as blood flow. The results of their research were published in the journal “Nature Scientific Reports.”

How Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) Works

MPI is based on the visualization of magnetic nanoparticles. These nanoparticles do not naturally occur in the human body and must be introduced as markers. Unlike positron emission tomography, which relies on radioactive substances as markers, this method is fast and sensitive, and it is not affected by interference from tissues or bones, explains Volker Behr.

During MPI, the magnetization of the nanoparticles is specifically manipulated using external magnetic fields. This allows not only the detection of their presence but also the determination of their spatial position within the human body.

Development and Advantages of the New Scanner

The idea of MPI is not new. In 2005, Philips demonstrated the first images using a similar approach in a small demonstration device. However, developing devices suitable for human examination proved more challenging than expected, resulting in large, heavy, and expensive machines.

In 2018, a team led by Professor Volker Behr and Patrick Vogel found a new way to generate the complex magnetic fields needed for imaging in a much smaller size. The researchers developed an MPI scanner that is so small and lightweight it can be taken almost anywhere.

“This is the first important step toward radiation-free intervention. MPI has the potential to completely change the field,” said Dr. Stefan Herz, senior author of the publication.

Future Prospects

The physicists are now working on further developing their scanner, aiming to improve image quality even more.